We Get The Strangest Requests... (Wizbang)

This one was a head scratcher...

From: leewhitnum@redacted [mailto:leewhitnum@redacted] Sent: Wednesday, August 29, 2007 8:46 PM To: tips@wizbangblog.com Subject: Could you please do me a favor.....
I've had a really bad two years and I haven't been able to find a decent job. I would really appreciate it if you could delete any reference to me from your site. I'm mentioned in August, 2004. Thank you.

The name Lee Whitnum didn't exactly ring a bell so I had to use our awesome search function to figure out that Lee Whitnum was John Kerry's former lover. It turns out that in 2004, when she was enjoying her 15 minutes of fame, I unmasked her little Google Adwords scam to sell her book.

We've had other people who asked us to remove old stories and generally I refuse. If it was good enough to publish at the time it's good enough to stay in the archives. This request was no different - I turned it down. Still I wondered why - so long after the fact - was Lee Whitnum so interested in expunging this bit of history?

Today I got my answer... She's running for Congress.

Comments (24)

I've had a really ... (Below threshold)

1. Posted by John in CA | September 13, 2007 2:49 AM | Score: 7 (7 votes cast)

John in CA:

I've had a really bad two years and I haven't been able to find a decent job.

She couldn't find a decent job, so she's running for representative. That's really desperate.

Posted on September 13, 2007 02:49

You'd think Kerry would thr... (Below threshold)

2. Posted by Jim Addison | September 13, 2007 3:16 AM | Score: 5 (5 votes cast)

Jim Addison:

You'd think Kerry would throw her a bone . . .

Sorry.

And he can't hire her - it's not his money.

Posted on September 13, 2007 03:16

Oh blargh, that's funny. Un... (Below threshold)

3. Posted by 89 | September 13, 2007 3:19 AM | Score: -1 (3 votes cast)

89:

Oh blargh, that's funny. Unlike the "not for attribution" stuff people send you unsolicited, though, I would not have published this message from her, but simply declined it and then just post something about "a politician mentioned on this website asked to have information removed. I refused. I wonder how many sites agree to quietly cleanse the record."

Posted on September 13, 2007 03:19

It's also no secret that th... (Below threshold)

4. Posted by 89 | September 13, 2007 3:23 AM | Score: 2 (2 votes cast)

It's also no secret that the Internet Archive can be made to hide entire sites from view by a simple technological fix, but don't tell any politicians about it. ;-)

Posted on September 13, 2007 03:23

Twice I've had people ask m... (Below threshold)

5. Posted by The Florida Masochist | September 13, 2007 6:18 AM | Score: 3 (3 votes cast)

The Florida Masochist:

Twice I've had people ask me to take down a Knucklehead award I gave them. One was the manager of a retail store I had a dispute with. He was warned at the time of what I would do. The manager 6 months later was upset because his children had found it.

The other case involved a Florida teacher who got into trouble. He had to resign his job, but got rehired by another Florida school system. He emailed me asking that I remove the post. Saying it was embarrassing when parents and students found it. Even if I did delete the post, it wouldn't solve this teacher's problem. Number two on any google searches for his name is a USA Today article telling about the controversy in Northern Florida.

Posted on September 13, 2007 06:18

I demand that your blog del... (Below threshold)

6. Posted by Barry in CO | September 13, 2007 6:38 AM | Score: 4 (4 votes cast)

Barry in CO

I demand that your blog delete all references to me, unless there are none, in which case you are free to quote me.

Thank you!

Posted on September 13, 2007 06:38

heh- I wondered about that ... (Below threshold)

7. Posted by Paul | September 13, 2007 6:45 AM | Score: 4 (4 votes cast)

Paul:

heh- I wondered about that at the time... sure an incomprehensible email is a good way to prove your qualifications for congress.

Posted on September 13, 2007 06:45

She calls Pat Buchana one o... (Below threshold)

8. Posted by wavemaker | September 13, 2007 9:29 AM | Score: 2 (2 votes cast)

wavemaker:

She calls Pat Buchana one of her heroes.

That'll play well in CT.

Posted on September 13, 2007 09:29

This is why my own personal... (Below threshold)

9. Posted by Samantha | September 13, 2007 10:06 AM | Score: 3 (3 votes cast)

Samantha:

This is why my own personal policy is never say anything in any electronic media that I wouldn't be willing to say when face to face with someone. I find it keeps me out of a lot of trouble.

Posted on September 13, 2007 10:06

Typical of a leftist, the e... (Below threshold)

10. Posted by P. Bunyan | September 13, 2007 10:17 AM | Score: 4 (6 votes cast)

P. Bunyan:

Typical of a leftist, the e-mail she sent you was a bald face lie. It had nothing to do with her having "a really bad two years and I haven't been able to find a decent job" and had everything to do with her running for congress.

It would be more disgusting if it weren't typical and normal for a Democrat.

Posted on September 13, 2007 10:17

PB: I fail to see where th... (Below threshold)

11. Posted by epador | September 13, 2007 10:25 AM | Score: -1 (3 votes cast)

epador:

PB: I fail to see where the incongruity lies with failing to find a decent job and running for Congress. So where's the lie?

Posted on September 13, 2007 10:25

Maybe she should start at M... (Below threshold)

12. Posted by moseby | September 13, 2007 10:31 AM | Score: 6 (6 votes cast)

moseby:

Maybe she should start at Mickey D's and work her way up...

Posted on September 13, 2007 10:31

Ahhhh, celebrity worship an... (Below threshold)

13. Posted by Gmac | September 13, 2007 11:05 AM | Score: 4 (4 votes cast)

Gmac:

Ahhhh, celebrity worship and associating yourself with the biggest presidential loser in recent memory by mentioning you were screwing him has such a 'democratic' panache to it.

Good luck sister, you made the bed, you get to sleep in it and the voters in your state have every right to know what you're really like.

Posted on September 13, 2007 11:05

Epador,If she were... (Below threshold)

14. Posted by P. Bunyan | September 13, 2007 12:05 PM | Score: 3 (3 votes cast)

Epador,

If she were honest, the e-mail would have said something like:

I'm running for congress and since I'm a Democrat we're gonna need to hide my past from ignorant voters, so could you please remove the post about me.

It was a lie by ommission.

Posted on September 13, 2007 12:05

It is also a lie by equatin... (Below threshold)

15. Posted by CharlieDontSurf | September 13, 2007 2:18 PM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)

CharlieDontSurf:

It is also a lie by equating a "decent job" with congress.

Posted on September 13, 2007 14:18

Hasn't been able to find a ... (Below threshold)

16. Posted by Levans | September 13, 2007 3:07 PM | Score: 2 (2 votes cast)

Levans:

Hasn't been able to find a decent job, so she's running for Congress, eh? You know, that rationale probably fits a great many of those she aspires to have as colleagues.

Posted on September 13, 2007 15:07

I demand this site remove a... (Below threshold)

17. Posted by McGehee | September 13, 2007 4:04 PM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)

McGehee

I demand this site remove all words containing the letters M, C, G, E or H -- and especially those in which the letter E appears twice in succession.

Posted on September 13, 2007 16:04

Oh Lord, do I HAVE to put "... (Below threshold)

18. Posted by epador | September 13, 2007 4:12 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Oh Lord, do I HAVE to put "[sarcaster on]" with every tongue in cheek post or what?

Posted on September 13, 2007 16:12

Sorry Epador, if you were b... (Below threshold)

19. Posted by P. Bunyan | September 13, 2007 5:00 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Sorry Epador, if you were being sarcastic, I missed it.

Posted on September 13, 2007 17:00

That is suck a sad, sad, tr... (Below threshold)

20. Posted by david drake | September 13, 2007 5:42 PM | Score: 2 (2 votes cast)

david drake:

That is suck a sad, sad, tragic story from Lee Whitman. I weep, I cry, I shed big tears. Perhaps there is a government program that will give her a job for which she is not qualified, or perhaps she will - in the future - remember not to be so foolish. But probably not.

Posted on September 13, 2007 17:42

oh, sorry - a PS: I would ... (Below threshold)

21. Posted by david drake | September 13, 2007 5:43 PM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)

oh, sorry - a PS: I would not remove or delete the original post either. Good move!

Posted on September 13, 2007 17:43

Her political calculus suck... (Below threshold)

22. Posted by _Mike_ | September 13, 2007 7:52 PM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)

_Mike_:

Her political calculus sucks.

Plan to run for Congress:
Step 1) send out e-mail requesting references to my previous scamming be removed. Lie about the rational behind request. (The people who busted me last time should be easily fooled.)
Step 2)...

Posted on September 13, 2007 19:52

Check out her match.com pro... (Below threshold)

23. Posted by JD | September 15, 2007 12:36 AM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)

JD:

Check out her match.com profile. She also likes skinny dipping!

Posted on September 15, 2007 00:36

Writer23 is the match.com s... (Below threshold)

24. Posted by JD | September 15, 2007 12:37 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Writer23 is the match.com screen name

Posted on September 15, 2007 00:37