A number of high-profile Democrats, including David Axelrod, Donna Brazile, James Carville, and Kathleen Sebelius thought it was a good idea to help disgraced political analyst Mark Halperin rehabilitate his career, and the blowback has already been fierce.
The far-left Politico promoted Halperin’s upcoming book with the news he just signed a deal with Judith Regan:
HALPERIN interviewed more than 75 top Democratic strategists for the book including Jill Alper, David Axelrod, Bob Bauer, Donna Brazile, James Carville, Tad Devine, Anita Dunn, Karen Dunn, Adrienne Elrod, Jennifer Granholm, Ben LaBolt, Jeff Link, Jim Margolis, Mike McCurry, Mark Mellman, Amanda Renteria, John Sasso, Kathleen Sebelius, Bob Shrum, Ginny Terzano, and David Wilhelm.
Until 2017, when numerous women came forward to accuse Halperin of everything from making lewd propositions to unwanted kissing to physical abuse to rubbing his erection against them, Halperin’s Game Change brand was a golden goose. He was all over cable TV, the Internet; there were all those lucrative book deals and even a weekly Showtime series. But in a matter of days, the gruesome allegations from around a dozen different women put an end to all of that.
Poof went Halperin’s career and reputation.
Beyond pursuing sexual relationships with junior staffers, Halperin denied all wrongdoing, and this denial only angered his accusers more. The backseat driver who had made millions second-guessing everyone else’s political moves suddenly blew himself up in spectacular fashion.
Cast into the wilderness for two years now, of late, Halperin has attempted a comeback through his Twitter account, a daily online newsletter, and appearances on a radio show hosted by CNN’s Michael Smerconish. This book deal, though, is Halperin attempting stride right back on to the stage, and helping to make this possible are his numerous pals and connections among the Democrat elite.
What’s more, Halperin’s book is also strategically aimed at the establishment media’s sweetest of sweet spots — I mean, what better way to re-ingratiate yourself with the fake news media than to devote an entire book on how to beat Trump?
That’s actually the title of the book — How to Beat Trump.
Already, though, the blowback from Halperin’s accusers has resulted in NBC, MSNBC, CNN, and ABC promising not to have Halperin on to promote the book.
The accusers are also furious with the elite Democrats who offered their imprimatur to the comeback.
Eleanor McManus, who says Halperin tried to kiss her when she was a 21-year-old journalism student, told the far-left Daily Beast, “He leveraged his position as a prominent journalist to prey on women. He has yet to take responsibility for his actions by apologizing to his victims or demonstrating genuine contrition. Giving him a book once again puts him in a position of authority and that is a slap in the face to all the women that he has victimized.”
Another accuser, OANN’s Emily Miller, blasted Politico for promoting Halperin’s book: “Why is @politico promoting Mark Halperin book deal and not asking any of his sexual assault victims for comment?”
The Fox News Channel’s Donna Brazile, who is herself operating on a second chance after it was discovered she slipped CNN’s debate questions in advance to Hillary Clinton during the 2016 presidential campaign, arrogantly explained that she spoke to Halperin because she felt her voice was “too important” to be excluded.
Axelrod, however, now says he regrets agreeing to be interviewed.
“By answering Halperin’s questions, I did not in any way mean to excuse his past, egregious behavior and, in retrospect, I regret responding at all, Axelrod tweeted.
For her part, publisher Regan says it is time to forgive: “I do not in any way, shape, or form condone any harm done by one human being to another,” she said in a statement. “I have also lived long enough to believe in the power of forgiveness, second chances, and offering a human being a path to redemption.”
Stay tuned. This story has legs and I would not be at all surprised if the book ends up getting canceled. My guess is that Halperin’s interview subjects are right now trying to clean up their mess by pressuring Halperin and Regan to have their comments removed — which means no book.
Regardless, all of this does bring us back to an important question: How long are we supposed to blacklist #MeToo perpetrators?
“I am profoundly sorry for the pain and anguish I have caused by my past actions. I apologize sincerely to the women I mistreated,” Halperin said in 2017. Ever since, he’s been unemployable.
No one will ever confuse me with a Mark Halperin fan, the media and political world are much better off without him, and I certainly sympathize with his accusers and their desire to see some accountability, but…
A permanent blacklist is unjust, and this is true for anyone who has done pretty much anything. Halperin has not been convicted in a court of law and he denies the most serious allegations against him.
The primary problem is this… right now the #MeToo movement offers no path to redemption, and that has to change.
Follow John Nolte on Twitter @NolteNC. Follow his Facebook Page here.
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