Meanwhile, Ben Smith Is Laughing His Ass Off

Greg Sargent reports on the aftermath of the whole "Labor threw $10 million down the drain"crack on Bill Halter's campaign from the anonymous White House official this week.

Representing the White House at the meeting, which is currently underway at AFL-CIO headquarters in Washington, are top advisers Patrick Gaspard and Jen O'Malley. On the labor side are AFL-CIO's political directors.

Here's what's going down as we speak, according to a source who is present. Labor officials pointedly told the White House reps that they stood by their effort in Arkansas and were proud of it, and that they would continue making endorsement decisions not according to the letter next to the incumbent's name, but solely on who was better for their members.

In response, Gaspard, the White House official with perhaps the deepest roots in labor, assured those present that he understood that unions should remain independent. He asked the labor officials not to let one comment foul up relations between labor and the White House.

Gaspard also assured those assembled that he understood that labor's first responsibility is to their members.

So it looks like the White House does regret dumping on labor after all, and does understand that the judicious move here is to walk back the criticism and insults, if only in private. More as I learn it.

First of all, whoever said this in the first place probably deserves to be the ass that Obama needs to kick.  I understand he's looking for one.  It was a stupid thing to say and whoever did crap it out needs to own up to it, real simple.  But that's not the real issue.

Political bedfellows make-up sex aside, the bigger problem of course is Politico's Ben Smith is rapidly becoming the Matt Drudge of 2010 (and that's not a good thing, as currently we have at least 75 gazillion Matt Drudges too many).  He's the one that dropped this story and he's got to be thrilled sitting in his big chair in his volcano lair while plotting what other world domination he can try this week as the Village and the White House chase his laser pointer around like a Jack Russell Terrier on crystal meth.

Basically an anonymous, unsourced quote has driven the entire post-primary media narrative this week.  That's a problem, folks.  But then again, what do you expect from the Super Soaker Squad?