Talk:Nicholas F. Benton

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[edit] Bio

Nicholas F. Benton is an important political and social figure in Northern Virginia by virtue of the influence of his newspaper far beyond just Falls Church, and its history of strong, intelligent stands on issues. His bio reflects this in the awards and recognition that he has received (there are many more not listed there). Also, he is a former White House correspondent who also remains active in the life of the overall Washington, D.C., scene. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Nfbenton (talk • contribs).

But has he done anything that meets WP:BIO? Daniel Case 04:33, 6 July 2007 (UTC)

[edit] LaRouche

It seems to me that the second 3rd of Mr. Benton"s 68 odd years of life were in close association with Mr. Lyndon LaRouche. He was a not only a correspondent for Executive Intelligence Review (EIR), a publication founded by Mr. LaRouche, by he was also LaRouche's trusted representative in Washington and a member of the National Committee of the National Caucus of the Labor Committees, the founding "seed" organization of the various LaRouche organizations. As a member of the National Committee, he was a trusted friend and associate of Mr. LaRouche. It seems that Mr. Benton has never adequately explained his departure from trusted leader, to unflagging adversary.

Mr. Benton must have been doing something before 1980-82 that the readers of WIKIPEDIA might find useful in understanding what went into the making of Mr. Benton. I particularly appreciated the "Eyes, rear and throat" joke, but it did smack of homophobia. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 207.172.195.34 (talk • contribs).

On June 28, 2007, Benton was the first U.S. ex-follower of LaRouche to publish his own biographical story about his experiences with LaRouche in a forum other than the Internet. Here is the story:
Nicholas F. Benton: How I Explain LaRouche
..Copyvio omitted
22043bsr 22:30, 8 August 2007 (UTC)
[By the way, Nicholas Benton is not 68 years old, he was born in 1944.]22043bsr
Response to 207.172.195.34:
Since your IP address seems to be connected to Upper Darby where Larouche has his Pennsylvania offices, you must excuse me for thinking that your post was written by a LaRouche follower who is trying to either embarrass Mr. Benton, or threaten him. Either way, the article by Mr. Benton posted here seems to answer your question as why "it seems that Mr. Benton has never adequately explained his departure from trusted leader, to unflagging adversary" as well as your remark "Mr. Benton must have been doing something before 1980-82 that the readers of WIKIPEDIA might find useful in understanding what went into the making of Mr. Benton." Hopefully, Mr. Benton will provide further enlightenment into LaRouche's responsibilty for the deaths of Kenneth Kronberg and Jeremiah Duggan. Wordmiser 23:17, 8 August 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Dukakis question

  • Benton asked the famous question of Ronald Reagan, as to whether Michael Dukakis ought to make his health records public, to which Reagan replied, "I'm not going to pick on an invalid."[1]

Why was this sourced material removed? It is perhaps the act of the subject which has been the most widely reported. ·:· Will Beback ·:· 00:17, 9 August 2007 (UTC)

The same editor just removed all references to Benton's activity in the LaRouche organzation. I restored them. I would also like to know if there is a source for the material on "Century News Service" which was inserted by the same editor (whose contribution history only shows edits to this article.) An anonymous editor 207.172.195.34 says above on this talk page that Benton was an officer in the LaRouche organization. Is there any source for this info? --Marvin Diode 14:26, 9 August 2007 (UTC)

The information appears to have been removed because the editor believed it was inacurate. Mr. Benton wrote for several news services while he was a White House Correspondent. Please re-check your sources. In addition, if EIR News Service is owned by Lyndon LaRouche, that should have been reported to both the Federal Election Commission and the Internal Revenue Service. Was this done?

Since Wikepedia does not allow inacurate information to posted, it is important to check all sources. In addition, please define what an "officer" in the LaRouche organization is, and why you believe that Benton was working solely for the EIR News Service when he asked Reagan that question.

Thank you. Wordmiser 16:48, 9 August 2007 (UTC)


If Benton asked the question that's what's important here, since this is his bio. Which news service he was workin for at the time is less important. If his emnplyer at the time isn't verifiable we can leave that part out.
Also, here is an interview with Benton printed August 5, 2007, which can be used as a source for this article. "Citizen Nick: Nicholas F. Benton's gay-friendly, progressive paper grows in Falls Church". ·:· Will Beback ·:· 16:57, 9 August 2007 (UTC)

Since Mr. Benton discusses his White House years, that seems to be acceptable. Thank you. Wordmiser 18:45, 9 August 2007 (UTC)

Under Wikipedia policy, we do not add or delete material based on the belief of an editor that the material is accurate or inaccurate. The criterion is whether there is a published source. The policy is laid out in WP:RS. The only source we have at present is Dennis King's book, which admittedly leaves something to be desired, but it is a source. King refers to Benton as correspondent for Executive Intelligence Review. Benton's connection to the LaRouche organization is not a matter of dispute, because Benton makes this clear in "How I explain LaRouche." The "Century News Service" assertion should be either sourced or removed. --Marvin Diode 21:08, 9 August 2007 (UTC)
Marvin Diode is correct about WP policy. We have no way of knowing, as editors or readers, what is "true" or "accurate". All we know is what is "verifiable".
"Century News Service" (CNS) is mentioned in the above referenced interview. Benton is the sole contributor to CNS, if I read it correctly. ·:· Will Beback ·:· 21:20, 9 August 2007 (UTC)
The interview does shed light on "Century News Service." However, I don't see any evidence that Benton was a White House Correspondent for that service. The interview seems to reinforce King's contention that Benton's White House job was for EIR, so I'm changing it back to that in the article. --Marvin Diode 21:44, 9 August 2007 (UTC)
I think that interpretation is not entirely correct. In the interview Benton says:
  • Next thing you know, I'm getting a hard pass to the White House and going to all the briefings, both under Reagan and subsequently under Bush senior. By 1987, I'd completely had my fill of these people I'd been working with and I started my own press service, Century News Service, which I subsequently changed to Benton Communications.
So he appears to be saying that he'd left EIR by or during 1987. Yet the famous question re: Dukaksi was asked on August 3, 1988. That means that he was still a White House Correspondent. I think we should list both news services, and indicate the time line. ·:· Will Beback ·:· 21:59, 9 August 2007 (UTC)
To complicate matters, news reports from 1988 refer to Benton as a "reporter associated with Mr. LaRouche" (WSJ) and:
  • But when the President of the United States chose to recognize a LaRouche acolyte at a Washington news media briefing last week, the nation's attention was focused on the group. President Reagan's attention was focused on former Houston mayoral and congressional candidate Nick Benton, now a Washington correspondent for LaRouche's Executive Intelligence Review. After Benton asked a long question noting that Democratic presidential nominee Michael Dukakis had not made his medical records public, Reagan smiled and replied that he didn't wish to "pick on an invalid." Reagan's remark brought from whispers to front-page news an unsubstantiated and consistently denied rumor that Dukakis sought counseling for mental depression after the death of his brother in 1973 and after his loss of the governor's office in 1978. The LaRouche followers noted the rumor was not of their making, but they did their best to spread it with crudely copied fliers that papered press areas at the Democratic National Convention last month in Atlanta. Harley Schlanger, another long-time local LaRouche activist, conceded there was is no evidence to substantiate the rumor, which was denied by Dukakis and his doctor. "We merely suggested people should take a look at these things," Schlanger said. "LaRouche gets exposure again", NENE FOXHALL, Houston Chronicle Aug 7, 1988
We should include Benton's campaigns. But it's not clear that Benton was out of the LaRouche camp as of August 1988. ·:· Will Beback ·:· 22:17, 9 August 2007 (UTC)
There doesn't seem to be much in the way of independent verification for the existence of "Century News." One thing is clear, and that is that Benton is being a bit ambiguous about the timetable for his leaving the LaRouche organization. We've seen accounts on when he left that range from "early 80s" to "late 80s" to "1990." Also, the Wikipedia user who wrote the first version of this article chose a username very similar to Nicholas Benton -- we don't know whether it's the actual guy, or a poseur -- and he left the LaRouche relationship out altogether. --Marvin Diode 15:07, 10 August 2007 (UTC)
I don't know how much verification we require, but if you search Google for "Century News Service" is obvious that it exists and belongs to Benton. Benton's recent press release contains additional biographical info, including his alma mater. Press reports from the early to mid-1980s refer to Benton as an "aide" to LaRouche or as a "spokesman" for him or the EIR. I'm not sure when he ran for office in Houston, but we should be able to find that info. The dates of his entry and exit from the movement will probably have to be left vague. ·:· Will Beback ·:· 22:13, 10 August 2007 (UTC)