Straight outta the ‘West Wing’

Did you notice when yesterday’s Washington Post story about potential administration plans to arm the Libyan rebels appeared? It showed up during Friday's Happy Hours. That's not a coincidence. Any West Wing fan worth his or her salt should know that Friday is “Take out the trash day.” That’s when the White House casually releases a potentially explosive story along with the other innocuous “garbage” in one big data dump. The idea is to “bury the news,” thereby minimizing media chatter and potential public blow back. As fictional presidential aide Josh Lyman (pictured above) put it, “no one reads the paper on Saturday.” That’s true for the Internet, too. Also, releasing news this way allows the White House gauge media reaction and to test the political waters. (Obama is slated to address the nation Monday on Libya. Ergo, there are no coincidences in DC.) Anyway, those paying attention got to see a real life “trash day.” Kinda neat, huh? By the way, the White House tactic worked. I’ve heard nary a word about the Post story today. But that won't last.