Politico's Vogel Won't Reveal If Rival Was Source For Cain Story
Politico's Kenneth P. Vogel refused to tell CNN's Wolf Blitzer if a competing Republican candidate's campaign tipped his outlet off about sexual harassment allegations placed against Herman Cain when he ran the National Restaurant Association in the 1990s.
When pressed several times Vogel would not fully capitulate to Blitzer. However, Vogel did hint that it was a possibility, but wouldn't confirm nor deny it.
"Politics are politics as you said, and certainly there are people that are digging up opposition research," Vogel said.
Asked again, Vogel said it wasn't important who delivered the story to them. "We do not think that the original source is as important as the actual information," he said on CNN.
Vogel did acknowledge that the website did receive a tip, but it was from "someone outside" who helped them corroborate the story.
Transcript of Blitzer questioning Vogel's source below:
Can you tell us, without getting into the specifics of who tipped you off, was it another campaign?
VOGEL: We got a tip and it was from someone outside. We managed to corroborate all of the details and more. We have to be clear here that this tip was sort of a general tip. And we through dogged reported, talked to dozens of people, both within the Restaurant Association, on the board, former staffers, people who knew the women who made these allegations and corroborated all of the details that we reported on the case.
BLITZER: But it would be significant -- you are a good reporter -- if it came from a political campaign, another Republican campaign. And when you say outside, maybe someone from the National Restaurants Association or whatever. You understand the interest where you got that original tip to go check this out?
VOGEL: Certainly.
And I would say that what's more significant are the facts of the situation. And we independently corroborated and verified them.
BLITZER: I know, but you don't want to tell us if -- you don't want to say whether or not opposition research from another campaign provided the initial tip?
VOGEL: That's correct. We don't think that's -- the original source is as important as the actual information...
(CROSSTALK)
BLITZER: I know the actual information is important, but the original source is important as well, if we're looking at the whole political environment, what is going on among the Republicans, because you know we have covered a lot of campaigns. Opposition research always provides reporters, journalists, you go check out this, go check out that, you may find something good.
And I'm just curious because it is part of the presidential campaign right now whether another campaign helped you begin this reporting.
VOGEL: I mean, politics are politics, as you said. And certainly there are people who are digging up opposition research. I'm just not going to do anything that would identify -- that would point towards the identity of our original source.
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