Enquirer hits the heights

The Enquirer did not spare George W Bush's daughter

By Maggie Shiels

A downmarket tabloid has become the hottest publication on American newstands following a series of world-wide scoops.

The National Enquirer, regarded by many as part of the gutter press, has made everyone sit up and take notice following two sensational lead stories.

Ten years ago, we thought of the Enquirer only in terms of past stories like the Three-Headed Calf or Aliens Invaded My Body

George Kennedy, Professor of Journalism

The first at the end of January was the startling news that the Reverend Jesse Jackson had fathered a love child.

Further revelations unveiled that he had also taken his pregnant mistress to an Oval office meeting at the height of the Lewinsky impeachment saga.

Egg on face

The story was regarded as significant by sober news organisations because of past statements made by Mr Jackson in defending Mr Clinton when the president was under fire for his own extramarital activities.

The first exclusive made the serious press sit up and take notice

The second exclusive, which left egg on the face of a Washington media that likes to think it has the inside track on everything political, involved the then most powerful man in the world, Bill Clinton, on his last days in office.

The Enquirer revelled in disclosing that Hillary Rodham's brother Hugh had been paid hundred of thousands of dollars for helping secure presidential pardons.

What's the difference between Hollywood and Washington

Steve Coz, Enquirer editor

Both stories earned reams of publicity for the Enquirer and caused no end of problems for the former president and his now senator wife.

But good solid journalism also raised the paper's stock a notch or two among the establishment press, which is often quick off the mark at looking down its nose at its grubbier competitor.

"Ten years ago, we thought of the Enquirer only in terms of past stories like the Three-Headed Calf or Aliens Invaded My Body, but lately they've really been playing with the big boys," says George Kennedy, Professor of Journalism at the University of Missouri.

The second exclusive involved Hillary Clinton's brother

It's certainly true that the weekly published Enquirer, with over two million readers, was once more likely to root out the sexual predilections of Hollywood than focus on the dull world of politics.

Chequebook

But editor Steve Coz admits that since the Monica Lewinsky scandal all that has changed.

"What's the difference between Hollywood and Washington?" asks Coz before answering his own question.

"Politicians are so much better known now, which is good for magazine sales. Tom and Nicole getting divorced might be a very good story to read, but when you uncover a Bill Clinton pardon scandal, that has an impact on people's lives."

Coz acknowledges that apart from good old shoe leather and pavement pounding, the Enquirer used its chequebook to get the dirt.

It is staying silent about how much was stuffed into brown envelopes - though Coz argues the stories were more dependent on investigative reporting than anything else.

Clinton is the Tom Cruise of politics

David Wright, Enquirer journalist

Englishman David Wright, 61, who has worked at the Enquirer for 24 years, was one of the journalists to nail the Clinton story.

"We'd been working on the presidential pardon for controversial financier Marc Rich but were being pipped to the post by the likes of the New York Times because they were printing every day," Wright says.

"We then changed tack, focusing on 10 other pardons that didn't pass the smell test," he says. "The more we dug, the more the red flags appeared."

Vast resources

What is especially impressive about the paper's ability to steal such stories out from under the noses of the broadsheets, is the Enquirer's willingness to throw vast resources at these investigations.

The ex-president has proved a tabloid favourite

A dozen reporters rooted out the dirt on the pardons lead. In the Jackson case, similar manpower was deployed.

All this at a time when so many other publications are cutting back and demanding quick results.

"We have noticed the mainstream press working a lot harder of late," jokes David Wright.

"I think they're still smarting over being scooped and while they've been kind in praising our work, it's obvious they don't want to be beaten again."

Scoop

While not abandoning the celebrity world, it is certainly clear that the Enquirer's foray into political affairs has been driven by one man. David Wright explains the obsession.

"Clinton is the Tom Cruise of politics. He's the biggest celebrity in the country and everyone is immensely interested in what he gets up to."

But when asked what will happen now George W Bush is the new kid on the block, Wright laughs: "His daughter Jenna is shaping up nicely."

And so it would seem from the exposé revealing "the pictures the White House didn't want you to see", after President Bush's wild daughter was involved in a fraternity booze up that resulted in the arrest of a male friend.

Something you could never say about Chelsea Clinton, who Wright says behaved impeccably.

And with politicians firmly in the Enquirer's sights, what can the public expect next from the mudraking weekly?

"Watch this space," says David Wright coyly. "We're working on another Washington exclusive and it'll be big."

If not, it'll certainly be entertaining.