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Dirty little secret time here -- along the lines of "You know you're a redneck if … "

You know it's summertime journalism if ….

... You begin to notice The Attack of The Lists. They come with the territory, like suntan lotion, "Die Hard" movies and boat drinks. They're fun and ever-so-slightly informative … but mostly serve as conversation starters. Are they a crutch of sorts for reporters and columnists? Absolutely. But a completely understandable one given the glacial pace of the June-July-August news cycles. (What, you'd prefer another "Summer of the Shark?")

This summer is shaping up true to form.

See, it begins innocuously enough with a Big List, maybe even on national TV – like last week, when the American Film Institute named its "Top 100 Films of All Time." This big splash opens the season and gives everybody cover.

Then a big name magazine gets into the act, as Forbes has done today with its list of the "Celebrity 100" list of who in showbiz has the most capital, financial or otherwise. (No shock here, but Oprah is still on top.)

Then you move inside the newspaper to a list about "Our Favorite Magazines," as the Chicago Tribune did today. (Though it's nearly impossible to have a problem with any list that gives props to "The Believer.")

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On Tuesday night's "Evening News," Gloria Borger said this:

"One senior House Republican tells CBS that there's a lot of anger at what he describes as 'a network of gay staffers and gay members who protect each other and did the speaker a disservice.'"

The New Republic's Michael Crowley picks up on Borger's comment. He argues that "it's becoming clear that some people on Capitol Hill are promoting a storyline that involves gay Republican staffers--apparently led by [Tom Reynolds's chief of staff Kirk] Fordham--covering up for Mark Foley." Crowley suggests "maybe this is how Dennis Hastert and his compatriots are explaining themselves to the base."

He also notes David Corn's report on "The List" – a document being passed around political circles of high-level Republican congressional aides who are gay.

Corn, a liberal, says he will not publish The List, even though he has a copy. Here's his conclusion:

Let's be clear about one thing: the Mark Foley scandal is not about homosexuality. Some family value conservatives are suggesting it is. But anytime a gay Republican is outed by events, a dicey issue is raised: what about those GOPers who are gay and who serve a party that is anti-gay? Are they hypocrites, opportunists, or just confused individuals? Is it possible to support a party because you adhere to most of its tenets--even if that party refuses to recognize you as a full citizen? The men on The List might want to think hard about these questions--as they probably already have--for if I have a copy of The List, there's a good chance it will be appearing soon on a website near everyone.

In the coming days, we may see the Foley story morph into a referendum on gay Republicans – particularly if the G.O.P. continues to push the storyline that Foley was protected by "a network of gay staffers and gay members." News organizations, one can safely assume, would not be happy about such a development. The questions surrounding putting gay Republicans in the spotlight – and how the press handles such questions – would be incredibly divisive: Conservative site Newsbusters is already lauding Borger for breaking the "PC Barrier" by taking about the alleged network; others, no doubt, will criticize news outlets for talking about staffers' personal lives. And what of The List? If it hits the Web, as Corn suggests, should news outlets publish it? Should they do follow up reporting based on its contents?

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In a year filled with so much of the unpredictable, it is comforting to know that our ascent into ought six will be accompanied by one inevitable constant: the unleashing of the year-end list-a-thon.



It truly is the most wonderful time of the year for newsmagazines. In addition to the much celebrated Person of the Year -- in this year’s case, persons (!) -- Time offers an issue centered on The Year In Medicine -- in alphabetical order, no less (A is for Avian Flu) – as well as a convenient list of The Year In Buzzwords, such as “Cyber Monday,” which, thanks to some clever marketing (and thanks to its place in the Year in Buzzwords) is now a fixture in the American lexicon.



And since the media never quite provides enough coverage of itself, far be it from media watchers to overlook The 10 Most Pathetic Media Meltdowns of 2005. I, for one, had forgotten all about “The Times vs. Judy Miller” debacle. And Anderson Cooper! You don’t hear much about him these days. He’s Media Person of the Year. While Jon Friedman looked back on a “mostly lamentable year” (because most media news is mostly lamentable when Jon Friedman is writing about it) in Media Web’s 2005 awards, he took some time to thank his readership: “BEST READERS ANYWHERE - You folks.” Aw.

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