November 04, 2006

"Rev does sex flap flip-flop"

Posted by: Chris

[Update: Eagle-eyed Dan Savage points out that in this video interview, Pastor Ted admitted buying meth and denied having gay, extramarital sex while his children sat watching from the backseat. Don't blame the reporter: She began the interview by asking him if he wanted to get out of his car to talk.]

The New York Daily News takes the prize so far for headlines on the Ted Haggard scandal, and in this case, how the evangelical leader is changing his story as more facts emerge. (The New York tabs always have the best headlines, of course. My personal fave, the New York Post on the day after the president's daughter was arrested for underage drinking in Austin: "Jenna and Tonic").

Honorable mention so far goes to Rolling Stone, for "Haggard's Unhappy Ending: Admits Meth, Man-on-Man Massage." Let me know if you see any other good ones.

The media will be engaged over the next cycle or so, sorting through the mess of allegations and denials. So far, Haggard first denied even knowing Mike Jones, the Denver escort who claims he was paid for sex monthly by the evangelical conservative, who he also claims he helped purchase crystal meth. Jones, 49, said that Haggard, 50, liked the drug because it enhanced sex.

Once Haggard came forward with a voicemail and envelope from Haggard, the preacher confessed to exactly the facts he couldn't squirm out of: He now admits knowing Jones, getting a massage from him, and buying meth. But since the provable facts (so far) stop there, so does Haggard: no sex, he threw out the meth, and he was referred to Jones by some hotel he stayed at Denver.

Haggard even stopped in his car with his wife to talk to the media to say "how grateful" he and his family are that Jones failed a lie detector test — at least on questions about a sexual relationship. But the expert who performed the test said the results could have been skewed because Jones was feeling quite haggard, with only two hours of sleep the night before. Jones will take two more tests early next week.

No word on whether "grateful" Haggard is willing to take a test himself.