It was just one week ago when we learned of Robert Kennedy Jr’s affair with New York magazine journalist Olivia Nuzzi. It’s become one of the craziest political/media scandals in years. An attractive, 31-year-old reporter engaged to a Politico editor, blowing up her life to have a digital affair with a 70-year-old marriage, anti-vaxx nutjob who was (at the time) running for president. Well, Vanity Fair’s Lachlan Cartwright has a new piece: “Where Does the Olivia Nuzzi–RFK Jr. Fallout End?” There’s more context and a better timeline, so it’s not just all Kennedy sources claiming that Nuzzi “bombarded” Kennedy with seductive photos. Some highlights:
How the affair started after Nuzzi profiled Kennedy: Multiple sources described an incident on the hike in which Kennedy grabbed Nuzzi’s hand. Nuzzi had a conversation with another reporter who had a similar experience and called what had occurred “creepy.” Toward the end of November the two had resolved their differences and a “flirtation” via text had begun that would grow more intense over time. The “digital relationship,” as it has become known, between a married 70-year-old and an engaged 31-year-old would go on for several months lasting until late August. Like all relationships—even, or maybe even especially, those pursued via phone—it was multilayered and it was complicated, intense at times, dormant at others. Both parties appear to agree on just one thing: It never became physical.
Nuzzi is not a stalker: “She was not stalking him. She did not bombard him with images,” a friend of Nuzzi’s told me.
Ryan Lizza had a heated conversation with Kennedy: Nuzzi had also, for the last several years, been dating former New Yorker writer and current Politico Playbook co-author Ryan Lizza. The two became fixtures of the DC power set and were engaged two years ago. But sources told me that in mid-August, before the Democratic National Convention, Lizza broke off his engagement with Nuzzi upon learning about her relationship with Kennedy. After he found out, Lizza and Kennedy had a phone conversation which was described to me as an “at times heated” call. Lizza declined to comment.
New York editor David Haskell heard about the affair: Haskell, sources said, confronted Nuzzi, saying he had heard about her and RFK Jr. (Haskell would later tell a colleague that the person who had told him was a woman.) The reporter, put on the spot by her boss, repeatedly denied it. Haskell presented an ultimatum. Fess up and there was a path out of the mess. Continued denials could invite corporate involvement. Nuzzi confirmed that she had in fact been in a relationship with Kennedy but stated it involved digital communication and was never physical. She was adamant it did not impact her coverage. Haskell instigated a review of her work that was conducted by an editor at New York. (Haskell declined to comment.)
Rooting for Nuzzi’s downfall: “There’s been no evidence of a journalistically smoking gun,” said a former colleague. “She made a big f–king mistake and now everyone is overjoyed with her downfall.”
Nuzzi’s future: At New York, many of Nuzzi’s colleagues that I spoke to are of the opinion that her position at the magazine is untenable. Most agree that while she is talented she crossed an ethical red line. Even if the relationship did not influence her journalism, in a highly volatile election year just the appearance of bias is damaging. They fear the scandal compromises the trust that the magazine’s readers have in the publication. Some believe her greatest sin was first lying to Haskell when confronted about the relationship. Others suggest she deserves a second shot and could be reassigned. “She’s important to the magazine and is a brilliant writer, but would she want to come back?” one asked.
“Some believe her greatest sin was first lying to Haskell when confronted about the relationship.” This is what I don’t get either. How is THAT not a fire-able offense? To have a digital affair with a subject-turned-source, a presidential candidate, while you’re covering the election, and then you LIE about it repeatedly to your boss? It’s also news to me that Ryan Lizza apparently called Kennedy and they had a “heated” conversation about the affair. That’s insane too, and how does Politico justify that, that one of the biggest editors had a biased ax to grind against Kennedy because Kennedy was text-shtupping Lizza’s fiancee? Anyway, as I’ve said – I think Nuzzi should be fired and blacklisted, but I know that’s not going to happen.
Photos courtesy of Instagram, Avalon Red, HBO.