It's the Media Buzz Meter with Howard Kurtz.

Let me tell you about the first rule of Beltway journalism.

Things always leak for a reason.

The motives may vary. Something can be leaked as a trial balloon.

Something can be leaked in a self-serving way to help

the leaker, something can be leaked for revenge to make somebody else look bad.

There's a whole variety. Sometimes things are leaked for patriotic reasons because some government official or politician is frustrated at the inability to get something done and you plant it in the press.

Now, there's also such a thing as a good, aggressive reporting, of course.

But some of them you could just smell from a mile away.

And that is what is happening right now.

Story number one with Pete Hexeth.

I think as somebody who thought a former Fox and Friends weekend host and decorated, highly

decorated combat veteran, would get through. I think in the last couple of days, things have

taken a sharp turn against him.

We'll get into the details in a second.

In fact, Hexeth was up on Capitol Hill yesterday, making the rounds and trying to talk to senators who will ultimately decide his fate. But today, exclusive story in the Wall Street Journal, lead of the home page for the journal, seemingly out of nowhere, appears this story.

President-elect Donald Trump is considering Florida governor Ron DeSantis.

Ron DeSantis is a possible replacement for Peg HECSeth has picked to run the Pentagon.

According to people familiar with the discussions amid Republican Senators' concerns

over mounting allegations about the former Fox News

host's personal life. Picking DeSantis, who of course ran for president this year, There was a short period of time

when a lot of people thought he might win.

...