White has never worked to establish good relations with the grunts of news media, preferring to be able to go above them to media bosses for soft coverage. This can work very well, and has for White, who established a relationship with PD publisher Alex Machaskee. White, however, then ran up against Clifton, who had to quickly establish a reputation among those same grunts to hopefully change the character of the news operation. And to make a rep for himself. Clifton apparently saw his opportunities and took them.
Pressure always results in mistakes.
Westbrook had provided crucial cover for many White mistakes and much of his abuse. White also lost assistance from former County Commissioner Tim Hagan, the other pol who stooged for him. There s more. Since long before Brent noticed. Larkin who has harbored an intense dislike of White long held back.