Shrinekeeping Veterans for Truth

The FLUBA is delighted to see they haven't learned a thing from yesterday. And never will:

I agree with Brad DeLong. The problem isn't the Democrats' message. ....

I think it's correct that Bush is thoroughly incompetant. [sic]

But that was offset by the fact that we have a television media, which is anti-Democratic and pro-Bush. There were three media events which, I think sealed the election for Bush.

1. Swiftboat Veterans for Truth came out and smeared John Kerry. These guys were thorough liars and obviously an arm of the Bush campaign. The TV media, with a few exceptions, gave an even-handed report even though these guys were complete liars, thereby creating the impression that their side had some validity. Kerry's national polls plummeted from a lead around August 20 to a tie on September 1.

2. The Republican National Convention happened at the beginning of September, in which they exploited and exploited New York City's tragedy on September 11th in order to get support from the rest of the country. The media was thoroughly uncritical of this, in stark contrast to the DNC.

3. Kerry's Mary Cheney comment (as well as that by John Edwards) was obviously meant to be nice comment to encourage tolerance in the debate on gay rights. No one can argue that the TV press did not take Lynn Cheney and the Bush campaign's side in that one. ....

More importantly is what didn't happen. That is, substantial coverage of Bush's lies on the war on terror, Iraq, and his economic policy, which is far more important substantively than the media events described above.

....Personally, I think that Democrats need to discuss and, more importantly, act in terms of changing media coverage of their candidates in order to prevent future election losses.

Posted by: Bobby at November 3, 2004 09:28 AM

Right. Work to get Dan, Peter, Tom and their friends on your side, Bobby and Paul. Four more years of twice weekly Op-eds on that message. That's the ticket.