Now that's what I call content!

Dean just slipped eight points in NH in the new CNN poll, which mas making me nervous – so this is truly balm from Gilead.
Conan Dean Carey | Email | Homepage | 01.01.04 - 8:40 pm | #

I sure hope Zogby's right, but what's discouraging to me is the way so many articles about Dean, despite presenting a positive message, seem to end up on a sour, negative note. It's a real pattern; and this article's a good example, finishing with Lieberman's "heat in the kitchen" remark. Another example is the lengthy human-interest story on Dean in last Sunday's NYT, which suddenly and incongruously veered onto the old refrain of whether being a governor of a small state gives Dean sufficient experience to run the country... and just ended with that, even though qualification for office wasn't even close to the topic of the piece.

The media's collusion with the ABD movement is addressed in the interesting AlterNet article posted on Barb's thread above ("Decision 2004: ABD vs. ABBA"). This part was especially heartening:

“The Democratic candidates, the media and perhaps the Bush people seem to be ignoring what seems inarguable: Dean has been the candidate of change from the onset, and their attacks add emphasis to that status. He staked out clear positions where the voters were most angry: the rush to war, a tin-eared imperial presidency, a faltering economy, corrupt cronyism and an overall feeling of powerlessness. He stood up for something. In a climate of powerful models of voter frustration – most notably Arnold Schwarzenegger’s election as governor of California – Dean captured the mantle of change, and he has just tightened his grip since then. [...]

...much of the Democratic rhetoric ignores a fundamental principle of communications, the media frame. When you attack who your opponent is and what he says, particularly without presenting a clear vision of your own, you simply reinforce that opponent's message by repeating his words and ideas. This effect clearly seems to be part of what has catapulted Dean into such a strong position as his campaign enters 2004.”

It certainly would be nice to see some of this kind of insight in the mainstream media... but if this guy's right, maybe Dean's campaign has the power to prevail without it!
Debra in SF | Email | Homepage | 01.02.04 - 1:42 am | #

Clintons will take care of Dean - rest assured.

Clark will be Dem nominee. Anyone who knows the Clintons, knows I'm correct.
James Ferry | Email | Homepage | 01.02.04 - 3:10 pm | #