...which trumps any and all other issues, is the right-wing tilt of corporate media. Dennis Kucinich was the only primary candidate talking about this issue, and its too bad that the issue dropped out of the race when he did.
Kerry had to talk an almost tortured line to avoid getting a "Dean Scream" pulled on him. That crippled his ability to get his message out while Bush was free to spread his lies and distortions with free reign.
On a tilted playing field, even a war hero can be beaten by a deserter, because the media multiplies and filters the messages that get to the public. We have to start working the refs.
More below the fold.
When Kerry says something technically accurate but goofy sounding -- "I voted for the bill before I voted against it" -- it is rolled out over and over for months with no context, such as the fact that Republicans also voted against the bill, when it was lacking their Halliburton giveaways.
When Bush tells a flat-out lie about whether he was "concerned" with Osama bin Laden, it dissapears in a few news cycles.
If things are still as bad in 2008, our presidential candidate might as well start his campaign by punching the Republican Mousse Brigade square in the nose. Declare that the Republicans have co-opted the news, tell people that the media has been lying to them (and maintain a Media Matters-type log of lies and distortions in the news about the candidate... maybe even have the campaign manager do a daily debunking). Refuse to talk to Fox News in any capacity, except press releases carrying rebuttals.
Reform is badly needed. Of course, re-instating low ownership caps and tax breaks for new competitors in local markets is a good start. We should set up a mechanism parallel to the "community standards" complaint system for sex on TV, where viewers can file complaints about factual inaccuracies -- and if a complaint is accurate, broadcasters must spend equal time and prominence on the corrigendum as the original story, or face a hefty fine. If they repeat an already-debunked falsehood, the fine increases. (This would probably only apply to shows labeled "news", much like we regulate what can be called "cheese".) Bring back the Fairness and Equal Time doctrines.
Reform of the news media is an issue with a lot of support -- look at the huge ratings Air America Radio is getting everywhere, and look at poll results showing many Americans distrust the media. One of the big things F9/11 did was to bring footage to the people (egging the limo, watch this drive) that the media refused to run.
Will this prompt a backlash from the media? Perhaps, but two things argue the move is worthwhile. One, the media is already going to beat up our guy. What else could they do that they aren't already doing? Two, the "Liberal Media" cries from the right prove that the media tries to avoid having its impartiality impugned. Threaten to call them liberal, and they will tilt their coverage to the right to try and avoid being called liberal. Well, if we call them lying corporate shills, they will have to be extra careful in how they treat our candidate -- and will help us keep them honest.