There are many schools of thought on dog training from the traditional behavior modification technique of the truly annoying self-styled "Dog Whisperer" to the rolled-up newspaper across the nose approach of the Neanderthal dog owner. The Rovians decided upon a blending of the two as their modus operandum. Of course, if you used the same approach with a dog, you would probably wind up with a truly neurotic and dysfunctional pet. Not unlike our friends in the media. The goal of this conditioning was to have a pliant and non-threatening media that would neither pee nor crap all over the Republicans. And at the same time, be able to perform whatever tricks their Republican masters wanted from them. Those who excelled the best were rewarded by being placed in the media equivalent of the Westminster Kennel Club, Fox News.
And the plan succeeded beyond their wildest dreams. Through the constant promise of rewards such as access to their masters and special treats like inside scoops, the media rolled over and played dead. And for the occasional bad puppy who did pee in the house, the punishment was swift banishment to the backyard cage. But the danger, of course, is that the master will over do the punishment and the pet will turn on him. Such is the situation the Republicans now face with their latest attempt to get the media to jump through the McCain campaign's set of hoops.
After almost eight years of being the Republicans' playthings, the media has suddenly turned. And more surprisingly, they have turned on one of their most favorite masters, John McCain. McCain has gone from the reliable source of constant scratches behind the ears and games of toss and fetch to the mean old man who keeps kicking them when they get under foot. And the promised ride in the car or walk in the park never happens. So now instead of running to greet him, they slink away hurt and resentful. And even worse, they have begun to run away.
The last few weeks has seen a remarkable and unexpected change in the media's treatment of McCain and Co. They are incredibly angry over the way that they were played for patsies with the disinformation ploy over the veep selection. They are tired of being the willing megaphones for all of the lies and half-truths that jam their Blackberrys and e-mails minute by minute from the Rove slime machine. And like the fictional newsman Howard Beale in the movie Network, they're not going to take it any more. The good pets have snapped their leashes and are free to roam.
Thus we have seen over the last few days these once compliant and complicit Republican playthings revert to their former natural state and begin to aggressively challenge and attack the lies and the liars who tell them. And its got the Rovians in turmoil and also quite frightened by this media insurrection. The Rovian disinformation factory will come grinding to a halt when it no longer has an outlet for its products.
And suddenly the word "lie" is synonymous with the name McCain.
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