I heave a weary sigh these days at ABC's
The Note where, after having pointed out Dean's every "error" for weeks and complaining about the lack of coverage for same, is now bemoaning the fact that -- once the press
did scrutinize Dean -- they went too far. I'm pretty sure I could find two Notes, one with the former message and one with the latter, dated no more than a week apart.
Anyway, in an apparent effort to show their "fairness," the Note folks have provided a list of things that people are ignoring about Kerry: things that, had they been about Dean, would have been picked over like roadkill at a crow convention:
Have any of you seen any of these stories? I suppose I should be glad, for the sake of decent reporting, that I haven't, but I'm not that generous. My comments are in italics.
- Kerry saying "North Korea" instead of "South Korea" in the debate. (This was news to me: I wasn't watching that closely and I didn't see any mention of it anywhere. 'Former Soviet Union', anyone?)
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Kerry limiting his press availabilities. (who is the Jodi Wilbouren of the Kerry coverage? Jodi put this kind of thing front and center.)
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Kerry "borrowing" aspects of Dean's message. (I can hear my fellow Dean supporters screaming right now. The "anger" bit is the most heinous and, I think, really does deserve coverage.)
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Kerry's record of legislative accomplishments (?). (I gather he hasn't put himself out on a limb? I haven't researched this and the press -- if it has -- doesn't apparently think it's worth reporting.)
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Fritz Hollings using the word "Chinaman" at a Kerry event yesterday and Kerry not denouncing him. (?)
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Kerry bragging about his campaign finance record in the face of taking presidential PAC money, DSCC record, and Busta Caps. (Grrr. And while I'm on the subject, since when are trial lawyers not a lobbying group? </end Edwards detour>)
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Kerry claiming "endorsements don't matter" and then saying "We got Hollings and Mondale!" and, today, the League of Conservation Voters (and more are coming ... ). (can you say "flip-flop"?)
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Kerry's apparently limited release of his tax returns.(Apparently? Even The Note doesn't have this story. If it's a story. And who would know, since no one is giving it scrutiny?)
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Kerry showing an unpresidential temper in flipping out at kindly David Wade. (That's his press guy, for those of you who don't know.)
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Kerry's team putting his traveling press corps at a different hotel than the candidate.(Another one of those "it's all about us" stories that are so stupid -- but again, the press has been relentless in this against Dean and now...)
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Kerry not being attacked at the debate and there being almost no pickup for his Vietnam medals answer. (I missed this. Is this about the throwing away of his friend's medals? Of course, I wouldn't even have that information if not for blog comment threads)
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Luis Navarro's quitting after yesterday's hiring of Steve Elmendorf. (Inside Baseball news of the shift in campaign managers. Dean's team has been stable, so no comparison necessary.)