Could the media actually want a Bush-Dean horserace?

[tedoll78]

The media gets really good ratings on certain media events, and a close election is one of them. And if the election has interesting characters, well, that's gravy!

Dean's on the cover of a major newsmagazine at least once a month, it seems. And 95% of campaign news seems to be filtered through a "How-does-this-affect-Dean?" camera angle. Then there are the reports on unusual campaigning techniques he's using. Casey the dog dropping dead for his tricks. A baseball bat swung on a stage. A airplane advertisement flying over a stadium. This campaign always seems to have a gimmick for willing newscasters.

Could the media be shaping this into a battle royale? Good versus evil? Light versus Dark?

Or is the media tired of being afraid of the Chimp? This administration does seem to have the mute button held on negative coverage. Reporters' credentials revoked when stories not to the Chimp's liking are written or shown. White House access denied when a reporter dares to stray from the approved, pre-printed script.

I've been wondering about this..

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. They may

they may want a new President sicne this one is down right scary

Also many in the right are starting to distance theimselves from the Administration, like they did with Nixon

[Dookus]

2. Could they?

Of course they do! It's not even questionable.

I'm not one of those who believes that "the media" have a single political objective. The way things are today, the objective is to make money. If reporting on fluffy bunnies and nothing else sold papers, we'd have three competing fluffy bunny papers in each city.

[dave29]

3. remarkable considering

Dean has said publically he would work to reverse media consolidation.

[nadinbrzezinski]

4. one reason to vote for Dean

in my view, taht is A VERY CRITICAL ISSUE FOR ME

[Desertrose]

5. why would you vote for someone the media wants?

You have the one candidate who speaks the truth at every turn and the media is so scared of they either "disappear" him or marginalize him?
Did you ever wonder "why" they are afraid of Kucinich??


Could the media be shaping this into a battle royale? Good versus evil? Light versus Dark?

More like anyone other than Kucinich will not challenge the status quo....


Peace
DR

[Zomby Woof]

6. I think Bush and Dean...

Are running the horsecrap race. ;-)

[mouse7]

7. Conflict creates interest. It might be about ratings.

A good chunk of the media want Dean because they think he'll be easier for Dumbya to win.

The other chunk want Dean to win because of ratings. Someone that agrees with Dumbya all the time is a ratings killer. Dean will deliver an audience because Dean goes after Bush. That group don't care about positions. The're like Koppel, trying to have people yelling at each other because yelling is good TV.

Dean would be a definite rating plus for months when TV ratings are down overall.

[auburnblu]

8. Absolutely they do

I really do believe that Tom Brokow wants to go out with high ratings and he and all of the other major anchors and broadcasters at the networks see this match-up as a way to at least temporarily reverse the never-ending nightly news ratings slide. I would imagine that the corporate parents producing the news also see this. What's more appealing, Dean/Bush or Gephardt/Bush as far as general interest. I would imagine Dean/Bush, because the media will ask, wonder if he'll get ticked off or fired up today? Sad , but true.

[patricia92243]

9. Yes-this WH is known for it's secrecy which leaves them without much to

report