Cube rat: How is the media playing this Kerry story?

[WI_DEM]

Are they giving the GOP talking points or fairly pointing out that apparently he misspoke? I applaud Sen. Kerry's statement today but if they aren't paying attention to the facts and are going to play it the way Rove wants it played then it can be harmful. If they are being fair and giving Kerry's explanations its due course then it could be a wash and maybe even helpful. But if it's going to be an on-going story with Kerry/Democrats explaining what he meant to say then it is taking up valuable campaign time and attention and working into Rove's hands.

[Gabi Hayes]

1. try this, for starters

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x2528992

[WI_DEM]

4. well that's encouraging, what would be even more encouraging is

if Dobb's would have a poll asking "Does George W. Bush owe our troops an apology?"

[Ignacio Upton]

2. Here is an excerpt from Cnn.com's frontpage

"Bush joins attack on Kerry

Republican heavyweights unleashed a firestorm of criticism against Sen. John Kerry after the Vietnam veteran told college students they'd "get stuck in Iraq" if they didn't study hard. Kerry hit back, saying he was criticizing President Bush and not the troops. The president is expected to call Kerry's comments "insulting and shameful' in a speech at 5 p.m. ET."

They are trying to spin what he said in the worst possible matter.

[warrens]

6. How is that "spin"?

That's exactly what happened.

[fasttense]

12. The joke was about bush

not about the troops. Kerry didn't do the joke right. Bush got us stuck in Iraq because he didn't study.

[Ignacio Upton]

14. We all know that

But this story will hurt us anyway because of the GOP/MSM spin. As long as they can make this the dominant story of the news-cycle, then this will put us on the defensive for the rest of the election cycle, which is only one week. Plus, symbolically-speaking, it brings back memories of 2004 to the voters, and they may decide to vote against someone like Duckworth or Tester based on what Kerry said.

[warrens]

3. CNN at noon today was being very fair

They used Kerry's response in full, including the part about anyone who would interpret that as a slam on the troops must be insane.

[Bluebear]

5. "How will this gaffe effect the election?"

The Cavuto "question mark" tactic, trying to make the election appear razor close so we will all tune in.

[aquart]

7. ABC pissed me off so much I changed the channel.

I can't remember what they said: MAYBE Kerry lands in hot water...but I wouldn't depend on my memory.

NBC did very very well. They led with Kerry's refusal to cave to White House pressure. And they definitely said that the Republicans were desperate. They added that the Democrats were also desperate to win......but they got that Republican jibe in first.

[Placebo]

8. The clip of Kerry saying it and Republican reaction...

is getting WAY more media coverage than Kerry's lengthy written response.

[Ignacio Upton]

10. People on DU read Kerry's reaction, but the public doesn't know

That he even gave one! This is just like 2004, when Kerry put out a series of press releases comdemning the Swiftboat assholes that didn't stop the damage.

[Jacobin]

11. That, my friend, is exactly the problem

Some on DU appear to think that the american voting public stops by DU for an hour a day.

Kerry just threw an interception and he wasn't even supposed to be the quarterback

[Placebo]

16. BINGO.

:thumbsup:

[bobbie]

9. Amazing, there is no Kerry story

He didn't say anything remotely offensive. And I'm not a Kerry fan so I have no inclination to defend him. But, this is the Oakland of political rhetoric--there's no there there.

So the BFEE had to fabricate something. Friggen fascists.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

13. AOL is running a poll on this and so far it's against Kerry. AOL never tried

to clarify what Kerry said.

http://articles.news.aol.com/news/_a/white-house-accuses-kerry-of-troop/20061031130009990004?ncid=NWS00010000000001

[TheDonkey]

15. Kudlow on CNBC was masterbating to McCains comments

said he "ripped Kerry's face off" typical spin from this guy who is clearly suffering from psychosis.

Yahoo news articles look positive though.