CBS Dick Meyer: Defending Dean's Scream

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/01/23/opinion/meyer/main595508.shtml

I'm not being contrarian for the sake of being contrarian, honest. But I don't think Howard Dean's "I Have A Scream" performance was weird, troubling, scary, revealing or nuts. I don't think it was a big deal in any way, shape or form. I thought it was standard pump-up-the-troops campaign stuff.

What I do think is bizarre is the hubbub it caused.

<snip>

It's another fact of life that Dean gave the late-night comedians great material. The Dean Scream jokes are terrific, as is the gag picture someone just e-mailed of the offending Dean choking a cat.

But the press corps' decision that the Scream was serious is a bit more disturbing. One of the many character flaws common to the species 'reporter' -- one that I have in spades -- is an exaggerated pleasure in the fall of the mighty. There is some of that happening with Dean right now. I don't get too worked up about the media "making" or "creating" stories; there is no way for that not to happen in modern government and politics. But this time I do think Dean is getting a very bad rap.

From what I have heard, the reporters in the room when Dean allegedly wigged out didn't think there was anything odd about it. It seemed appropriate and unremarkable. He was talking to some 3,000 volunteers, many young, who had worked devotedly for his campaign. He wanted to keep them pumped and he did what politicians and coaches do at pep rallies.

[stepnw1f]

1. I agree...shame on ex-Dean Supporters

People who are backing away from Dean because of the screaming are actually playing into the media's game. Show some balls people...when you get in the face of a rival they usually back down. You have to do the same with the right wing and it's media pundits.

[brainshrub]

3. Anybody who stops supporting Dean b/c of that scream

is a sunshine-supporter in the truest sense of the word.

[waterman]

2. I'm with ya, rmpalmer

But I do however absolutely LOVE the audio of Dean's speech set to punk rock music which can be listened to here:

http://www.viralsolstice.com/hardcoredean.mp3

[AlinPA]

4. This media assassination is just the beginning for our candidates.

Cable news will go after the leader. We have to be ready for it. Even small things. Look how they trashed Gore on the lie about the Internet. Everybody knows he didn't say that he "invented " the net, it was a media stretch.

[AliceWonderland]

5. I'm very glad

someone wrote a piece like this. Regardless of whether I think Dean is the worst man or the best man for the job, I'm astonished at the reaction to his speech. Dear god, he was rallying his volunteers... how milquetoast and ball-less is it to expect anything different. Actually, when I saw a clip of that speech, my respect for the man increased. And my respect for those who got their panties in a knot went down down down.

[candy331]

6. Dean has carried himself so well up to this

point with all the in depth scrutiny on an almost 24/7 basis and he still stands tall. If he goes the whole route and not bow out until he sees definitely it is over for him yet he still stands, that is the mark of a true man and leader and perhaps the country didn't deserve a true leader after all.

[Karenina]

17. My son just showed me the clip.

And I must agree that the SCARIEST thing to me, having now seen it, is the reaction. I asked him, "Are you SURE this is the clip that all the hoopla is about?"
He assured me it was and I'm absolutely dumbfounded.

[kskiska]

7. I have to wonder

if these "former Dean supporters" had been in the hall that night in Iowa, whether they would have cheered or left in disgust.

[bpilgrim]

8. zactly

but welcome to the buzzsaw...
http://www.freedomofthepress.net/intothebuzzsaw.htm

peace

[teryang]

9. Let's face it

Knowing how to act on video is critical. Is it fair? Is it a big deal? It probably is a big deal even though it is entirely lacking in substance. Does the chimp have bearing? Did he have bearing during his campaign? Not at all. Stiffness on video hurt Kerry early on bringing forth the "boring" moniker. He's gotten over it and gotten much, much better.

Selection and editorial bias is what is hurting Dean. For some inexplicable reason, Dean is regarded as a Robespierre type because he was the anti-war spokesman. This characterization clarifies that it is the defense contractor/corporate/medical/pharma/fundie alliance in charge. It is almost an acquiesence to defeat in November.

[DrBB]

10. As a Clark supporter

...I totally agree. I heard all the hoopla about it before I ever saw the thing. When I did, I thought, WTBFD? Just doing a big-rally kind of wind-up-the-crowd thing. I dunno. People at the time responded differently. Got not a few harshly negative posts to that effect when I posted a thread on this in GD-2004 a couple of days ago--some of 'em from Dean supporters.

But why is it that the media find it so easy to put Dems on the defensive about something like this? Does it really have to be that way? Can't we take a line from the right wing on this--the "Never explain, never apologize" school?

Best response I've seen on this was an "I scream for Dean!" sticker. I think he should take it and own it and flaunt it, tongue in cheek like that. Clark seems to get this: they went after him about the argyle sweater (the all-important Democratic haberdashery issue!) and he put the thing up for auction on e-bay: "Notorious Clark Sweater! All proceeds go to charity!" That's the way to handle it. Instead of backing off, doing self-recriminations and introspections, trying a new angle, or any other form of letting them know they've gotten to you.

edit: clarity

[RedSock]

11. a LOT MORE dean MP3s

check this out this collection by a dean supporter:

www.deangoesnuts.com

[DrBB]

12. Tom Tomorrow is advising him to open with a scream mix

He says put it on t-shirts, make an icon of it, turn it around by laughter. Worst thing possible for "angry" Dean is to try and act like it didn't happen. We want a guy capable of a little self-mocking humor; his current tactic just makes you figure he's a guy who doesn't know how to handle his emotions.

I personally kinda like the mix based on the Ozzy tune.

[savistocate]

13. ??"his current tactic"??

But exactly what hehas done is not running from it..neutralizing
the absurdity with humor took off immediately. On 2020 that is just what he said "I own it..that's me" comparing this burst of emotion to jumping up cheering as his son scored a goal.

It wld be interesting to hear how the Letterman appearance presenting Top Ten List on himself was arranged so quickly.
It is a funny list. In all important things he is 'presidential'.

Plus where wld media have a strict image of presidential supporting a dumbass clown Bush.

You mean you somehow missed the follow up..move-on?

Kerry's big lead now in NH seems to have next to nothing to do with Deans cheerleading style. It is clear voters have waited to last min to decide.

The conclusion Kerry's most likely to beat Bush seems to be
the catalyst. I cannot feel that confident or convinced.

[OKHRANA]

14. get over it, the scream killed Dean's presidential campaign...

Dean is completely finished, all he is doing is twitching pitifully while November gets closer.

We need to decide who is best to win in November among who remains. We can't let our emotional attachments paralyze us during this time.

Thanks Howard, but RIP.

[fudge stripe cookays]

16. Why don't you tell that to

The dozens of people I've set up with literature and info to come to meetups this next month just since I got back from Iowa?

Wishful thinking on your part. I'm a Democrat, and many of my friends are ALSO Yello Dawg. But lose Dean, and we lose a lot of the Repubs, Greens, and Independents that won't necessarily VOTE for any of the other candidates.

[OKHRANA]

19. good luck in your efforts

maybe I'm wrong but I don't think so. Most Democratic candidates share most of Dean's views. If Dean's supporters react with anger at the fact their man didn't make it, and refuse to participate positively, what does it say about them? If everyone took that attitude, no Democrats would ever have been elected President.

[monchie]

15. Here's the response I sent to CBS about that column:

Hooray for Dick Meyer! Now I know there’s at least one person left in the so-called "liberal media" who isn’t a presstitute to the GOP Smear Machine.

If Bush had done the same exact thing under the same exact circumstances, the presstitutes would've spun it as a "fascinating glimpse of the inner soul of our beloved warrior king." (Okay, maybe I'm exaggerating that a little, but not by much.) On MSGOP, Chris Matthews and Howie Fineman would've been waxing poetic tributes to Shrub's display of the ultimate core of his manliness, contrasting it against the wimpiness of all those feminized Democratic candidates.

Now, I’m not a Dean supporter, though I did support him and even gave him money earlier in the campaign. I’m supporting Clark now, mainly for one reason: I think he’s the candidate most invulnerable to the kind of character assassination—from the GOP Smear Machine and its presstitutes—the Democratic nominee will eventually and inevitably face.

Let’s face it: The job of the corporate media today is to destroy Democratic candidates while simultaneously propping up Republicans, especially the alcoholic, coke-snorting deserter illegitimately squatting in President Gore’s house. I’m still ticked off by all the phony “scandals”—Whitewater, Filegate, Travelgate, Chinagate—that were used in an attempt to overthrow our last legitimately elected president, President Clinton. I’m still ticked off by the phony impeachment of President Clinton over a matter that was none of our damn business in the first place. (And to this day, the so-called “liberal media” is still silent about Poppa Bush’s affair with Jennifer Fitzgerald.) I’m still ticked off by the media feeding frenzy when President Clinton left office, over three more simultaneous phony “scandals”: the phony White House trashing “scandal,” the phony Air Force One trashing “scandal” and the phony Marc Rich pardon “scandal.” And I’m especially ticked off by the disgraceful coverage of Election 2000, where the media, with the help of the GOP Smear Machine, wildly misrepresented, grossly distorted and, in at least one case, outright lied about things Gore said, in order to smear him as a liar, while simultaneously ignoring lie, after lie, after big, fat, bald-faced lie coming from Shrub. And I don’t even want to get into the coverage of Florida 2000…suffice it to say that Edward R. Murrow was probably rolling in his grave.

In my naïve youth, I once considered going into journalism…but now I’m very glad I didn’t. Eventually I would’ve had to sell my soul to the devil…i.e. the extremist right wing that now controls the Republican Party. Today, in my humble opinion, journalism as a profession is one step lower than being a used car salesman.

But I am glad that Mr. Meyer displayed a bit of the honesty and integrity that Mr. Murrow had but is so lacking in today’s journalists.

[shance]

18. Fab, Fab, FAB letter******

And you should rethink your choice about journalism.

Wonderful response you wrote. We need more good writers like you (and Dick Meyer) informing us!