"Press Graded Bush on a Curve" for his handling of 9/11" says Fineman

[KoKo]

on Imus this a.m. Spitting coffee time! Imus had brought up Clarke's book I believe (I had just turned it on) and Fineman said the expectations about Bush were such that the "press graded him on a curve for his handling of 9/11."

After he said that he went onto trash Al Gore's appearance at the "Unity Event" shown on C-Span last night.

"Slimeman" was on trashing the Democratic "Unity Event" saying that it was "obvious everyone tried to avoid Al Gore on stage and he probably wasn't wanted there but found a way to show up and that Gore's endorsement was responsible for Dean's losing in the primary." Fineman's and Imus's total trash of Gore was sickening.

Slimeman is vicious and I don't believe that Imus really supports Kerry, it's just a ploy for him to have his "whore press" NBC/MSNBC/Newsweek folks on to trash the Democratic Party and anyone in it. The few bones they throw to us Dems are just to keep some listeners/viewers there to give the appearance of some conflict.

I don't know why we Democrats are still being subjected to this crap when even Slimeman admit's Chimp is graded on a "curve." Sheesh!

:puke:

[bobbieinok]

1. if there's only one pResident to grade, how can there be a curve????????

[Dudley_DUright]

2. Shrub has been miserably failing

yet getting "gentleman's C's" his whole life. What is most outrageous is that the so called liberal media (SCLM) is letting him get away with it.

[vi5]

3. I hate to admit this....

But I also think that Gore is a detriment. A lot of people don't like him. A lot of people I know who are not republicans don't like him in a way even worse than they didn't like Clinton. A lot of people didn't like Clinton because he was a liberal or a dem. But couldn't deny that he was a good politician and did some good things.

People just find Gore to be boring, self aggrandizing, self-righteous and an opportunistic scold.

I don't necessarily agree with any or all of this, but I also think that it's time for him to just step back. I don't think he adds anything to the campaign and I think he just brings up bad memories for a lot of people.

Yes, yes I know he won the popular vote and all that. That doesn't mean we shouldn't face facts about people's perceptions of him, right or wrong.

[Catfight]

5. Don't hate Gore and Clinton for being smart

I admire Gore and Clinton, always have, I think they are prolific men who are visionaries. I believe the media has portrayed them (no surprise) as an embarrassment. I've heard of another famous man who was chastised and hated because he was wise and not a follower...Jesus, Socrates, to name a few. I would be honored to have Al Gore or Former President Clinton in my camp.

[vi5]

7. It's not a matter of what I think or feel...

I personally believe that Clinton should be front and center, reminding people of what it was like during his years. I think Clinton is charismatic and smart.

I think Al Gore is smart but he is in a lot of ways a drag on the party and on democrats in general and a lot of people really dislike him. I know a lot of independent moderates whose only reason for dislking Dean was that he had Gore's endorsement.

[KoKo]

8. vi5, I've often wondered why Gore was such a threat that he has been

trashed so badly in the press. Possibly it's because the press doesn't want their lack of coverage of the "Stolen Election." It's convenient for them to trash Gore and for many Democrats to blame him for the "Selection." The Repugs couldn't get Gore on "sex" charges so they went after him any way they could.

I'm not saying that there aren't many Democrats who don't like Gore's personality for one reason or the other, there are many who didn't like Clinton before the Monica mess or Carter when he was President. But, what Gore has had to endure goes beyond just not liking a candidate's personality or style. It's vicious and they are trying to do the same thing to Howard Dean and will do it to Kerry when they find something in his personality they can distort. And, the press will do it with or without our help because every candidate has something about their personality which can be blown out of proportion. Only Repugs and the Chimp are not trashed by the Press no matter how heinous or corrupt their actions and behaviors are. The press overlooks it all.

[vi5]

9. I've disliked Gore since the 80's to be honest with you...

I voted for him and wanted him to be president, but I've never found him likeable.

I agree that he was trashed by the press. But unlike Dean, or even what we are seeing from Kerry, Gore handled the thrashing horribly.

Not only didn't he make much, if any effort to correct the lies that were repeated about him many times he fed into it.

When he got criticized for running away from his Clinton connections, what did he do to prove them wrong? He picked Joe Leiberman for VP.

When they unfairly criticized him for his expressions and sighs at the first debate, what did he do? He became overly deferential in the second debate and started saying things like "I agree with my opponent..."

I still think he would have been a great president and all that, but he's just not a terribly likable guy.

[aldebaran]

10. Correct

It doesn't really matter why, Gore will be portrayed badly be the media, and association with him will be detrimental to ABB. Like it or not, its the way it is, and we'll all be better off if he just drops out of sight.

[Catfight]

11. better to be popular than right?

Tell that to the kids in high school who fear standing up to the bullies! I'm sorry, but I think Kerry is above the fray by acknowledging the great contributions of Former VP Gore. It shows the other compassionate side to stand up for what you believe in and not be afraid. Hopefully the young minds of America will see that bullies lose power when people unite against their tactics. Bu$h's party is the party of bullies, time and time again. It's time the Democrats say no more!

[aldebaran]

20. That's all fine and dandy

But, like it or not, Al Gore had his chance, and blew it. He let himself be defined, and then let the bushies walk all over him in Florida. He needs to go away, so we can take back our country.

[buycitgo]

16. that's BULLSHIT

part of Barbara Comstock's boiler room/media bullshit

lots of people don't like LOTS of people!

they don't lie and exaggerate Gore's personality for LUCRE!

the media WON that "election" with swill like you just presented'

Gore is nothing like you portrayed him, like the media willingly portrayed him

do a little reading on the subject

there are actual books devoted to refuting this sort of noxious horseshit

give me a break

[w4rma]

18. With the folks I know, Gore is held in much higher esteem than Clinton.

They feel that Clinton is immoral, unethical and egocentric while Gore is seen as a good person who often puts his country before himself.

Perhaps you've got a blind spot with respect to the two Democratic politicians, vi5.

[BabsSong]

4. KoKo--caught it but there was something else Fineman said

because it was so un-Fineman-like it caught my attention. He did start talking about how this Clarke book is going to do political damage to Bush.......and in true early morning fashion I can't remember shit about what else he said right at that moment but it was something like they were grading him the curve (like you said) after 9/11 but now with these revelations it's damaging all he is running on about being caught by surprise and effective leadership or something like that. Anyway, there was that moment when I thought: hmmm, even whore Howard knows a point has been scored for the opposition!!

[KoKo]

6. Babs, thanks for filling in the rest of Fineman's statement. The "curve"

burned in my brain and the trashing of Gore..so glad someone else saw it.

[KoKo]

12. Kick for more media "whore" stuff, alert. As if we don't have enough of

this, every day...day after..day..after...day...

[Corgigal]

13. Hasn't Bush, for his whole life

been graded on a curve? Luckyy DNA draw that all he is.

[KoKo]

14. Yep, he's one lucky SOB to have led such a charmed life.

It's hard to imagine how he has gotten away with it all, isn't it.

[Gloria]

15. Question about the homage to Dean being the first to challenge Bush..

Wasn't GORE doing that well before Dean did it?? You know, those speeches, one was just before he was here in Sept. 2002. He gave it at the Commonwealth Club in San Fran. Talking about foreign policy, why not to go into Iraq??

He did a whole series ....the media, the environment, etc. All brillilant.

I think Gore is the one getting screwed here. They cut him out of the picture early on. I understand part of the reason was this bit about not wanting to rerun the 2000 election. Why not, I say? That's what started the mess....capitalize on the anger, which seems to STILL be around...

And Gore has the anger now, you can see it in his earlier speeches and every time he speaks...

I just think the Dems are a little too shy about the anger....hell, Kerry was putting me to sleep last night...didn't see much passion there at all. Clinton was visibly pissed at point in his speech....not only Gore.

[buycitgo]

17. excellent points, gloria see my post above

not the biggest Gore/Clinton fan, but compared to SATAN, they did just fine

this sort of senseless bashing just gives the NAZIS more fuel

knock it the FUCK off!!!!!!!!

[juajen]

19. You're totally right

I love Gore, and, yes, he was onto their game and talking about it early on giving some absolutely brilliant speeches. I think it's a crying shame what was done to him, and I still wish he was running. The speech last night was very good; it's just that the Big Dog elipses everybody. He's so f**king brilliant and has the ability to hold his audience in the palm of his hand. God, I miss him, and I didn't even like some of the things he did. It was and is that uncanny ability to connect with people.

Presidents like him are very rare. He will go down in history as one of the best, or the best, Presidents. Felt sorry for Kerry having to follow him, though Kerry did a good job. I think JK is a good man and will be a very good President. Just doesn't have that "BIG DOG SPARKLE", but, then, who does?

Hey, how about an emoticon of a giant dog that sparkles? I love it.

[skeptic9]

21. kick