NPR Gives free platform to Gep for myth spreading

[Hep]

Did anyone hear Mara Lyasson on NPR this morning? She started talking about the heated race between Dean and Gep in Iowa, and then just ran down the Gep line.

I mean, it's cool that Gep gets media attention. All the candidates deserve as much as possible, especially when you get to convey your platform without question or criticism. But to start the thing off with a sound bite of Gephardt making the same false claims he's made for months, Dean's policies look like Bush's policies, Dean wants to cut medicare, is just TACKY.

Dean's definitely not getting a free ride in the media.

[RetroLounge]

1. Cue the Dean Bashers 5-4-3-2-1

Go!

I stopped listening to NPR a long time ago. Too much effort to appear fair made them start leaning to the right. Fear of Repugs pulling thier funding, etc. and IMO Mara Lyasson on NPR is definitely NOT liberal or left...

[pruner]

2. I hope Dean shows Gephardt what an "attack ad" really looks like soon

his record provides plenty of ammo.

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

4. I would LOVE to see a comparison of the records of Gephardt and Dean

Let's see, Gephardt led the fight against NAFTA and the exporting of American jobs, Dean tells the Cato Institute why they should love him for his right-wing economic policies. Gephardt has consistently pushed for labor regulations and worker safetly laws, and Dean successfully fought to get snowmobiles in state parks.

Compare records? Please do.

[pruner]

6. me too

While Gephardt speaks in front of a sign that reads "Protect Social Security" and "Protect Medicare" over and over, like computer-desktop wallpaper, I wonder: Does he really want to play this game? Dredging up old quotes and votes about Gephardt's onetime conservatism is what helped to derail his '88 campaign. He voted against the establishment of the Department of Education. He voted for a constitutional amendment to ban abortion. He voted to means-test Social Security and to eliminate cost-of-living adjustments from the program. He voted for Reagan's 1981 tax cuts. He opposed an increase in the minimum wage. Does a man with a legislative record this long and varied really want to ostentatiously declare, "There are life-and-death consequences to every position taken and every vote cast"? If that's so, how many times was Dick Gephardt on the side of death?

http://slate.msn.com/id/2090515/

[Hep]

9. OMG OMG!

In 1977 Gep voted with republicans 85% of the time. If we play Gep's game, we would make that into our biggest talking point in Iowa.

Except that we don't think that people are so stupid as to care about what a person said over a decade ago when considering CURRENT platform.

What has Gep done for me lately? Voted for the IWR.

Records? Dean has shown me that people can have access to affordable healthcare. He showed me that same sex couples CAN have rights. See, he's done that. Gephardt is a joke and his campaign relies on LIES to get by.

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

11. What has Dean done for me?

I mean, aside from giving some anti-war speeches?

[Hep]

12. he has

proven that we can get results without breaking down and rebuilding our political system. He has inspired hundreds of thousands of people to become politically active this early, to care again about politics.

In my county, he has inspired Democrats to organize their precincts, 75% of which aren't (we don't even have a D party HQ). We'll have 80% sson which means money and a voice in state politics.

He's done that for people in your community too.

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

14. Fine, then let's vote for Trippi

Let him replace Terry McAullife. I still don't see why I would want a second-rate conservative politician to lose to Bush in the general election?

[Hep]

15. Trippi?

So Dean is a second rate conservative politician?

[Rose Siding]

17. Of course he is!

Why else would he have delivered health care and same sex unions? Why else would he be so appealing to labor and so effective at galvanizing opposition to Bush? Give me more of THAT kind of 2nd rate conservatism!

[CWebster]

13. Someone, and I forget who, but it is someone worth listening to

compares the notion of balance as representing both sides of the argument about whether the earth is flat.

The appearance of balance supercedes the truth of the subject

[pansypoo53219]

3. mara is a

fuckin repugnican. i figured that out. why they took her off the WH as she would be kissin George's ass ferociously. i IGNORE her. and Cokie too.

[Jacobin]

5. i heard it and it made me sick

Painted Dean as some kind of radical numbnutz and Gephardt as a practical shoe-in.

What horse shit.

[bif]

7. I heard it too

I like the one quote from an Iowan: "I want to see if his ideas have changed or if he's still fresh." Huh?

Gep had his chances. It's time to get the hell out of the way.

[montanacowboy]

8. Gebhart is toast

even if he win's Iowa, where else will his stale ideas and I love Bush* in the rose garden resonate? he is finished. When the AFL CIO and SEIU endorses Dean, Dick is gone as he should be. He had his chances and all he ever did was suck up to Georgie Porgie.

Also, Mara is Ann the Man in a softer suit.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

20. Give credit to Gephardt for exposing Dean for what he is.

and that is BushLite.

[CWebster]

10. Amazing, isn't it...

the media connections and contacts that get exposure for some of these Insiders when they want it.

[quinnox]

16. Well, there is always Dean tv

For those upset about any hint of negative press about Dean, just turn on Dean tv and watch that all day.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

18. Yep, it's much more comfortable getting your news thru a filter

[CWebster]

19. oh well.

if your boy every rises to the point where he is even in the discussion, I guess we could say the same.

For the record, I have been to Dean's site only to contribute and couldn't tell you a thing about it, so dispense with your snide and bitter remarks.