How long can Clark's current media honeymoon last?

[9119495]

I am a Dean supporter disgusted by the attacks on him lately. Be it Al Sharpton's race baiting, or four year old comments on the Iowa Caucuses.

I like Clark, but I think it odd that he was basically given a pass for skipping three debates. He's on the move in Hew Hampshire, but he is basically the only one campaigning there--unless you count Lieb.

This is not a question about what is "fair," but on reading the most recent Al Franken book, I began to look for such patterns in the media and I think Dean is going through something that was done to Gore in 2000. Won't general Clark have to deal with this at some point? What will Clark supporters say when the attacks hit him? What will Democrats say when Bush refuses to debate our nominee "for other engagements scheduled in his campaign."

My hypothesis is that the media would love to see a fight to the convention--This will give them stories and who knows how long we'll care about Kobe, Scott Peterson, etc. But, this would be horrible as we as a party would be at a huge disadvantage versus Bush regarding money.

Does anyone else notice this? Any Clark supporters? I will also stipulate that Dean HAS had his own media honeymoon (even though it certainly has ended).

[Jack_Dawson]

1. Hopefully 1/10 as long as Dean's did

which I guess would be about 2 months...taking us through Super Tuesday.

I wouldn't count on it actually happening though...

:bounce:

[Red_Storm]

2. "Race Baiting, eh"

So it's ok for Dean to talk about affirmative action and race in his campaign but it's wrong to ask him why there has never been any blacks or latinos working in his cabinet all the years he has been Governor in Vermont?

[CWebster]

33. Why don't you ask Carol Mosley Braun? nt

Who obviously took issue with the accusation.

[TLM]

38. Yeah it is race baiting to try and do the gotcha shit sharpton does

Dean should be glad that sharpton did not incite a crowd to set his campaign HQ on fire like he did to that "white interloper."

[Doctor_J]

3. I'll settle for 11/03

After that we'll see what happens.

[9119495]

4. If he is the nominee, I hope it lasts to 11-03!

[Walt Starr]

5. It'll last all of five seconds after

he goes ahead in any poll.

then all the stops come out and the media will pummel him worse than Dean, clinton, and gore combined.

[rdfi-defi]

6. as long as the major media is owned and controled by corpritists

[newyawker99]

24. Hi rdfi-defi!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Padraig18]

7. As soon as he tops a poll, or wins a primary...

... the long knives will come out.

[YellowDawgDemocrat]

11. Won't even last that long

In New Hampshire the heat gets turned up, by South Carolina he will be dancing on one leg.

[Padraig18]

18. Well, the Dean campaign will willingly share information about...

... the best way to pick buckshot out of your ass... :P

[BootinUp]

8. The media giveth, the media taketh away

I have watched for months while political pundits have basically conceded the race to Dean. Some shows all you hear is frontrunner Howard Dean, and no other candidates or maybe one other even mentioned.

Dean is under the microscope now. He has made gaffes, he has lost some momentum. He will have to try and get it back.

[9119495]

12. But Don't you think its wierd Clark is being

lifted in status by favorable poll returns, but not being criticized for not debating?

[BootinUp]

16. You think he hasn't been criticized for conceding Iowa?

I would differ.

He did concede it, he has been criticized, he has been in many debates.

Right now the media is focusing on Iowa, you will see much more coverage positive and negative on Clark, don't worry.

[9119495]

21. I'm in Iowa

and those this is not really related to the thread, I think it was a huge mistake. He would have had great support here and even fourth place could have been spun as a victory. Many people seem to like hime but are caucusing for someone else. Its wierd because they can still caucus for him.

[tameszu]

9. Are you kididng? He's already been smeared in a NYT hit piece today

And of course the piece and its distortions have already been blithely posted and adopted by a gaggle of Dean supporters on DU.

[9119495]

19. and that saddens me as some of the

Dean supporters do this. I know its hard for them as they look at some of the vitriolic anti-Dean threads. I'm thinking of experimenting with the "hide" and "ignore" features. Can't we all just get along?

[worldgonekrazy]

23. "smeared"?

Interesting analysis. I would put it under the category of "legitimate concern" myself. The guy claims to be against the Iraq War yet obviously he was not until he decided to run for President AS A DEMOCRAT. Wake up man, he is a wolf in sheep's clothing.

[Lefta Dissenter]

10. They've both

had to face some re-hash of four-year-old (or older) statements (or voting records!). You just notice it more when it's your own candidate.

Frankly, I wish we'd get something more substantive than "Clark buys himself a sweater" from some people, but I have seen plenty of coverage on both Clark and Dean - some puff pieces and some slams. It's better than the first three months when Clark was being entirely ignored by the media!

I'm not concerned with how Clark will handle what is thrown at him. As I've said before, he can fight hard without fighting dirty. I wish they all could manage that (and all of the supporters, too, now that I think of it).

And, as for the debates, there are three debates already scheduled (two for Pres, one for VP), so bush has time to pencil them in!

[NV1962]

13. Until early 2012, when they start fawning over Hillary's run...

Re-elect Clark in 08!

So Wes Clark skipped 3 debates. So what... You think his "absence" is newsworthy, given the dedication and time he spends on NH instead? Would be very different if he'd be on a long holiday... He isn't, far from that.

But returning to your main point: yes, you can safely bet that more attention will be given to him, as the campaign progresses and he continues rising.

However, as to "honeymoon" - I think you're forgetting the coverage Clark enjoyed back in September last year. That honeymoon is over.

I believe there's a simple reason for the relatively "mild" treatment Wes Clark's campaign receives: for one, the "high road" approach, and second, the acknowledgement that Wes Clark has a very broad base of people who have a sympathetic view towards him, regardless of their "real" preference. That "friendly" view stretches way across the party line - and I think editors are smart and realistic enough to realize that, and reflect it in the "tone" of their coverage.

Just wait until the campaign really heats up...

[Clark Can WIN]

14. Right through his second term

would be great.

[NV1962]

15. GMTA!

:toast:

[robbedvoter]

17. Honeymoon? Did you check NYT> MWO may help you a bit here

http://mediawhoresonline.com/

I was shocked myself by a few unsnarky articles, but honeymoons are for Bushco.

[morningglory]

20. When the media finishes with Dean and Clark takes NH, then

they will start on whoever is the frontrunner, I feel.

[worldgonekrazy]

22. Not long, with all his shady associations to consider

Acxiom, Stephens Group, World Economic Forum meetings, etc....it will all catch up to him soon. There is far too great a risk, IMO, that he is a wolf in sheep's clothing for Democrats to give him the nomination.

[Jack_Dawson]

25. What a jerk - trying to make a living

The nerve.

[in_cog_ni_to]

26. Well let's see. So far he's had 1 week

of positive press. That means since Dean had a 1 year + of nothing BUT positive press, Clark has 53 weeks left. :7

Since Clark isn't campaigning in Iowa, he shouldn't be in the Iowa debates. I don't think supporters of other candidates should complain about that. It just gives their candidates MORE air time.

I think the press will take aim at whoever the front runner is.

[9119495]

27. The debates are national debates--and you know that because

you probably saw one or more of them. Had it been an Iowa Public Television debate, he could justify skipping it, but missing a nationally sponsored debate on a major cable news network should not be excused by "not competing in Iowa." I would be offended if my candidate Dean skipped a televised debate that happen to be held in Mississippi because the electoral votes will go to Bush.

[edzontar]

28. The Moore endorsement might attract some negative attention

But not as much as if he had endorsed Dean!

[Snivi Yllom]

29. about as long as it takes

for the media to finish up trashing Dean, then they will go after Clark.

Or maybe they wont....... :(

[KittyWampus]

30. What Honeymoon? The NYTimes Bascially Lied About Clark Yesterday

and tried to make the case his statements were "inconsistent"

They buried the news about his Tax Plan in a story talking about Kerry's something or other... and Clark's Tax Plan is the most Progressive and most radically differetn than any others yet proposed.

Shelton's smear was and is still used despite Shelton's lack of elaboration.

Judy Woodruff didn't even mention him for over a month.

The Nation and various other papers have published Hatchet Jobs on him.

The media repeats ad naseum that Clark waffled on the IWR and yet never provided the supposedly damning QUOTE which some anonymous reporter attributes to him... forget about context.

They repeat Swett's assertion without mentioning she prefaced her comments with "my impression" and she NEVER attributed any direct quote to Clark anyway.

[edzontar]

32. Now you know how it feels...

To visit DU as a Dean supporter--every day.

[KittyWampus]

35. I'm A Clark Supporter Who Visits Just About Every Day

I also read lots of news sites and scan headlines etc.

Clark has either been ignored, belittled or slammed since getgo... excepting some buzz around his name just before he entered.

Dean has largely had over a year of news about how he invented internet campaigning and fundraising etc. with NO coverage of his record as Governor nor the inconsistencies between his record & his current platform.

The mediawhores have praised his debate performances and campaigning even when has shot himself in the foot.

Dean has benefitted in a huge way from the Name Recognition the media has bestowed upon him and is now given the presumption of Nominee... even though no votes have been cast.

[CWebster]

31. Will they grill the general

If they don't...if Clark isn't roasted by the corporate lackey press, then we will know where his allegiance lies and just how Republican his support truly is.

[Tim_in_HK]

34. I'd say it has started . . .

Besides the NYT piece, there's a new Slate piece as well about 'loose lips.'

I agree with an upthread poster. The media wants to make this a cat fight up to the convention. All the things that the media is going after Dean for, will soon be focused on Clark.

[CreamyGoodness]

36. As long as Clark keeps hiding

Well, as long as long as Clark keeps skipping debates and cancelling appearances, I'd say his media "honeymoon" could last as long as say, Kucinich's. Right now Clark's polls are levelling off because he can only cruise so far on his uniform and his policy papers. As long as he keeps dodging the limelight it will be hard for the media to hit him as hard as they are hitting Dean.

[RetroLounge]

37. But he entered the race late, remember?

He had to decide. He had to be drafted. He had to register as a Dem.

His time will come...