The Media is savaging Clark!

[cryofan]

I just cannot believe the tidal wave of anti-Clark propaganda coming out right now. Is it his progressive tax policy that will increase the taxes of millionaires by 5% that has precipitated this tidal wave? Look at the these 2 below examples of anti-Clark propaganda, which I will not bother to quote. THe Steyn piece is particularly venemous. He makes Clark out to be a cross between Hitler and Caligula! If the right wing is this scared of Clark, all Democrats should ask themselves why. THe other is ostensibly one of a non-partisan series of articles on the candidates for the local Kansas City newspaper. But it too has a blatant bias....

http://www.suntimes.com/output/steyn/cst-edt-steyn18.html

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascitystar/news/politics/7789860.htm

[bryant69]

1. Well some of this has been building

For a while Clark and Dean as the front runners were getting the brunt of the attacks. But now as there is more of a free for all among the top four, well, they are all going to be savaged.

Anybody who has any illusions that any of our candidates will appeal to the right wing in this country, should realize that that's not going to happen. (that's not to say they might not appeal to the centrists or old fashioned conservatives, but they won't appeal to the attack dogs of the right). And of course they are setting the tone to a certain extent.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[TruthIsAll]

5. They won't appeal to the attack dogs of the right?

So what else is new? Let Bush keep his 35% right-wing nuts; we don't need or want their votes.

I would be happy with the other 65%.

[blm]

13. heheh...no kidding. Clark can survive this fine.

Look how the media declared Kerry and Edwards' campaigns dead and irrelevant for many months now. They pulled through in SPITE of the media.

[bowens43]

2. What makes you think the right wing is scared of him?

I see no evidence of that.

Did you really expect him to be receive no criticism? Up until now they left him alone. If he can't stand the heat he needs to get out of the kitchen.

[KittyWampus]

11. This Isn't Criticism. It Is Character Assasination & Psychological Warfare

It is perhaps even more poisonous and just as orchestrated as what they did with Clinton.

[HootieMcBoob]

14. If Clark wins nomination.

Karl Rove will shit himself. I can't wait for the headlines!

:)

[Frederic Bastiat]

3. LOL Kerry is the anointed one

Karl Rove must be delighted.

[mikehiggins]

4. Great! Its better than being ignored.

Look, we're never going to reach the foamy-mouthed bat-eating whackoes of the loony right, and there's no reason to even try. Columns such as you pointed to are probably popular in the papers that print them because they draw a lot of letters of protest.

Edgy, controversial, "hot", is how they describe things like that.

Stupid, stupid and "stupid" is how we would describe them.

But, at least they spelled Clark right.

[Mass_Liberal]

6. As far as I'm concerned

Clark is basically spotless. Not much you could attack him for except his votes for Reagan. And frankly my dear, I don't give a damn.

He's definetly my #2

[Tom Rinaldo]

7. It was planned for a long time. Even the line of attack.

The Republicans have always worried about Clark. They went after him immediately, and they have been throwing anything they can at him, and making up stuff along the way.

Here is a link to a great buzzflash interview with the co-author of "Hunting the President", Gene Lyons where he outlines the attack campaign the Republicans will use against Clark, among other things. This from October 22, 2003:

BUZZFLASH: You're probably one of the most well-informed journalists on how attack politics play themselves out with a culpable media, based on your extensive research and writing on the Clintons. How do you think the right wing is going to go after Clark? What can he expect? What advice would you give Clark and the people who are working for him?

LYONS: Well, the outlines of it are already evident. They're saying he's too tightly wrapped, which is kind of akin to what they tried to do with John McCain. They're saying he's a zealot and tends to become unhinged. They're suggesting he's crazed with ambition.

I wrote in a column a couple of weeks ago that one of their lines of attack would be to portray him as sort of General Jack D. Ripper, who was the megalomaniacal general in Dr. Strangelove who was so concerned with his precious bodily fluids. And that's what I think they will try to do. They might go all the way to the edge of suggesting some kind of mental illness. I don't think he's very vulnerable to that sort of smear."
That link: http://www.buzzflash.com/interviews/03/10/int03221.html

[krkaufman]

12. Sun-Times right-wing slander....

From the October 22, 2003 Buzzflash article:

BUZZFLASH: How do you think the right wing is going to go after Clark?

LYONS: They might go all the way to the edge of suggesting some kind of mental illness.

And the Sun-Times article comes through....

"Let me say, by the way, in a spirit of bipartisanship, that I don't believe Howard Dean is nuts. ... I'd say Howard Dean is a sane man pretending to be crazy. Whereas General Clark gives every indication of a crazy man pretending to be sane."

Note that the author indicates that he's a Republican, or worse, through his "in a spirit of bipartisanship" comment.

[JasonDeter]

8. Brokaw actually said bush* has a spotty record in Alabama

but to say he was a deserter is (and everyone around the MTP table chimed in) a very serious charge. Now let me get this straight, if I left military service for a month during a time of war, what would I be charged with? Taking a self imposed vacation?

[Loren645]

9. You're preaching to the choir. They fear they smear.

I expected it, but it still sucks.
And I guess if people buy it then they get the president they deserve.
Unfortunately *we* get the president they deserve too.

And Canada get's an influx of expats.

[incapsulated]

10. Yes, well..

I guess it's our turn. Don't worry. People will eventually get sick of it like they did with the Dean bashing. Then it will be Edwards the Evil One...

[MidwestMomma]

15. Hah...The media is so lazy...check this out

The Kansas City article isn't original or new. Just the slant is different. Found same article by same reporter in the following papers on different dates. Notice the difference in the headlines. Hard to believe they are all for the same article.

I am especially pissed, but not surprised, by the KC Star article because they are using this article as Clark's 'profile' in their series of 'profiles' on the candidates. WTF? Guess it would be too much to ask that they send a KC Star reporter to do their own profile on the candidate. I think I will send this list of links and ask them if it's too much to ask that they give their readers some original journalism. What do you think?


The Mercury News, Jan 11, 2004

A Silver Star Candidate

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/7684519.htm


Detroit Free Press, Jan 16, 2004

Wesley Clark: Answered Voters Call to Run

http://www.freep.com/news/politics/clark16_20040116.htm


Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Jan 17, 2004

Clark draws both confidence and criticism over 'integrity'-His 34-year military career is at the heart of his presidential bid

http://www.jsonline.com/news/gen/jan04/200644.asp?format=print


Star Telegram, Jan 22, 2004

Clark's career criticized, but crucial to bid

http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/news/nation/7769443.htm


Grand Forks Herald Jan 25, 2004

Wesley Clark-Clark stirs both confidence and criticism over 'integrity issues'

http://www.grandforks.com/mld/grandforks/living/7766936.htm


The Miami Herald, Jan 25, 2004

Clark counting on military credentials-Former Gen. Wesley Clark's background is unusual for a Democrat, but it's a sign of the qualities many in the part see as necessary to beat President Bush

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/politics/7668203.htm


The Kansas City Star, Jan 25, 2004

Questions about military past follow Clark campaign-The Candidates Up Close: Wesley Clark

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascitystar/news/politics/7789860.htm