[reformedliberal]

No, I am not offended. I just wanted to put the spotlight on the grassroots.

I agree about newspapers and the editors here know it; they complain all the time that they cannot get the 18-34 yr-old female demographic anymore. However, the local weeklies will take the editorial & the pics of the rally from the Tribune. Lee owns the weeklies, too. I know nothing of the local TV channels, as I rarely watch them. Word of mouth still counts for a lot out here.

The base is pumped for W and I don't see that enthusiasm on the Left. From my perspective, we Bush volunteers have generated and maintained our own enthusiasm. It is genuine.

I found your analysis of Kerry's campaign interesting and it rings true. I follow your essays on your site and I know you know communications and politics.

[Carolinamom]

Instead of referring to the newspapers and the alphabet networks w/that old bromide, "the elite media", let's just call 'em what they are, "the old media."

[A Citizen Reporter]

I cancelled my subscription to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 4 years ago. After getting a daily paper, and sometimes two or three, for my entire life, I haven't missed it.

About a year ago, I moved into a 'burb' of St. Louis, and I get a "Free" weekly in the mail called "West Newsmagazine". I was amazed when I started to read it, in that it runs the columns of Thomas Sowell, Bill O'Reilly, and it's own editorial page has a definate conservative bent.

I was happy to see that somebody is trying to fill the obvious gap!

[Common Tator]

Newspapers only reach the two bases.

Print media for a poltical campaign is worthless.

People who read newspapers tend to be the political bases. The reason they call them Democrats is it is next to impossible to get them to vote for a Republican. The reason they call them Republicans is it is next to impossible to get them to vote for a Democrat. Those are the people that read papers.

The independents, the so called swing voters, decide every national election. They do not read papers... weekly or daily. They don't read Print information at all. That is why Bush and Kerry don't buy any paper ads.

They do watch TV and they listen to Radio .. but not to Limbaugh or Hannity. They watch local TV news and they watch and listen to entertainment programming.

Local and national TV are the only way to reach the indpenedents. That is why both Bush and Kerry are spending money on TV.

When I say local media, I mean local TV. That is the only place where a national candidate can go fishing for votes and actually catch some.