Dean's 'Urban Legend'

The New York Times ^ | Published: October 13, 2003 | By WILLIAM SAFIRE

[Dr. Frank fan]

[Again, surely Dean was not saying that getting the Husseins didn't justify "the use of American military intelligence] But he would never, and has never (except maybe defensively, later) say that it would be justified.

Ok, that may or may not be true (I'll take your word for it), but that has no bearing on whether his statement was mischaracterized (which it was).

He's the (selectively) pacifist candidate, he cant acknowledge anything good to come from US military or intelligence activity..

Correct. Still doesn't mean he wasn't mischaracterized.

So if McCain plays obtuse and reads between the lines, can he be faulted?

If that "reading between the lines" is really "putting words in Dean's mouth", then yes, I think so.

The f*cker shouldnt have it both ways, IMO.

Maybe not but that's no excuse for mischaracterizing his statements.

[Nonstatist]

that's no excuse for mischaracterizing his statements

I could reply by saying "thats politics", but actually, that exactly what the news media does all the time, particularly to conservatives.

The reason Dean went apeshirt over this is that its totally plausible that thats what he meant, given his general demagoguing to the insane left. From my point of view, I'll just leave it to Dean to explain that McCain was putting words in his mouth, when in context, it seems totally consistent with most everything else he spouts about.

[Dr. Frank fan]

I could reply by saying "thats politics",

In fact, I agree with this, "that's politics". Doesn't make it right

that exactly what the news media does all the time, particularly to conservatives.

Yep. Doesn't make it right

The reason Dean went apeshirt over this is that its totally plausible that thats what he meant, given his general demagoguing to the insane left.

Could be. Doesn't make it... (you get the idea)

From my point of view, I'll just leave it to Dean to explain that McCain was putting words in his mouth, when in context, it seems totally consistent with most everything else he spouts about.

I have a different point of view. When someone's putting words in Dean's mouth, I'll call them on it. I'll restrict my criticisms of Howard Dean to things he actually says, and does.

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

This is the problem with LexisNexis. It's great, but it circulates urban legends and creates them and I had never said that. . . ."

Journalism does in fact create urban legends, and did so before the advent of LexisNexis.

Some reporter "sexes up" a story by, for example, inverting a quote by Eisenhower's SecDef nominee. Thereafter it doesn't matter that the literal quote was, "What's good for the country is good for General Motors"--in journalism it is forever "What's good for General Motors is good for the country!"