The Punch and Judy Dean Show

LA Times ^ | 1/27/04 | Alexander Stille

[lonewacko_dot_com]

Diane Sawyer's interview with Howard Dean and his wife last week was a textbook case of everything that is wrong with television coverage of politics. It reduced his campaign to the banal level of mere personality and perceived missteps, replacing issues with image — it was a frame-up.

Out of the 96 questions that Sawyer asked, 90 were about personality and temperament and only six were even vaguely about issues; virtually all 96 were hostile and negative. Thirty-six were about Dean's supposedly out-of-control Iowa concession speech, his alleged bad temper and the loss of momentum of his campaign. ("So did you lose your temper at [your son's] hockey game?") The 10-second yell in his Iowa concession speech was replayed three times during the interview, along with riffs by David Letterman and Jay Leno. ("How does it feel, to be the object of all these jokes?")

Twenty questions were about Judy Dean's absence from the campaign, which appeared to fault her for failing to stand by her man while at the same time criticizing the couple's decision to be interviewed together. ("Is it because it's a troubled time and — and the juggernaut has hit some pothole?") Twenty-one questions were about their family life, which all had a decidedly negative cast. ("Religion, first of all, ever a problem? Jewish? Christian?") All the questions to Judy Dean had a shockingly sexist subtext, about her clothes and hair and whether or not she was ready for the prime-time spotlight. She was made to seem like an un-American weirdo for failing to watch her husband on TV, for failing to have cable and for receiving rhododendron plants for her birthday. ("Not exactly romantic … ")...

[lonewacko_dot_com]

You can use laexaminer and the name and laexaminer as the password to read the whole thing.

[dirtboy]

I actually thought that Dean and his wife came off fairly well in the interview ... as regular people - but it was also made an absolutely convincing case that Dean doesn't have the temperment to be president.

[PaulaB]

You know I feel a little sorry for the wife. Not everyone is a Hillary (give me the White House or die) personallity. I sure hope Dean wins New Hampshire. :)

[mj1234]

The big news of this story- the libs (with urging from
the Clintooons) are attacking Dean.

That is why all the negative press ( and I mean consistantly
negative) look at hand picked Clinttoooon boy weasley clark-

(2) subordinate generals REFUSE his orders for an attack
on RUSSIAN soldiers!! nothing there move on...

Relieved early of command- big deal.. move on

I despise Dean- but I do not matter, the Clintooons despise
Dean... he better watch his back.- The press will be helping
the bent one and shillary big time.

[NYCVirago]

I think the interview helped Dean, simply because many of the questions were stupid and insulting. It's like when Jim Gray interviewed Pete Rose after his being picked to the All-Century team -- Gray came off as a real jerk for asking the same question about gambling over and over. As for Diane Sawyer, you couldn't help but feel a little sorry for the Deans after having to be interrogated by her!