Posted on 09/01/2004 5:08:16 AM PDT by governsleastgovernsbest
Wow! What an action-packed half-hour on the morning news shows! My remote is still smoking.
Let's start with Today. When it comes to Arnold, there's a strange dynamic at NBC. Their visceral hatred of Republicans is at war with the fact that Arnold is of course married to Maria Shriver, one of NBC's own, and someone who I sense is a social circle friend of Katie Couric.
So from Katie to Campbell Brown to Tim Russert, Arnold received rave reviews. Among the Today 'thumbs up': "the crowd loved Arnold," "an unforgettable national debut with a very optimistic message."
Russert in particular was glowing: "He sure did have star power and cross-over appeal. He can speak to average people, Hispanics, white guys in Flint Michigan [isn't that Moore's home town?], telling them it's OK to be Republican, the big issue is the war on terror I'm with the President, it's OK for you to be so too."
I can't recall if it was Katie or Tim, but one of them set up a potential problem for Arnold and the Republicans, only to knock it down. "Dems look at Arnold's claims of a compassionate GOP that and say that there is a conflicting message. Arnold describes a compassionate party, but on affirmative action, programs for the poor, etc. the Dems would argue the Republicans are not as generous."
To which Russert responded, "but Arnold would say, 'that's OK, you can make it on your own, I didnt speak English till I was 20 and still was able to make it in this country.' It's a very powerful message."
Katie did look for the down side when she fretted that Arnold's 'red meat' line that "you are a Republican if you believe this country and not the UN is the best hope for the world" conflicts with our country's need to engage the UN and foreign allies in rebuilidng Iraq, etc.
Katie is obviously worried about the impact Zell Miller will have tonight. She tried to devalue him as a messenger by asking: "is he really a Dem?" Russert didn't give the answer Katie was looking for: "He'll be able to say: I was a Dem governor, I'm a Dem senator. He'll have a lot of currency tonight."
Katie wondered whether Dick Cheney is going to serve up a lot of red meat tonight or if we'll hear a kinder gentler Cheney. Russert said he'd be both. "There'll be a lot of slicing and dicing of Kerry on foreign policy. That's how Cheney really feels. But he'll also be avuncular."
As mentioned in the headline, CBS finally discovered the RNC. You'll recall that yesterday they chose not to devote a single segment in the crucial half-hour to the RNC. This morning, Charles Smith interviewed Lynne Cheney and one of her daughters, Elizabeth (not the gay one, Mary).
The entire thrust of Smith's interview was to attempt to stir up division and bad feelings among Republicans.
"Is it disappointing to be involved in controversy?"
"What your father said on gay marriage was very dissapointing to conservatives in the party."
Then some false 'personal' concern: "How is Mary [the gay daughter] doing amidst all of this?"
"What do you understand that cultural Christians don't understand."
With grace and intelligence, the Cheney's strode through the mine field Smith had laid, without a misstep.
An aside: fairness dictates, since we are quick to observe this about Dem women, that it appeared to me that Lynne Cheney has had some cosmetic surgery. She did look very nice.
Perhaps the most telling moment of the morning was the coffee klatch between Diane Sawyer and George Stephanopolous at GMA.
George admitted that Kerry is "angry with his staff." Apparently the poll numbers that worry them the most are W's approval ratings which are now solidly over 50%, and the fact that Kery went from a sizeable post-DNC advantage to a sizeable deficit on who would make the better commander-in-chief.
Steph said the Dems have a three-pronged strategy: 1. Kerry's speech at the American Legion, where he'll give a tough critique on Iraq and try to exploit W's recent statement on the winnability of the war. 2. A major advertising buy on domestic issues; and 3. A rapid response team. Many new people are being brought in but no one is being fired.
Fretted Sawyer, effectively acknowledging that Kerry is in deep trouble: "Can he turn it around or is it too late?" Steph: "It's not too late, the race is still tied. The next big moment is the debates."
Another aside: GMA then moved from former Clinton advisor Steph, to son-of-Mario Chris, who gave a report on security at the convention. Gee, who says the MSM have a liberal bias?
Finally, back at Today, Katie interviewed former Nebraska Sen. Bob Kerrey. Aside: with his faux-Caesar hair cut and suntan, Kerrey is looking more and more like a third-rate Frank Sinatra impersonator. I was waiting for him to burst into "Strangers in the Night."
The thrust of Kerrey's argument was that the Republicans are being too mean to John Kerry. W should thank Kerry for his support on Iraq rather than scorning and ridiculing him as a waffler.
To Katie's credit, she did ask: "what about not supporting the $87 billion?" Kerrey moved on quickly without really answering.
But in trying to argue that John Kerry has been been "steadfast," Bob Kerrey might have created another flip-flop controversy. Kerrey claimed that Kerry would have supported the Iraq resolution "even if he knew what we know today," [i.e., the lack of discovered WMDs]. But wait a minute! Jamie Rubin said that about Kerry a week ago, but then was forced to apologize and say it's not true. Now Kerrey seems to be resurrecting the claim. So which is it?
Katie then raised W's statement in the Lauer interview about the winnability of the war. "Is it a tempest in a teapot?" Kerrey: "Nothing to it except that the Republicans have been whacking Kerry for being a waffler and flip flopper." The problem for the Dems: everyone knows it was not a flip flop by W.
Finally, Katie raised the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth: "how do you feel about the controversy?"
Interestingly, Kerrey didn't claim it was a W campaign set-up. To the contrary, he said the Swiftees "hate" Kerry for his 1971 testimony. That suggests their ads are authentic. Still he agreed with Katie that W for some reason should condemn the ads more strongly. Katie 'forgot' to ask if Kerry should condemn the Move-on.org ads or Fahrenheit 911.
All in all, a good morning for W. The convention played to strong reviews, Kerry was depicted angry and in trouble, and CBS' attempt to trip up the Cheney's fell flat on its face.
Thank you thank you! I don't have to watch again.
"What do you understand that cultural Christians don't understand."
Most men believe they are better than John Kerry. They are absolutely correct.
Here's hoping, and it still may come down to turnout; The Dems are very angry this year....That may be good for a couple of points by itself.
It is all very scary....Kerry would be an absolute disaster for our nation.
"Did the Kerry camp really back away from that position? I have to be honest here, and I (like most FReepers) pay real close attention to this stuff ... but I really and trully have NO IDEA what Kerry's position on Iraq is."
That's OK..Kerry doesn't either...;)
His butt is probably still sore from the stomping Kristinn and Dr. Raoul gave him.
I love the Cheney's way of dealing with their daughter's homosexuality. What does the MSM expect them to do, denounce and then disown her? That Liz is a beautiful, articulate woman. She reminds me so much of her mother.
Cheney avuncular bump.
Mistress H is making her move. This smells just like the Dean takedown in January.
Steffi has his orders...
I said it a few days ago! The media will cry that the GOPers are being too mean to Kerry. They are SO damn predictable!
Yeah I heard this morning they are pulling out the Clinton advisors
thanks for the (as usual) terrific summary.
And as for this comment by Stephanopoulos: "The next big moment is the debates."
All I can say is, bring them on. ;)
"Did the Kerry camp really back away from that position? [that Kerry would have voted for the Iraq resolution even knowing what we know about WMD]?"
Yes, Rubin, who made the statement, was forced to backtrack. Check out this excerpt from a Washington Post article:
"A top national security adviser to John F. Kerry said yesterday that he made a mistake when he said the Democratic nominee probably would have launched a military invasion to oust Saddam Hussein if he had been president during the past four years."
Here's a link to the article: "Comments on Iraq War In Error, Says Kerry Aide"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A29593-2004Aug24.html
They love "moderates".
I can never bring myself to even surf by the alphabets in the morning.
This morning I heard IMUS on the radio and he had Papa Bush on.....and IMUS said he is now Independent....
So the old media is seeing the future and it's Dubya.
Maybe they too figured out that the safety of their children is at stake and Kerry's not up to the job.
Don't forget last year when Kerrey was accused of being a Viet Nam war criminal. No doubt that caused him great personal angst (well deserved).
Exactly. A loathsome, loaded question, intended to lure the Cheney's into a war with social conservatives.
Aren't you worried now that Kerry's bringing Joe Lockheart to save the day! LOLOLOL
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