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.
A little birdie has been chirping in my ear.
Little birdie says, "Cheney might step down to preserve unity of his family (gay issues)"
Little birdie says, "Rudy G. thinks he can win in 2008"
Tweet tweet!
Careful what you wish for - this could be the first sign that Hillary's torpedo is in the water.
As opposed to?........True Christians?.....Charles Smith is now an expert on genuine Christianity?
Somehow I don't think so.
Both Cheney women handled Hemmer well on this question, even though he was trying to trap them.
I had read the article about Keyes' comments about homosexuality in general and Mary Cheney in particular in the Chicago Tribune before I saw the interview, so I was curious as to how Hemmer would question them on it (that he wouldn't question them wasn't a consideration, at least for CNN), and they handled it with great grace. I was reaching for my stash of small stuffed toys that I throw at the screen, but the interview ended.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/specials/elections/conventions/rnc/chi-0409010139sep01.story
My personal love-to-hate Dem advisor is Chris Lehane. There's also some guy on the campaign who often turns up on TV who, I swear, always looks like he's just smelled something very bad. I'll try to think of his name and post a photo.
No..they're supporting Bush...ala, Tom Da$$hole.
You mean the MSM isn't God? I was thinking they heard Chirs's prayer.
That is the problem with Katie, she always forgets then looks into the camera and smiles as if she knows it's a one way media biased interview.
Will see how she interviews Michael Moore.
Thanks for the post as always...
"The Kerry Campaign must by a Top 10 employer in this country by now. During the Berger flap, it was noted that he had 100's of "advisors"."
It is the only area of consistency with his plan for America (Both of them)! He will improve the economy and create jobs by expanding the government payrolls, just like he is expanding the typical campaign budgeted payrolls!
Bump!
Prediction: Kerry will do poorly in the debates. Very poorly.
Russert will then go on TV and say that in a 21st century campaign, there is no evidence that debates matter. Most voters are undecideded, and the next big moment is that final week of advertising. LOL!
Excellent reporting and thanks. You save us time and agony!
Yes, indeed! I've been hoping for him to be given a more prominent role.
He looks like a weasel on crack.
Chris actually said that?
ROFL!!!!
It's gonna be painful watching a beating from now till November.
BTW, as per Unfit for Command, when Kerry first called Admiral Hoffman to get his endorsement to run for the presidency as the Democrat nominee, Hoffman says he was excited and enthusiastic about supporting him. Oh, hang on, you mean this is John Kerry, not Bob Kerrey? As soon as he realized he was talking to the Weasel, he became gruff and terminated the phone call. He would have wholeheartedly supported a presidential run by Democrat Bob Kerrey, he says. But supporting a presidential run by Democrat John Kerry? Fuggetaboutit. And don't call me again.
Kerry let the opposition define who he is in the minds of the public. Once that happens it's game, set and match.
"He sure did have ......and cross-over appeal....
Thus we see the worry. In spite of the Hatriot masses in the streets, there are those who will be lost. They will listen to Arnold and Zell and desert the true faith. They will cross over.
Hitler in the bunker, 1945.
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