Another enjoyable read, Tator. The only thing I wonder about is that society is much softer than in 1948. Seems to me there could be a much larger sympathy factor if a Dimbulb candidate is seen as being unjustly attacked (for Republican's, it doesn't matter of course, as we've seen for months and months with the constant barrage against Bush). So what worked then, might not be so effective now because we are much more of a nation of "feelings" and not of thinking.
??
Prairie
The only thing I wonder about is that society is much softer than in 1948. Seems to me there could be a much larger sympathy factor if a Dimbulb candidate is seen as being unjustly attacked (for Republican's, it doesn't matter of course,
Let us consider that. Does the average person discriminate against Republicans? Could it just be the media trying to convince you that one dare not attack a Democrat while attacking Republicans is just fine.
Don't you think that who can and can't be attacked has a lot more to do with the bias of the media than what the public will tolerate?
Lets go back to 1948. Most papers in the nation were in the hands of Republicans. RCA which owned both NBC and ABC and was staunchly Republican. ABC AND NBC started out as NBC.. they were the red and blue NBC networks. They outnumbered slightely more liberal CBS 2 ot 1. But CBS was a long way from being leftist.
NBC was the dominate networks and its top Anchor, H.V. Kaltenborn, hated Democrats and infected roaches equally. Well maybe he did like infected roaches a bit better. H.V. could say Harry S. Truman and you were certain he said "NO GOOD S.O.B." with out the abreviations.
The top news weeklies were Time and Life magazines. They had huge circulations in the days before TV. Life was mostly pictures of news events and Time was news and commentary. They were owned by Henry Luce. Luce and his Wife Clara Booth Luce (for a while a Republican congresswoman from New York) made Rush look like a flaming liberal.
Truman referred to Henry Luce and his wife as "Arsenic and Old Luce." Truman made a speech in that campaign where he attacked the media bias.
I don't remember the exact words but this is close. It was the transcript of an H.V. Kaltenborn newscast on NBC. It reached scores of millions.
Today Truman is headed for a get away hide out in South Florida. There Truman is going to hold a sessions hidden from public view. Truman and his cronies are to to plot ways to take this election from Republican front runner Governor Thomas E. Dewey. Observers think Truman is becoming evermore desperate and has stooped to engaging in harsh personal attacks on his opponent. No one thinks Trumans mud slinging tactics will work.
In other news
Republican front runner Thomas E. Dewey has returned to his New York home were trusted advisers and elected government leaders are to brief him on the best ways to solve the problems our nation faces. Dewey is expected to present those plans on how best to fix the economy and international problems to the American people next week. Governor Dewey has conducted a principles and courteous campaign. The same can not be said for Harry S. Truman.
There wasn't any bias in the media back then... was there?
Truman was over and over again referred to as a former failed Haberdasher. Trumans mens clothing store went out of business during the depression. After being a senator, Vice President and president he was still a failed haberdasher.
Consider that Len Hall who was Eisenhower's press secretary left the Eisenhower White House to take the job of President of ABC News.
The leftists first took over CBS and by 1964 were in total control of the media. But that was not true in the 40s and 50's
In 1948 over 2/3 of the newspapers endorsed the Republican candidate. In 1943 Roosevelt was so angry at radio,he had a law passed making it illegal for Radio stations to editorialize.
The media was just as ineffective when it was biased right wing as it is now that it is biased left wing. Would you believe the Washington Post was once a Republican paper?
I spent decades in the media. Media people like to tell you how effective they are.. but the dirty little secret is they are not. They try to preclude their opponents from doing what is effective. I tried for many years to control voters and elections in the counties where I owned radio stations. I was rarely successful.
Truman proved a candidate could do what is effective and kick the media's rump in the process.
I used to be strong believer that human nature changed over time I believed that evolution was true and people were getting kinder and gentler and more opposed to hard fighting.
Then I decided to really analyse Christianity to prove it was garbage... That did not go as planned I got converted to Christianity instead. I believed in God but fought Him for decades. I wanted to be in control... Finally .... at long last .... I surrendered my will to God. I guess you could say the tator got peeled.
I don't know much... but one thing I do know. If it worked on Adam and Eve it will work on you an I.