How well does Clark have to do before the media start acknowledging him?

[SeveneightyWhoa]

It's pathetic how its always DEAN, DEAN, DEAN. Thats all I hear about from the mainstream media. Yet polls show that its basically a statistical tie between three or four candidates.

Its not too often that you hear much about any non-Dean candidates, and its seemingly even rarer to hear a damned thing about Clark even thoough he's basically right behind Dean in polls!

So when will the media notice? If Clark starts leading the polls, will Dean still be the "frontrunner"? Is this a self-fulfilling prophecy in that the media's portrayal of Dean as the frontrunner will keep him in that position? I'm wondering what the reaction of the media will be when Clark surges ahead and overtakes Dean--my bet is that this will be virtually ignored, and the discussion will remain focused on Dean, the perpetual "frontrunner".

I have lost all faith in the media. It is destroying democracy in America--in fact, I've been saying for a while now that the two things gnawing away at democracy in America are rigged election systems, and the horribly undemocratic media.

Lets all watch closely--the biggest story in this election just might be the media's coverage of Dean. I want Clark to jump ahead in all the polls, just to see how talking heads react, or if they do at all.

[robsul82]

1. The only people who get to bitch...

...are DK, Braun, and Sharpton people. You Clarkies...seriously, you've gotta turn off the waterworks SOMETIME soon.

Later.

RJS

[Ebbhead]

5. Really.....

All I hear here is...


DEAN V BUSH!!!DEAN V BUSH!!!DEAN V BUSH!!!DEAN V BUSH!!!DEAN V BUSH!!!DEAN V BUSH!!!DEAN V BUSH!!!DEAN V BUSH!!!DEAN V BUSH!!!DEAN V BUSH!!!DEAN V BUSH!!!DEAN V BUSH!!!DEAN V BUSH!!!DEAN V BUSH!!!DEAN V BUSH!!!DEAN V BUSH!!!DEAN V BUSH!!!DEAN V BUSH!!!DEAN V BUSH!!!DEAN V BUSH!!!DEAN V BUSH!!!DEAN V BUSH!!!DEAN V BUSH!!!DEAN V BUSH!!!DEAN V BUSH!!!DEAN V BUSH!!!DEAN V BUSH!!!DEAN V BUSH!!!DEAN V BUSH!!!DEAN V BUSH!!!DEAN V BUSH!!!DEAN V BUSH!!!DEAN V BUSH!!!DEAN V BUSH!!!

And Kobe and Scott V.Amber and Whitny V, Bobby....

[WillyBrandt]

6. SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP

Don't you know your doctrine of predeterminism? It has been destined as Dean, and to question it is therefore whining and blasphemy.

Later.

BO'R

[newyawker99]

23. Hi Ebbhead!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Kosmos Mariner]

2. When he wins South Carolina

:bounce:



:dem:

[WillyBrandt]

3. Good call

Also, when other candidates drop out--hopefully after NH.

[Donna Zen]

9. Nah!

They'll just start in on "What should Dean do now" or "Dean's showing in SC puts to rest....blah...blah...blah."

I'm telling you, they will not mention Wesley Clark's name attached to a positive message as long as the WH internal polling keeps the lid on the news media. The media are nothing but gate-keepers. That 's it. Gate-keepers for the cash clowns.

[Sliverofhope]

4. Don't count on the media for anything

That's got to be lesson number one. I realize it's almost as obvious as saying a dropped object will fall, but so often I still count on the media. We're going to have to get other candidates' names out grassroots style.

[oasis]

7. For all we know, Clark may be ahead.

:shrug:

[robsul82]

8. By the same logic...

Braun could be kicking everyone's ass from here to the Capitol.

Later.

RJS

[SeveneightyWhoa]

10. And by THAT same logic..

..I'd be willing to bet that Dennis Kucinich is already the President!

[Kool Kitty]

11. Damn, now that would be good news!

[SeveneightyWhoa]

12. Yes, it IS good news!

Kucinich is already president--but the robofascist media WON'T TELL YOU THAT!!! Email CNN and Fox right now and DEMAND that they disclose who the real current President is! We must stand up to these lies!

[robsul82]

17. Why won't President Kucinich tell us himself who he is?!?

Under what threat do they have President DK? Those FIENDS! :D

Later.

RJS

[oasis]

13. Oops, wrong thread. I thought the topic was about not trusting the media.

My bad.:dunce:

[Indiana_Dem]

16. Yeah i don't think the internet polls

take into consideration all the older folks who don't use the internet and who favor Clark or Edwards. Many older people I've talked to like these two. And the older ones definitely vote. Of course, I'm from the conservative ste of Indiana who's gone Republican since the 60s. I feel like a loner in this state but I've heard many average Repugs who aren't liking what Bush has been doing at all.......I would just LOVE to see once in my lifetime my homestate turn Democrat this time around. i think I'd have a heart attack. That really would be a miracle!

[SeveneightyWhoa]

18. I'm not talking about internet polls.

I'm talking about national polls, which is what talking heads usually use.

[oasis]

19. If voters have a candidate they trust, there is a good chance they will

cross over party lines.

[ExDeaniacForClark]

14. i think...

he's got to either do really well in debates (he's getting there) or raise a hell of a lot of money (he's doing that). until then it's "a crowded field with one leader."

[unfrigginreal]

15. When will he start campaigning?

I hope he starts soon because if loses in SC he's finished.

[anti-bush]

20. This applies to all of the candidates

There are plenty of candidates with much better platforms, and who will have a better chance of unseating Bush in '04, but the media is infatuated with Dean because he has made this a sideshow.

If equal time and attention was paid to the other candidates I would bet that the polls would be much different.

That said, I'm finally relieved to see John Edwards beginning to get some face time on national TV so the voters will get an opportunity to listen to him, and find out for themselves what I've already discovered. That John Edwards is the best candidate out there.

[economic justice]

21. I agree

Entirely too much coverage of the campaign process (who's up, who's down) at the expense of a discussion on the issues. It's all FLUFF. Clark is getting very little coverage in the media....that will change.

[SeveneightyWhoa]

22. Yup.

Coverage of actual issues would expose the media's man, Mr. Bush, for the 'miserable failure' that he so unbelievably clearly is. So the debate is restricted to polls, pundits, money, endorsements, and infighting.

[DrBB]

24. Dean is the MediaDesignatedWinner

I don't claim it's evidence that "Dean is Rove's favorite candidate" or any of that sludge. But the media like to identify one candidate early on--as early as possible--as their designated protagonist/winner. For one thing, it saves money (dropping the teams covering Kucinich, Mosley-Braun, etc), but more important is that it gives narrative coherence and shape to their coverage. Even if that coherence bears little or no relation to the reality.

That gravitation toward simplistic, trite forms of narrative coherence constitutes about 75% of what gets called "media bias." It is a form of bias, but not toward left or right, per se. It's a bias toward stupidity. Lack of complexity. Lack of having to think or analyze. Laziness.

It just happens that this bias is highly consonant with the simplistic, trite, uncomplex, lazy black-or-white thinking that is rightwing ideology.

edit: dropped a phrase