Dean Defense Force Organizes Rapid Response to Unfair Reporting

[JaneQPublic]

Another great, grassroots idea put into action by the Dean campaign: The Dean Defense Force (DDF) to send mass e-mails to the media to point out "perceived inaccuracies, unfairness or just plain unpleasantness in press accounts of Dean’s campaign."

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http://timesargus.nybor.com/Story/69312.html

Just ask Dotty Lynch, CBS’ senior political editor. As pointed out in Saturday’s Washington Post, the defense forces mobilized after she wrote earlier this month that, while Dean’s campaign was certainly taking off, the doctor and former governor hadn’t exactly “offered much of a comprehensive foreign policy.”

Her in-box was flooded.

---snip

“The Dean Defense Forces are smart to have found an organized way to complain to news organizations they find unduly negative toward their candidate,” (Washington Post media critic Howard )Kurtz said by e-mail.

“While such tactics may matter only at the margins, it’s a way of putting journalists and news organizations that they’re being carefully watched, and a great way of firing up their base.”

MORE...

Here's the link to DDF:

http://deandefense.org/

[THUNDER HANDS]

1. in one sense I think this is really cool

In another sense...it kinda freaks me out.

"The Dean Defense Force (DDF) to send mass e-mails to the media to point out "perceived inaccuracies, unfairness or just plain unpleasantness in press accounts of Dean’s campaign."

Well, heaven forbid Dean the Magnificent should face unpleasant reporting in his quest to become leader of the free world.

:eyes:

[JNelson6563]

2. we shoulda been doing this for Clinton

You know the Thugs will eat, sleep and shit slurs for whoever they think threatens their hold on power. I say hold the press accountable. No more Goring of the Dems.

Shame on you for having a problem with it. Maybe your candidate should be so pro-active, whoever they are.

Julie--sick of Dems slamming Dems

[StopTheMorans]

4. Julie,

have you ever read the Natural by Joe Klein about Clinton's presidency? It's a great, short, fairly comprehensive read on his presidency from an (fairly) outsider's view. I can't remember if it was in the Natural or the Clinton Wars (have only read parts), but they did have something similar to this in place during Clinton's presidency if I remember correctly:)

[THUNDER HANDS]

5. Shame on me?

What did I do, steal a cookie?

I'm just saying it's kinda freaky to have hundreds of little Deanomytes mass emailing journalists because they were miffed about the tone of the coverage.

Not innacuracies.

Not slights.

But just a general tone.

THAT's a sure-fire way to get the press to like you. Annoy the hell out of them over frivilous things.

[SweetZombieJesus]

7. Who the fuck cares if they "like" us?

We're not doing this to be liked, we're doing it because objectivity is supposed to be part of their fucking job.

Need I remind you that a little thing like the TRUTH is considered a "frivolous" thing by a good portion of the press? If the tone of an article is negative, there's a good chance that it's founded on some popular talking point/misrepresentation/bald faced lie that's constantly floated about Dean.

But hey, let's play by your rules and allow the greedy, shallow, easily led press corps to suckle from the Bush teat again and ensure our defeat.

[Devils Advocate NZ]

9. Funny... I didn't see the word "tone" anywhere in that article

In fact, what I saw was this:

Just ask Dotty Lynch, CBS’ senior political editor. As pointed out in Saturday’s Washington Post, the defense forces mobilized after she wrote earlier this month that while Dean’s campaign was certainly taking off, the doctor and former governor hadn’t exactly “offered much of a comprehensive foreign policy.”

<SNIP>

“Reporters are wary of organized responses,” she said Monday. “Generally, they are orchestrated by powerful forces and are intended to intimidate.”

However, the defense forces missives didn’t work that way.

“For me, the effect has been to learn something about the Dean campaign and its supporters, which is very helpful to my understanding of the campaign, the intensity of their commitment and the anger at the ‘establishment’ press.”

Basically, what these people are doing is no different from the freeps those right-wing idiots do. Oh wait, there is ONE difference: even the target of one of these mass email campaigns didn't think it was intended to intimidate but to educate, and was seemingly glad for the information.

It seems to me that you are just pissed that it was a Dean initiative that seems to prove that Dean is the most savvy campaigner in the race.

[SummerGrace]

12. Well, count me among the hundreds

The press has been annoying the hell out of me with inaccuracies, slights, and a general tone (sounds like an Ari briefing). We aren't dealing with a "fair and balanced" press anymore - it's a wholly owned subsidiary of Bush Inc and the people who are good journalists can't do their real jobs unless we support them.

[RetroLounge]

15. hundreds of little Deanomytes ?

This lines say more about you than anything else.

Sorry your candidate sucks...

[JNelson6563]

21. hey then have at it

bash away skippy and continue on your counter-productive ways. I for one will refrain from bashing the other candidates.

Enjoy--
Julie

[StopTheMorans]

3. I think it's a good idea,

yes a bit scary, but definitely necessary. Remember how good Clinton's administration was about quashing rumors and stories as soon as they came out (re: Sidney "Sid Vicious" Blumenthal)? The right will attempt to tar any Dem. candidate with any charges real or false (remember how Rove floated charges about McCain having a black child and raised issues about his sanity re: POW experiences in South Carolina?), and it is up to the Dems. to respond in kind. It sucks that the political discourse has been lowered to this level, but it has, and we are not going to win by being Dukakis and acting "above it". Refute false allegations early and fast, and this will ensure that bad stories don't gain legs (as well as sending a msg. to the print media not to merely print the same tired stereotypes of dem. candidates).

[meow2u3]

17. Dean is doing the one thing the other Dems dare not do

Dr. Dean is standing up to the right-wing fascist forces of darkness, especially Bush and his craporate media lapdogs. So if I were you, I'd commend Dean for his strategy of exposing the "liberal media" as the Bushie hacks they really are, instead of bashing him for it.


Sue B.: one who is fed2dneck of the Democratic infighting which only gives ammunition to the Evil Empire of Washington!

[CWebster]

6. They better get on top of it

Attempts to paint Dean into a corner is the favorite sport on the political talking heads circuit.

[TahitiNut]

8. Perhaps the Times-Argus is demonstrating that of which it speaks?

The phrase "just plain unpleasantness" is theirs - a characterization and not a quote attributed to any source. Indeed, even the characterization itself is not based on the verifiable facts in the story. The press does not seem to possess a "heal thyself" attitude.

[LuminousX]

10. Necessary

If Gore had implemented something like this, directly counteracting the lies Bush was polluting the culture with, then the "Gore invented the Internet" thing would never have gotten as far as it did.

Gore thought truth would win out on its own right, but it won't, truth, like all virtues need champions.

Now I don't like the idea that Truth, when it directly points to a negative aspect of Dean will be treated the same way as lies, ommissions, and half-truths told about Dean. In essence, though, I think this is more about letting the media know that they can't echo lies without hearing about it en masse.

[seventhson]

16. Yes. Agree. And still for Gore here!!!

nt

[IkeWarnedUs]

11. was this the big surprise?

Joe Trippi (Dean's campaign manager) said they had a special, top secret plan for the money they were raising this past weekend that would surprise everyone.

I think the DDF is a great idea. I wish we had something like that in place to flood the media when they publish inacuracies in Bush's favor. Of course, there would be such constant floods the media would think they were living in Waterworld.

So, is this the big surprise, or do they have something else in the works?

[Le Taz Hot]

18. The answer to your question is, "No."

The DDF has been up and running for at least a couple of months now so no, this isn't the "top secret" plan. I'm dying to find out what it is, though. :hi:

[w4rma]

22. Nope, the big surprise has yet to be revealed

...
In fact, the forces have steered six contributions worth a total of $585 to the campaign.

“This is on our own time,” he said.
...
http://timesargus.nybor.com/Story/69312.html

Yes we are all celebrating with you here in Burlington! Thanks again everyone -- and you will be the first to know what the surprise is as soon as we have it ready!

Joe Trippi
campaign manager
Dean for America

Posted by Joe Trippi at July 29, 2003 01:05 AM
http://www.deanforum.com/mt/mt-comments.cgi?entry_id=860

[papau]

13. Todays AP report on DLC thoughts needs a response

To fight the "Just War - Saddam evil and now gone" - may be spitting into the wind. Process sucked -had impeachable lies - may be better sale - noting that had we known no immenient threat, we could have gone with inspectors and saved lifes. Key is to not say we did a bad thing!

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGARF4AYPID.html

Centrist Democrats Worry About Dean's Candidacy
By David B. Caruso Associated Press Writer

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Democratic presidential hopeful Howard Dean's upstart campaign has excited the party's liberal activists, but centrists ...(think) that Dean's opposition to the war in Iraq makes him too liberal for middle America,....is exploiting a "visceral hatred" of George W. Bush among those on the far left which the nation does not share. <snip>


...the harshness of the sniping between Dean's camp and the New Democrats has surprised and upset a few party faithful, and that was evident at the convention. Washington state Rep. Laura Ruderman rose during one question-and-answer session Monday to beg for an end to hostilities. "... it's the kind of eating each other alive that drove Jim Jeffords out of the Republican Party," ....It was a sentiment echoed moments later by Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell, who acknowledged that the Democratic candidates had engaged in some "name-calling" and suggested that they stop criticizing each other.<snip>

"People like his courage. They like the fact that he's been speaking out," said Michigan Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm. But, she added, "I think there are those who would say that it would be very difficult for someone who opposed the war to get elected in my state today."
New Hampshire state Rep. Peter Sullivan said ...Dean has made a splash in college towns and border communities that have attracted young, liberal voters transplanted from other states. But in blue-collar cities such as Manchester, "it's like he's not even there," said Sullivan, who wore a Joe Lieberman button. This, he said, despite Dean's reputation in Vermont as a fiscal conservative who supported the death penalty and rights of gun owners. "I think it's going to be tough for him to move past the 18 to 19 percent he's got right now, even though, when you take away his opposition to the war, he's probably as much a New Democrat as anyone here."

[ramapo]

14. Scary?

Why do some find this response force as "scary".

The '92 Clinton campaign had the war room, specifically for the purpose of responding to Rethug attacks and misinformation. It was very successful, pissing off the Rethugs to no end.

This is the ONLY way to have some hope of keeping the media in line. Gore sucked at this, witness the misinfo he let slide (the Internet & drug stories to name just two).

Dean impresses me more everyday. I don't agree with all his positions. Kucinich is much closer to my philosophy but he doesn't have a chance. This shows that Dean may become a very serious contender.

[Le Taz Hot]

20. As a "Deanomite" if I can just interject something here . . .

I'm in contact with lots of other "Deanomites" all the time and I know of no one who agrees 100% with his all of his policy positions. Probably the most contested point is his position on the death penalty. He believes the system should be completely overhauled (it should) and that the death penalty should only be applied in very specific circumstances. I, however, will always be against the death penalty as I believe that this kind of barbarism has no place in a civilized society. HOWEVER, Dean's position on this issue differs WIDELY from the conservatives' "hook 'em, book 'em & cook 'em" cowboy mentality on this. Dean's position isn't ideal (from my POV) but it's a helluva lot better than the conservative vultures' position.

[hedda_foil]

19. Clarification ....

The Dean Defense Forces are a wholly (i.e. totally, completely, 100%) volunteer effort, with no (i.e. nil, none, zero) input from anybody associated with the official campaign.

One guy in Ohio got the idea when negatively spun stories first started coming out a couple of months ago. He posted his idea on the Dean Yahoo group, got a great response and set up a separate Yahoo group for the DDF. After a couple of weeks, and about $500 in very small contributions from Dean supporters in the Yahoo group, he set up a real website for DDF.

If you look at the site (linked above) you'll see that there are NO (i.e. nada, zilch, zip) sample letters like the RNC team leader letters. People (the originator and other volunteer DDF members) post articles they feel misrepresent the Governor and/or his position. The rest is left up to people who visit the website. They don't even send out email alerts anymore because it got too time consuming.

That's what makes the Dean campaign so remarkable. The official campaign doesn't interfere with efforts like DDF ... doesn't try to tell people what to say or how to present the Governor. They just stand back as we supporters come up with ideas and run with them. As a result, there's also a great, 100% volunteer Dean media team from coast to coast. It doesn't cost the campaign anything, and again, they don't tell anybody what to say or how to say it.