Can you feel it? Ever so subtly?

[scheming daemons]

The media coverage of the town halls is started to tilt toward backlash against the wingnut protestors.

Just slightly... but it's palpable.

[BlueIdaho]

1. Yup - the story line is changing.

This shit gets real old, real fast.

[Curtland1015]

2. The "town hollers" tipped their hand too early. If only they had kept it about health care...

...or pretended to any way. But they let their racism show... and started showing up with weapons.

It'll be downhill from here.

[surrealAmerican]

42. They just couldn't help it.

Put them in front of a microphone for any length of time, and you WILL hear what really bothers them.

[KittyWampus]

3. I predict the rightwing mediawhores will now start pushing "we need fiscal responsibility" line

[Berry Cool]

31. That and their other rational-sounding favorite: "Sure we need reform, but--

WHY THE RUSH??????" *sigh*

[CrispyQ]

36. As they approve more funding for Middle East wars.

:eyes:

[ellie]

4. No, what happened?

I have been busy all day and haven't been paying attention.

[Curtland1015]

6. Mostly just the tone of the coverage.

Seems to have shifted from "local grassroots patriots tell Prez they don't like his health care plan" to "get a load of these morons".

[elleng]

11. Where have you seen anything like 'get a load of these morons?'

[Curtland1015]

12. Well, no one of course has said that EXACTLY...

But I know on my local news around here when talking about it, they've been showing the footage that makes the protesters look less than heroic. Not like the past few weeks when they just mentioned there were people protesting. It's not "commentary" news, so no real opinions, but the way they present the stories (at least around me) seems to be tipping towards showing these people's real colors instead of just mentioning that they were there.

[elleng]

15. Thats good.

How are the people around you responding?

[Hansel]

39. Our local news has been doing that all along.

They cover it as a straight news story, but can hardly keep from rolling their eyes and the sound of disgust is almost palpable. The newspapers haven't been much kinder.

I've been thinking for quite awhile that it is really how the locals cover it that is going to make the difference. They are the ones there dealing with it close up and know their communities the best. They know the people yelling and acting like 2 year olds are either outsiders or just plain nuts. They probably seen some of the most vocal locals around before and know exactly what they are about. And they know a real town hall when they see one.

[deaniac21]

5. Yep. We'll have single payer by the end of the week!

[Echo In Light]

34. LOL ... that's the spirit

[abelenkpe2]

7. Thank goodness

This stuff is stressing me out.

Go health care reform! Go Obama! Woo Hoo.....

[elleng]

8. Hope you'right.

No tv here. Really palpable?

[customerserviceguy]

9. I think you're being optomistic

But since I prefer to look at the world that way, I'll give you a high five over it.

The proof will be after Labor Day, when Congress sits down to get busy.

[BlooInBloo]

18. "optimistic".

[_dynamicdems]

10. Hope you're right.

I've been tuning it out due to disgust fatigue.

[liberalla]

13. Howard Dean is eerily accurate on these things.

I've sensed a change... It just can't happen fast enough for me.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

14. Tonight, I listened to Dr. Dean,

and I found myself thinking that he was getting it all wrong.

I hope he's right and I'm wrong, but I got this bad, bad feeling......................................

[liberalla]

20. I hope you're wrong, too!

I didn't have a bad feeling. Just the thought that, as usual, he sees farther down the road than the rest of us.

I'm with you in hoping he's right.

[felinetta]

23. I heard Dr.Howard Dean tonight and I thought he made total sense.

[cui bono]

16. Rachel Maddow said the end of life part got taken out of the bill.

It was an aside and I think she said "apparently". Anyone hear anything?

[felinetta]

25. Olbermann said Grassley got it removed from the bill, but Dr. Howard

Dean said, it didn't matter.  It would be put back in the bill
because he doesn't have the power since the Democrats are in
charge.

[cui bono]

27. It better stay in. They CANNOT bend over for Repuke LIES!!!

Then there will be no end to it.

I figured it was probably only that one bill coming out of that committee. Thanks for the info.

[Hansel]

40. There are 5 bills.

If it was taken out of one of them, and I doubt that's true because Grassley's committee bill isn't done, it doesn't really make a whole lot of difference. Obama wants it in there and it's personal to him.

I think Grassley is blowing smoke and trying to make his constituents think he matters.

[BlooInBloo]

17. Hopefully they're punching themselves out.

[kevinbgoode]

19. Don't forget they have their big Aug. 22 national rally

in front of every abortion clinic...oops...congressional office. Sorry...the tactics look exactly the same to me. Screaming. Intimidation. Constant picketing.

Are we going to do anything to counteract those protests?

[BlueIdaho]

22. "I'm sorry, Congressman ___________________ is out of the office today..." nt.

[bridgit]

21. Sure, they've played every card they were holding if any now they need to Go Fish!

[BlooInBloo]

24. I must say that I'm a huge fan of the bitter tears of their impotent rage....

Looking forward to seconds.

[felinetta]

26. Yeah, they are definitely imploding.

[JimWis]

28. I sense it - can't describe it, but just a feeling. Also from some of

the news shared here on DU all through this evening. Just little things. I have always maintained in my own little mind that there is a majority of this country that wants health reform and understand what it means. But this majority is not as vocal as the minority of these nuts.

[FatDave]

29. They're letting Rachel go after Dick Armey on Meet the Press.

That speaks volumes. And it's about fucking time.

[DCKit]

30. That'll be a keeper.

Rachel's so out of his league it won't even be a fair fight, but it's always nice to see a (corrupt) bully get his ass kicked - especially by a girl.

Let's see: Rachel's got a brain like an encyclopedia and DICK's got... talking points and lies. He's gonna have to bring reinforcements (or cancel, at the last minute).

[global1]

32. They've Blown Their Wad........

by the time this August Recess is over - they will have run out of steam. They've used up every hairbrained worry and excuse not to support this and most if not all have been debunked and they've been shown for the idiots they are.

They will be hard pressed to find other things to criticize health reform on - and this thing is going to pass - with or without them.

[rucky]

33. Some reports that support your feeling:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x6302774

[loosey goosey]

35. Oh yeah? Then how come I heard the top of the hour radio news

from CNN and it mentioned Obama going to MT and how the audience is purported to be less friendly than previous ones. It was delivered almost anticipating the clashes. The news is a joke.

[Kablooie]

37. But talk radio is still maniacally supportive of the wingnuts. Almost ALL of them!

What the hell happened to talk radio?

Every time I turn it on I hear some asshole crapping all over everything even slightly liberal.

Still have NPR and Pacifica but on AM ... geez.

[TheKentuckian]

38. It's also insanely tone deaf and I don't get the reaction to it

I stumbled over some blowhard talking crap about government is the problem talking up some savings scam with, of course, TAX CUTS. He was sure that with the right incentives that people would forgo their third homes and vacation boats.

Now, 95% of his audience by definition has no such resources and most likely that number is much higher because the people attracted to hate/nonsense radio are blue collar at best and most are on the lower end of that.

The attraction of greed over money that isn't in the bank or even in the chute is stunning to me. They actively want to protect other people's hoards just on the off chance that they somehow stumble on one themselves.

[Doctor_J]

41. Umm...no

we need to stay in the reality-based world if we're ever going to overcome them. Big Media and hate radio remain mortal enemies of democracy and democrats. They continue to whip the ignorant Limbeciles into a violent, murderous frenzy. The next act of violence will be their responsibility, and should be labeled as such,