Reply #59: Of course the media chooses this country's president

[ZootSuitGringo]

and does so by manipulating the voters via their disingenious polling and relentless pushing of who they decide should be "it" and who is "out".

I agree that the Dean scream was manufactured news, but I disagree that it solely cost Dean the nomination. Please remember that Howard Dean received positive agressive press from the Summer of 2003 all the way until the 1st week of January 2004. Then the media started reporting the negatives; Iowa caucus comments, refusal to release Govenorial records, lack of foreign policy/national security experience, etc...

The bottomline is that Howard Dean got more of his fair share of positive press for an extended period of time, notwithstanding the fact that good press does little good if not timed properly.

Because he began being scrutinized at a crucial moment right prior to when voters start to really pay attention, the positive press was wiped away and replaced by much more critical reporting. That shifting media scrutiny and voters conversation on what "electability" might be is what made Dean come in 3rd place at the Iowa caucus and that became the catalyst to his primary demise. The scream sealed his fate, but was not the initial debut of a downfall.

The moral of the story is that the press in this country is more powerful than it should be. what the press decides to giveth, it can, at anytime, decide to taketh away (witness Edwards who prior to being chosen VP had the press in his back pocket, but afterwards the meme was "where's is Edwards?}

The media decides what the issues should be, what analysis should take place, and what will and will not be covered. Let us take note and not ever forget. We need to work on media reform, or I fear, the manipulation with continue and become even more blatant.