Could we take a moment from the mud-slinging to realize the MEDIA is trying to tear us apart?

[chimpymustgo]

This melee is being stoked by the media. They love this - NOT focusing on the issues - but focusing on squabbles that haven't even approached dirty, as campaigns can go.

Bill Clinton was ABSOLUTELY correct to point this out the other day. And boy, did THAT draw the wrath of the pundit class. They whipped out all the old notebooks, and all the old smears and complaints against the Clintons - without breaking a sweat. It was practically Pavlovian. Both left and RIGHT-wing media are having a field day - just like the good old days, when they crucified Clinton, then GORE, then KERRY. If you think for a minute, they won't turn on Obama if he's the nominee, send me some of what you're smoking.

BOTH sides have made accusations. Obama actually started it with the "Clinton denigrated Martin Luther King!!!" meme (and psst, that's RACIST!). The "fairy tale" statement Clinton made about the media giving Obama a free pass on his continued funding of the war, among other statements, was COMPLETELY twisted into a LIE that Clinton was calling Obama's campaign a fairy tale (and psst, that's RACIST!).

I think the Clintons were rightly frustrated by this, and with the free ride Obama has gotten (so far) from the press - including open-mouth, unprofessional fawning. The media are like children - running after the shiny, new thing.

Yes, the Clintons fought back. Called Obama inexperienced. Took him on. Challenged him. Apparently this is something completely foreign to Obama. The slightest criticisms have elicited howls of indignation from his camp. This is the big leagues, Bambi - you're not running against Allen Keyes anymore!

I strongly support John Edwards, and I hope to vote for him as the nominee. But I will vote for whomever is on the Democratic ticket. The WORST of ours is better than the best of theirs. All these threads - I will NEVER vote for_____ - please calm down. You're playing right into their hands.

Let's keep out eyes on the prize - and support our nominee, our party, and our future.

:grouphug:

[featherman]

1. They love to sell copy and love a good "fight"

The hysterical "tearing the Party apart" meme is way overblown. I love Keith O. but I thought he was taking hyperventilation lessons from Tweety last night.
Get some perspective, guys, sheeesh. Is this the first primary you've covered?

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

2. You'd think we'd learned. And, I call on all three candidates to stop the interview in its tracks if

the "journalist" wants to keep stoking the fires.

Just say, "I'll leave that to you, Tim, Matt, Meredith, Brian, Wolf, whoever, to keep endelessly speculating about when I'm not here. Now, if you'd like to ask me about my statements/positions on (health care, true economic growth, the Iraq situation, improving infrastructure) I'll continue. Otherwise, I will happily leave here and return to talking directly with voters here in (state) about the issues that really matter to them."

:shrug:

MKJ

[NavyDavy]

3. some people are here to just do that...tear us apart they are not

even going to vote Dem....they just come here to start infighting between Dems....I have seen a few posters on some of the RW sites I lurk at say just that....they come over here throw some nonsense about one or all our candidates and watch and laugh at the Dems attacking each other!!!

[chimpymustgo]

4. That's interesting. There are definitely some folks who seem to just want to pick a fight.

I don't doubt that the real Democrats will all come together soon. We have to.

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

5. Of course, that's all they have. And, we can't do the same because they already despise their own

candidates.

Unfair. But I'd rather be us. :-)

[robbedvoter]

6. Best post I read here in a long time ! Bravo!

Adding some stats of media coverage:



Obama: 47% positive, 16% negative.
Clinton: 27% positive, 38% negative.
McCain: 12% positive, 48% negative
Giuliani: 28% positive, 37% negative
JEDNE

Net numbers

Obama +31
Giuliani -9
Clinton -11
McCain -36

[chimpymustgo]

8. Thanks. It's a shame Edwards hasn't gotten the coverage he deserves, but we know WHY.

First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you WIN!

[pansypoo53219]

7. united we stand

divided we fall.

the teevee gnews are not on america's side.

[Bake]

9. And yet DUers seem to step right in it along with the media

This is the nastiest I've seen DU in 7 years. I'm going back to the Lounge....

Bake

[chimpymustgo]

10. Stick around. Help elevate the tone!

Yes, it's nasty. And so narrowly focused. Come visit the Edwards threads. We spread the love!

:hi:

[Bake]

13. JE's my candidate!!

But there seem to be a lot of tombstones flyin' around here lately, if you know what I mean! I'm afraid I'll get sucked into a brawl and get TS'd for throwing the last punch ....

I still lurk and post here occasionally though!

:rofl:

Bake

[Armstead]

11. The media is tearing us apart -- But the Clintons are feeding the beast

Yes the media loves conflict and divisiveness, and will do whatever they can to create "drama."

But it is possible for the candidates to combat that by refusing to feed the beast with inflammatory attacks.

The Clintons are deliberately fueling it as a campaign stretegy.

[redqueen]

15. It's not just "the Clintons"... (nt)

[Armstead]

17. If you mean Obama, I see him being on defense

My sense is that Obama would rather not have to be campaigning on such a negative basis, but the Clinton's have forced him into a corner by stirring the shit.

(As my avatar indicates, I'm not an Obamaite. But I think he can be defended on this.)

[redqueen]

18. If he hadn't waited 5 days to put out that MLK/LBJ fire,

I would agree... unfortunately...

[iris5426]

12. Agreed - great post! K&R!!

:kick:
:grouphug:

[redqueen]

14. It's not just the media, no...

All sorts of DC characters are saying irresponsible and frankly childish things.

It's a sad, sad state of affairs.

[DURHAM D]

16. Did you happen to catch Jon Stewart last night -

his first ten minutes was on the media hype about angry candidates (Romney and Clinton)?

[Skwmom]

19. Oh please. The Clintons have been using the media to

spread their race baiting and other lies. All of Clinton's tirades are nothing more than part of their campaign strategy.

[AtomicKitten]

20. When you actually figure out the REAL sequence of events, get back to us.

Until then, cries for kumbaya fall on deaf ears.

[CyberPieHole]

21. Great post and you make some excellent points. K&R...

For all my indignation at the Obama campaign and the lies and distortions by his supporters, I suppose come November I will vote for the Democratic choice regardless of who it is, yes, even Obama if he were to get the nod.