Anti-Dean bias in Associated Press Reports starting to emerge

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20031210/ap_on_el_pr/gore_dean&cid=694&ncid=716

Gore Urges Dems to Rally Around Dean
49 minutes ago
By RON FOURNIER, AP Political Writer

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - Al Gore (news - web sites) endorsed Howard Dean (news - web sites)'s presidential bid Tuesday...

Dean hopes the coveted endorsement eases concerns among party leaders about his lack of foreign policy experience, testy temperament, policy flip-flops, campaign miscues and edgy anti-war, antiestablishment message.


A few points about this article, if I may.

1.) AP reports are assumed to be unbiased, free of conjecture, misinformation, and the like. The above statement is nothing but GOP talking points. This writer should be fired.

2.) Lack of foreign policy experience? Clinton won in 92 and 96 without foreign policy experience, and Bush in 2000. What party leaders is this reporter referring to? Leaders like Al Gore?

3.) Testy temperament? When the hell did this become a concern? Has anyone in the media or on the Dem side of the aisle mentioned Dean's "temperament" before the latest GOP ad showed him yelling about fundamentalist preachers? Hell no. The only ones worried about Dean's temperament are Republicans, as well they should be.

4.) What policy flip-flops? Does this reporter have proof Dean has taken two sides to an issue? Where did he learn this? FOX news and GOP websites do not a reliable source make.

5.) Campaign miscues????????????????????????????????????? Dean's campaign is greatest political story of 2003. He has amassed a gargantuan following in a miniscule amount of time. His internet strategy is the most innovative, aggressive, genius thing to be produced in a presidential campaign since Nixon appeared on live TV to explain the money he used, for questionable reasons, was for a puppy dog for his family.

6.) Edgy anti-war? Anti-establishment? Are millions of Americans who opposed the war "edgy?" And just because Al From and the DLC despise Howard Dean does not make Dean "anti-establishment." Wanting to be president makes you anti-people-who-want-you-to-lose. Not the same thing.

That's our party leaders giving the pukes ammo for the general campaign. The "cockroaches" if you will.

is this the same Ron Fournier who denied writing an AP story about a Rolling Stone interview where Kerry used the f word? The story was published under his byline, but when confronted about it, he denied writing it and said he'd bring up the discrepancy with his bosses.

something odd going on here...Fournier is APs regular guy on the politics beat.

He's referenced in Alterman's book "What Liberal Media?" Not sure if that's another sign of this guy's slant or not...

.

What is their source for that list of terribles being "Dean's hope"? What a load of crap.

You're as cynical as I am and that's pretty bad, bro.

1.) AP reports are assumed to be unbiased, free of conjecture, misinformation, and the like. The above statement is nothing but GOP talking points. This writer should be fired.

--Ron Fournier is a prick, but he is also a kingmaker. He is the AP Presidential campaign writer, whose articles will go to just about every paper in the US. He trashes Kerry regularly, too.

2.) Lack of foreign policy experience? Clinton won in 92 and 96 without foreign policy experience, and Bush in 2000. What party leaders is this reporter referring to? Leaders like Al Gore?

--No brainer. This is post-9/11, and we are in the middle of 5 major global conflicts (Iraq, Afghanistan, N. Korea, I/P, and the war on terror).

3.) Testy temperament? When the hell did this become a concern? Has anyone in the media or on the Dem side of the aisle mentioned Dean's "temperament" before the latest GOP ad showed him yelling about fundamentalist preachers? Hell no. The only ones worried about Dean's temperament are Republicans, as well they should be.

--Actually, this has been a long time concern. Articles about Dean having to watch his mouth, his snapping at interviewers, the fact that he lost his sh*t 3 times in debates (2 with Gep plus Flag). Not to mention miles of footage and piles of photos where he looks postal.

4.) What policy flip-flops? Does this reporter have proof Dean has taken two sides to an issue? Where did he learn this? FOX news and GOP websites do not a reliable source make.

--Remember in September, just as Clark entered. Dean was getting nailed for 2 weeks straight with major flip-flopping on several issues, not to mention a huge credibility gap between his rhetoric and his actual record. You may have forgotten, but the press hasn't.

5.) Campaign miscues????????????????????????????????????? Dean's campaign is greatest political story of 2003. He has amassed a gargantuan following in a miniscule amount of time. His internet strategy is the most innovative, aggressive, genius thing to be produced in a presidential campaign since Nixon appeared on live TV to explain the money he used, for questionable reasons, was for a puppy dog for his family.

--Condescending to Southerners, having to apologize several times to other candidates, and let us not forget his MTP fiasco (one of many terrible interviews he has given - who gets mad at Stephanopolous?)

6.) Edgy anti-war? Anti-establishment? Are millions of Americans who opposed the war "edgy?" And just because Al From and the DLC despise Howard Dean does not make Dean "anti-establishment." Wanting to be president makes you anti-people-who-want-you-to-lose. Not the same thing.

--I'm very anti-war and I marched (unlike Dean). However, I am a person that tries to build bridges. Dean sets up a ferocious "us vs. them" polarization on par with Bush. He has a very black and white mindset. As for anti-establishment, I have one word for you: "cockroach." And don't think that was an isolated instance.

<>

Is the Kerry campaign still funding your website?

Kerry admirably refused to rise to the bait last night at the debate. Maybe the word hasn't filtered down to you yet?

:evilgrin: