All you need to know about the news business in two headlines

ABC Stephanopoulos was busy this morning trying to get Kerry to say Kennedy would have dropped the public option right now. Kerry did not fall for it and told him he would have fought first, then if it was going nowhere, try to find something so that a bill making progress can emerge.

AP released that, followed by Forbes.

In about 1/2 minutes, two different titles on AP, both referring to the same interview, but I guess the first one was not carrying the message that you need to stop talking about a public option, that it is dead.

First ,
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hni3cuAMekHd58V-D_4VbLCMvI7gD9AD7OK02
Kerry: Compromise may be necessary but not yet

Second bout 1/2 hour later
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hni3cuAMekHd58V-D_4VbLCMvI7gD9AD8C6O1
Kerry: Kennedy would compromise if necessary

Of course, they both refer to the same interview, but the drop of the last part in the title is indeed interesting, IMHO, on how the media twist the message.

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compromise his principles, especially with health care reform.

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but rather a lead story for the networks for the upcoming week. And for those of us who actually give a damn, this kind of thing disgusts.

I will be very, very disappointed if the bill gets watered down in favor of the insurance companies. If ever there was need for radical change in this country, it is NOW.

:sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm:

BTW, nice catch Mass.

News in other western nations is not so profoundly dysfunctional- nor have they created the culture of lies that Americans revel in today. In fact, to the extent that they recognize it, they find it disgusting.

The republicans have been trying very hard to head off any momentum in favor of healthcare reform that might have come out of Teddy's passing. They know damn well if they demonize him it will rally the Dems, so they do the next best thing: claim that Teddy was bi-partisan, reached across the aisle, compromised, and would surely compromise away the public option. In short, make the Teddy we, and his Dem colleagues knew seem like a figment of our imagination. By the time they're done with him he will be unrecognizable to us. Hell, he might be Baucus's twin!

It is up to us, the Dems, and hopefully some Kennedys to step up to the plate and keep this from happening. Make sure the real Teddy stays out there for all to know and remember, and his life's work - real healthcare reform - will get done.

EXACTLY!!! They have been doing it since Obama took office, in fact they are always on the side of the Repubs, whether they are in power or not.

isn't going to focus on Kennedy the fighter. They are going to try to frame him as someone desperately seeking Republican support, aka Baucus.

Absurd.

at least we can keep you all in one pen.

side sees everything as black and white and never allows itself to be quoted being reflective or considering anything that in any way contradicts their position. That's what Karl Rove figured out and exploited. He was not an is not a genius, just observant.

The republicans have mastered, over the last decade or so, the ability to avoid quotes that would lend themselves to interpretive headlines... and because they do that they come off to many as more resolute, more decisive and more principled. Perception is reality in politics and their mastery in lockstep helps them immensely.