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Sunday, October 31, 2004

NYT: Bush is losing because he's not trouncing Kerry 

Why should I comment about the "New York Times" election coverage? Why, indeed. But this is just so patronising. If this story was spinning any harder it would generate its own electricity:
"There is a good deal of nail biting going on at the mostly picture-perfect campaign rallies held for President Bush.

"Terry Buck, a first-grade teacher from Cleveland, feels the nervousness. So does Jim Nichols, a municipal purchasing officer from Saginaw, Mich. Both turned up this week at big events for the president near their homes. While they cheered endlessly, they also fretted some.

"Ms. Buck and Mr. Nichols say the election is much too close. Mr. Bush should be trouncing Senator John Kerry. Something is not quite right, and like many of their fellow Republicans, they share the belief that the news media has played a role by skewing coverage in Mr. Kerry's favor.

"For unsettled Republican voters in battleground states like Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan and New Hampshire, the last leg of the presidential contest has at times been more of a group therapy session than a victory march.

"In turning out by the thousands at airports, in stadiums, on farms and along roadsides - some waiting four or five hours for a chance to spend 40 minutes listening to the president - many Republican loyalists are seeking the strength and comfort that large numbers often bring."
Nail-baiting? Unsettled? Therapy session? Strength and comfort that large numbers bring?

This, from a newspaper, where the only coverage of John Kerry's "Wake Up, America!" is this sanitised line: "The candidates had begun their day by starting to make their closing arguments to the voters with Mr. Kerry urging 'a fresh start' on national security and domestic policy."

In case you've only been reading the "NYT" lately, at a rally in Florida Kerry was imploring the electorate: "Wake up America, wake up. ... You have a choice." If you have to grab the American people by the shoulders and shake them as an argumentative tactic, in my dictionary that's a definition of a campaign that's... what's the word?... unsettled. And biting its nails. And in need of a therapy.

But then again, I'm not the "NYT."

Update: How's this for a group therapy session:
"The US Democrats have unleashed their girl power to battleground Florida, deploying the daughters of presidential hopeful John Kerry and those of former presidents John F. Kennedy and Bill Clinton. Also in the charm brigade were the daughters of Senator Kerry's running mate John Edwards and of former vice-president Al Gore, who opposed Bush in the 2000 election, as well as veteran pop singer Carol King...

"The crowed responded by chanting 'JFK' - the initials of [Caroline Kennedy's] father and of John Forbes Kerry...

"References to Mr Bush were greeted with chants of 'liar, liar', while references to the controversial 2000 election elicited boos from the crowd.

" 'We know we really won,' said Karenna Gore, echoing the belief of many Democrats that Mr Bush stole the election amid counting chaos in Florida.

" 'They won't steal it again,' she said at the outdoor rally, which concluded with King leading the crowd in singing her famed 'You've got a friend'."
Mind boggles.

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