STAND BY YOUR MAN

Don't be swayed by their spin. Continue to support your candidate!

At first the media paid little or no attention to the Democratic candidates except to derogate and make fun of the "change" candidates Kusinic, Clark, Sharpton and Dean, and to assert that no one could beat Bush.

Then Howard Dean caught on fire with the voters. The media was appalled. Dean was connecting with voters and the media didn't create him! He was not its choice. How dare he do this without their help and permission?

Horrors! Dean was labeled an insurgent by the media who characterized the race as establishment vs. insurgents (read: rebels.) Dean characterized the race as change vs same-ol-same-ol in Washington.

Thousands of Internet users heard the Dean message and went to MeetUPs. These were folks that were disgusted at the old political process -- turned off from democracy and disgruntled at the Bush takeover of their country.

The media could no longer ignore what was happening. The Internet was abuzz and million$ were being contributing to the Dean campaign. Droves of media overran Vermont looking for dirt on Dean.

The Dean message was simple and resonated with most Democrats and Independents. "Take our country back! Take it back from the special interests, the Bush wars, the environmental rapes, the corporate greed, the tax cuts for the rich.

"Send Bush back to Texas for good. Bring the UN and NATO into Iraq to establish its government and bring our troops home. Fund homeland security, health care, education, and infrastructure. Improve our relations with other countries."

It was such a compelling message that the establishment candidates copied it, stealing outright key phrases from the Dean Stump speeches. With the media's help, these candidates were digging for dirt.

These candidates would stoop to any level. They relished casting snide remarks against one of Vermont's state treasures, Dr. Judy. All this was published by the media with great gusto.

When the candidates and the media first moved into Iowa for the caucuses, the state was inundated with media assertions that Dean and Gephardt were the winners. Iowans were furious that they were being told who to vote for.

The establishment's candidates stole the popular words of the Dean stump speech while declaring that Dean was unelectable. The media took this accusation up and in full cry spread it around Iowa.

Gephardt sunk under all the negative advertising, but Dean came in third. When he was rallying his disappointed supporters, he gave a heartfelt pep talk that the media corrupted and misrepresented as an angry, hateful, out of control rant.

This media attack even became part of its Official Exit Poll in New Hampshire with this sucker punch:

"Regardless of how you voted today, do you think Howard Dean has the temperament to serve effectively as president?"

No other questions about specific candidates were asked in this exit poll. The establishment's candidate zoomed ahead in the N.H. polls and became the front runner.

The media had only praise for him, where it had excoriated front runner Dean. Why not? The media had created him.

The cruel sniping by the media continued throughout the campaign in these two states. It was especially mean and nasty in describing insurgents -- Kucinich, Clark and Sharpton although it concentrated on Dean.

Clark was targeted for special media scorn when he refused to denounce Michael Moore for outing Bush's desertion on national TV. Typically, the media refused even to investigate as it pretended to be horrified.

There were some media highlights. Chris Matthews of Hard Ball, who had played what the Deaniacs called the "Dean Scream" countless times, went on every program he could to apologize on N.H. primary day.

He said his son was a Deaniac and had taken his father to task for misrepresenting a rally cry for anger. Chris confessed that he was ashamed of his part in what can only be called media frenzy and was one of the few media to admit it.

Will the media hijack your vote with poisoned polls to convince you that only one person is electable?

Or will you ignore their spin and continue to support your candidate?

"It ain't over until it's over."

We ask, "Do you, a Democrat or Independent really want to replace Bush with another Skull and Bones member just like him?" http://www.parascope.com/articles/0997/skullbones.htm

Sometimes bullies like the media don't win. Sometimes the bullies get a black eye. This media is working for Karl Rove and he is soooo smiling. But sometimes the people rise up and demand fair play and the worm turns.

twanda@sover.net

2004-005

Copyright 2004 Renee T. Louise and Ruth M. Sprague, Ph.D. These articles may be republished for noncommercial use only, provided that they are copied intact, and that this copyright notice is attached. Address all queries to: twanda@sover.net.