January 15, 2004

Oh, that liberal media

Posted by Ted

If you had a problem with this ABC News smear story, “Dean’s Trooper”, you’re not alone. (Jesse has a summary, if you don’t want to read the whole thing.) If you like, you can let ABC News know how you feel here.

My email to ABC is below.

I read your story about Howard Dean and Dennis Madore, and for the life of me, I can’t see why you chose to air it. There is absolutely no evidence that Dean knew about Madore’s abuse. Dean fired Madore when he found out about it. The tone of the report strongly implies wrongdoing by Dean- in fact, it seems to start with the assumption that Dean is a hypocrite who condones domestic abuse. But in the absence of mental telepathy, I can’t see what he could have done differently.

The abusive tone of this report is very troublesome and wholly inappropriate. It comes off as a hit piece, timed to make an impact before the Iowa primaries.

Even the conservative pundit Andrew Sullivan, a passionate supporter of President Bush, called this piece “a vile little smear story” and says “this kind of irrelevant piece of guilt by association is truly beneath contempt.”

I’m old enough to realize that the media does not apologize for its poor judgement. But you should know how people feel about this. For years to come, commentators will be pointing to this ABC News story as evidence that the media is biased and unfair in its coverage of prominent Democrats.

Are you comfortable with that?

Posted on January 15, 2004 07:38 PM UTC
Comments

Those liberal media.

Posted by Grammar Troll · January 15, 2004 07:47 PM

That’s “grammartroll@trollsarewe.com”

Posted by Ted Barlow · January 15, 2004 07:58 PM

LOL, Ted.

This doesn’t prove the media aren’t liberal, but it doesn’t exactly bolster the case that they’re “fair and balanced,” either, does it?

What jerks.

Posted by Robert Lyman · January 15, 2004 08:19 PM

Was the story planted, a la Willie Horton, by another Democrat? Naah …

Posted by Stephen Karlson · January 15, 2004 08:22 PM

Rob,

You’re right, of course. This story provides evidence for the thesis that “the media is not liberally biased”, but it doesn’t prove it. It doesn’t prove or disprove anything, except for strong statements about media bias- “The media is trying to elect Dean,” “The media is wall-to-wall liberal”, “The media wouldn’t run a hit piece against a prominent Democrat”, etc.

(And it’s a delight to see you in comments again!)

Stephen,

I have no idea if the story was planted, or if it was, who planted it. How could I?

But I should point out that the Willie Horton story wasn’t planted by any Democrat. It’s true that Al Gore mentioned a Massachusetts furlough program in one of the debates in the 1988 primaries, but he didn’t bring up Willie Horton.

Posted by Ted Barlow · January 15, 2004 09:25 PM

Planted or not, the editors (not to mention a real reporter as opposed to journo-school-grad) ought to know better. You’d think they’d prefer a story about an attempted smear campaign that failed the immediate smell test to the stinker they played. How intellectually lazy can people get - we haven’t hit bottom yet…

Posted by vivian · January 15, 2004 09:27 PM

Internet addresses aren’t subject to grammatical rules, as they are relatively fixed. “Correcting” an email address due to grammar results in an undeliverable message. I realize that this is a hypothetical situation, as this email address is fake anyway, but the point stands.

Posted by grammar troll · January 15, 2004 10:10 PM

Because the liberal media has decided not to jump off a cliff with Dean, doesn’t mean its not liberal, just smart.

Posted by Tinky · January 15, 2004 10:10 PM

Grammar Troll,

I’m just joking with you.

Vivian,

I should have said something like that.

Posted by Ted Barlow · January 15, 2004 10:12 PM

Mr. Barlow: “The Media” in general (and ABC in particular) can be “liberal” and still not like Dean. I imagine that the supporters of the other Democratic candidates are generally liberal, and don’t like Dean.

All a smear-job on Dean shows is that, if they’re “liberal”, they’re not Dean-ites. There are, no matter what the old saying says, plenty of enemies on the left.

Posted by Sigivald · January 15, 2004 11:23 PM

Come on Vivian, we haven’t even hit half way down to the bottom yet.

Posted by harry · January 15, 2004 11:23 PM

Dean just isn’t liberal enough for them. Too bad. All’s fair when the media gets its head of steam.

Posted by RB · January 15, 2004 11:35 PM

All a smear-job on Dean shows is that, if they’re “liberal,” they’re not Dean-ites. There are, no matter what the old saying says, plenty of enemies on the left.

Sure! And when we factor in all the smear-jobs and hit-pieces against Bush that ran during the 2000 election—

Oh. Waitaminute.

Posted by --kip · January 15, 2004 11:51 PM

It doesn’t disprove that the media is liberal. It merely shows that the liberal media will print crap from insiders at the DNC. Where do you think this story came from? Bush? No, it came from DNC Chairman Terry Mcauliffe or someone who works for him.

Posted by Sebastian Holsclaw · January 16, 2004 12:27 AM

You should send a paper letter in addition to the email.

Posted by ben wolfson · January 16, 2004 12:36 AM

Sebastian,

How could you possibly know that?

Posted by Ted Barlow · January 16, 2004 12:56 AM

Because it conforms to his prejudices? It’s imminent that’s what really happened. I mean obvious.

C.

Posted by Carlos · January 16, 2004 01:49 AM

Harry - yep, good point. Wince.
Ted - thanks. What a lovely welcome for a lurker!

Posted by vivian · January 16, 2004 01:53 AM

What this shows, my dear friends, is how scared the man is by Howard Dean. Democrats and republicans come together to bash Dean because Dean is not under their control and can cut through the quagmire both parties have put us in.

Posted by Anon · January 16, 2004 03:17 AM

Since Mr. Barlow in interested in Willie Horton, I am happy to tell him who first raised the issue publicly—a small Massachusetts newspaper. They received a prize for their coverage, which stimulated debate, to put it mildly, in Massachusetts. The issue was important in Massachusetts long before George Bush or even Al Gore ever heard of Willie Horton.

(Those interested in the subject should also learn something about Horton’s murder victim, even if interest in the victim is not politically correct.

Posted by Jim Miller · January 19, 2004 01:12 AM

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Posted by Pastrami Sandwich · February 10, 2004 01:58 PM
Followups

This discussion has been closed. Thanks to everyone who contributed.