MEET THE CANDIDATES, NY TIMES STYLE

[John K. Taber]

Sunday 5/21, the NY Times published a warm introduction
to George W Bush, page 1, and with a color photo to boot.
"Values Grown in the Conservative Soil of West Texas", 
written by Kristof, who I think is one of their
better writers, and back from the Orient I see, posted to 
the more exotic Midland Texas.

It is a very warm account, not a negative in it. Bush is
quite likeable. It denies that Dubya in his youth was a
rich, privileged kid, although it does confess,  that Bush 
nevertheless went to Andover, Yale and Harvard. But that slips 
by. Dubya is depicting as a homey, Little League boy of Texas, 
a regular guy. One sees young Dubya riding his bike around Midland, 
swapping baseball cards, Booth Tarkington's Penrod.

Monday 5/22, the NY Times published a similar introduction
for Al Gore. What's fair is fair. "Behind Elite Image, a
Simple Upbringing" also pg 1, by Melinda Henneberger. The family 
photo is much smaller, in black and white. Monday also does not 
have near the circulation of Sunday. This is the first time
I have seen this writer's name in the NY Times.

It too would be a heart-warming account of young Al, except
for the five paragraph lead in, all five repeating partisan
whispers that Al is a phony. The sixth paragraph provides
a weak transition to the heart-warming Al of the rest of
the article. It turns out he wasn't privileged either.

So, the New York Times is supporting Bush for the Presidency.

--
John K. Taber