MEET THE CANDIDATES, NY TIMES STYLE

John K. Taber jktaber at dhc.net
Thu May 25 15:33:54 PDT 2000


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



More information about the lbo-talk mailing list