On Wednesday, January 21, 2004, at 07:54 PM, Thomas Seay wrote:
> --- Michael Dawson -PSU <mdawson at pdx.edu> wrote:
>> Yes, even the title of this thread -- Dean's
>> _Self_-Demolition -- is a
>> downer, as, to my eye, it shows the power of media
>> spin even in our little
>> ghetto.
>
> Right. I am a "virgin" at this election stuff, but
> the other night when Dean came on to address his
> supporters after the defeat, my reaction was, "Oh,
> he's really trying to build their morale after this
> defeat." I found it positive. Only after the
> "talking heads" came on with their commentary did I
> learn that that Dean had
> committed a grave poltical mistake. I wonder if most
> TV viewers were "groomed" (conditioned) enough to
> realize it was an error on Dean's part, or were most
> people's initial reaction like mine.
i have to admit, while i see exactly what liza and michael are getting at, i have to admit that i was watching it live, and my *first* thought, as he got started, was, like thomas's: "all right, rebuild some morale, keep the troops motivated and believing." it was only when he kept going and going that i thought, "this is maybe too much" and when he finally screamed, or yelped, or whatever it was, my jaw dropped. even then, it wasn't so bad, but he kept going. maybe i've just completely internalized all this stuff, and maybe i was thinking too strategically even as i watched, but i just thought it was too much. i mean, you could see harkin behind him trying to either find a way to stop him or find a way off the stage.
that said, i also think it being fatal to his candidacy is another matter. did it mean i wouldn't vote for him? no. he was never my first choice and isn't now, but i've not now sworn off voting for him. nor do i think it *should* kill his chances. but to not know that it will raises questions about his awareness of certain political realities? doesn't it? or am i being a tool?
j
-- http://www.brainmortgage.com/