How much do you think the right wing shilling by the pundits contributed

[SCRUBDASHRUB]

to the outcome of the election?

[Cobalt Violet]

1. Way too much.

A lot. I don't know how to measure it but I think it had a dramatic impact on it.

[Dems Will Win]

2. THE solution is in this thread

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x16099

[dogtag]

3. It was more harmful that the shilling went undisputed by the

uninformed 'hosts' of the various 'news' programs. Smears such as the Swiftboats should have been challenged and exposed before they ever got off the ground. They also gave more time and deference to the repug talking heads which tended to give them an edge in a battle of words.

[MARALE]

4. A lot!

I think if Bush* and Co had been called on all the things that they have been doing, people would not have voted for him. I also blame many of the churches, they took wedge issues and stoked the fires. The media is dumbing down the public, people don't know what is going on anymore and many don't have access to the internet or the knowledge how to use it. Many things need to change in this country, but this misinformation that is being blasted is killing the USA. I think in 10 years things will change, until then, we will have to do our best to keep the media honest!

[mcg]

5. A lot, it's one of the linchpins

The right-wing media must be countered, it doesn't look like we can now get the fairness doctrine reinstated, so we must have an alternative. I'm ready to invest.

The voting machines are another linchpin.

[SCRUBDASHRUB]

6. My 2 cents: I don't believe for a minute the "liberal media" myth. If

anything, it's been right-slanted in my opinion.

[SmokeyTheBear]

8. well, you do have to hand it to Rather and Jennings.....

they held out as long as they could

[mitchum]

7. I hold them just accountable as the bush administration...

since they are one and the same

[Maiden England]

9. one of the hands they strangled us with

[LTR]

10. We were outgunned

How do you compete with a broadcast news media that is obviously partisan? Anyone who thinks CNN is a liberal-leaning network is an idiot. There were so few ways of getting out our message as much as their message was getting out. It's like running in cement.

In the strategy for Democrats to become a powerhouse once again, we must find a way to equal or better the GOP propaganda machine. They are simply better than we are at it. Let's make this a goal in the coming days, weeks, months and years.

As I said, this is not a race, it's a marathon.

[blm]

11. Equally. They are supposed to be a line of defense for the public

to protect us from encroaching tyranny, yet they helped disguise it as simply hardball politics instead.