Corporate Media, apply directly to the forehead!

[Admiral Loinpresser]

Corporate Media, apply directly to the forehead!

Corporate Media, apply directly to the forehead!

Corporate Media, apply directly to the forehead!

Many people have heard that obnoxious TV ad, but may not realize its pertinence to modern political “reporting.” In campaign 2000 the Corporate Media cost Al Gore millions of votes by a relentless attack for 20 months, starting in March 1999. The result was a significant rise in Gore’s negative poll ratings, first in the summer of 1999 (“Invented the Internet”) and then culminating in election day 2000 exit polls indicating a public concern for Gore’s “exaggerations,” which were invented from whole cloth by the CM.

Gore may well be the nominee in 2008. Every campaign is different and this will surely be no exact repeat of 2000. They will not be able to repeat their lies, because the bloggers are starting to provide accountability. Also Iraq, the mounting hurricanes (climate crisis) and two terms of BushCo will make 2008 very different, especially for Gore. But it is important for us to understand what they did for two reasons:

1) There are definitely vestiges of the anti-Gore treatment in the press; and
2) The pro-McCain press lovefest continues albeit with some early criticism of his hard-right strategy.

If you do not know what the press did in campaign 2000, I recommend reading Bob Somerby’s archives in dailyhowler.com. He deals both with the anti-Gore treatment and the pro-McCain treatment.

Why do some people still think Al Gore is boring? (They need to quit getting propaganda from the CM and watch An Inconvenient Truth, now out on DVD.) Why do some people still think McCain is a “Straight Talker” and a “maverick,” when he is one of the greatest self-promoting flip-floppers in modern political history?

Same answer for both questions: Corporate media! Apply directly to the forehead!

Those who don’t understand history are doomed to repeat it.

[evlbstrd]

1. Excellent graphic and point.

Me, I'd have just let it be funny. But, no, you have to make a serious statement.
Gore in 2008!

[Admiral Loinpresser]

3. Evil, I couldn't help myself! n/t

[evlbstrd]

4. I know you couldn't.

Nor would I expect you to hold back. No good having flash without some wonk, right?

[Mabus]

6. I think it would make a great t-shirt

:evilgrin:

[evlbstrd]

7. Yup.

That's publishing, ain't it? Let's do it. I have other ideas.

[annabanana]

2. Good post!

It is the relentless repetition of the lies, insinuations and "conventional wisdom" that plant them so firmly that they can be recalled years later. It really doesn't matter that the outlets may report the truth in one story, or on one Sunday talk show, or on page 23 of Sunday's Times...

In order to get into the political dna, it must be repeated ad nauseum. . . like commercials.

I have bookmarked all of the "Al Gore" posts on The Howler for reference. I would love to see Gore run in '08 and no way, NO WAY will they get away with the same crap that they did in 2000.

[calimary]

5. Fifth rec!

A great way to put it.

[Mabus]

8. Giving it a kick

:kick:

[Admiral Loinpresser]

9. Jamison Foser (Media Matters) on the partisan double standard of CM.

http://mediamatters.org/items/200611170014

This quote is particularly telling. Mark Halperin, the object of the quote, is the political director for ABC News.

In eight editions of The Note since the Thumpin', its authors steadfastly avoid Rove's miscalculation; indeed, his name barely appears, except in passing. Is it because they like him too much? Because they remain in awe of his genius even as he loses? Or is it because undermining that genius could hurt sales of Halperin's mash note of a book, The Way to Win?