We who work in the news media owe Howard Dean an apology

[Fleshdancer]

http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/news/7806530.htm

We who work in the news media owe Howard Dean an apology about the way we reported his primal scream during the past week. We are responsible for a grave injustice.

After he placed third in the Iowa caucuses, Dean screamed during his concession speech. On the Drudge Report Web site, Matt Drudge reported the scream with these letters: "YAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!"

For those keeping score at home, that's one Y, 12 A's, four R's, six H's and nine exclamation points. Please note that because my space here is limited, for the rest of this analysis, I will abbreviate the above as a simple "YARH!" Sometimes, I may also use the code word "Ditto" to say the same thing, OK?

Anyway, the reason we owe this man (whom, by the way, I do not support for president) an apology is because we say that we want our presidents to be one of us. But when they act like one of us, then we beat them up and say they are not acting presidential.

[displacedtexan]

1. Is DFW where you live?

I'm originally from Fort Worth.

[Fleshdancer]

10. I'm in Austin n/t

[lancdem]

2. And when Bush does unpresidential stuff

like mispronounce words and fall off a scooter, it's not played on TV a million times.

[denverbill]

4. Bush is held to a third-grade standard.

If he doesn't pick his nose in public, he's damned well Jeffersonian.

It's sickening.

[spooky3]

5. The double standard is the crux of the problem.

[denverbill]

7. The 2000 debates were the prime example.

Before each debate, the media harped on what a great debater Gore was and how Bush would be doing great if he just didn't commit any major gaffes. Well, Bush, with near constant coaching, managed to stick to carefully scripted, non-damaging answers, and the media went nuts.

Wow, what a great victory for Bush!! He didn't screw up!

[Auntie Bush]

8. Maybe Bush doesn't pick his nose in public

but his brother Jeb does!

[pnziii]

3. What is Presidential????

By today's standards Presidents of the past would not be considered Presidential.

Truman
Jackson
Eisenhower
Monroe

We as a society do hold our politicians to a higher standard than we hold ourselves.

People also go by looks. I've heard more than one voter say something like. "I don't like his smile" or "He's tall and slim and that make him look Presidential"

Most people decide who to vote for on looks or because a candidate is leading in the polls. Very few actually look at a candidates policies and track record.

Maybe that's why PBS gets few viewers than Survivor or Fear Factor.

[incapsulated]

6. Hey, I think the media owes all of us an apology...

almost every day! ;)

[Auntie Bush]

9. The media also owe an apology to Clark

First they ignore him ..then they crucify him and down right lie!

[VOX]

11. The media criticises candidates for being dull, but if they show life...

they're called insane.

I don't want to hear the term "liberal media" ever again!