I just sent e-mails to Gloria Borton of CNBC and that stupid

[murielm99]

Campbell Brown.

The vapid Ms. Brown had Borton, who gushed that 62 million people watched the debates. Then, she said that not everyone would get their opinions about the debates FROM the debates, but rather from the news snippets, because 62 million is not "everyone."

She said Kerry "appeared to" win the debates. She disrespected his salute at the convention, calling it "goofy."

All in all, it was a very nastily spun and condescending little segment by two ignorant women. That Borton would have been more honest if she had simply worn a W04 button.

If anyone else saw this pair of lying snakes, please e-mail them.

[KharmaTrain]

1. There's Some Truth To What She Said...

I ran into a lot of people yesterday who didn't see the debates live...and all they initially responded to were the soundbites they saw on the news, heard on the radio or was blabbed around the water cooler.

There is some credibility to reactions to a debate changing from black to white based more on perceptions than on content. Al Gore in 2000 is a perfect example. While he clearly won the debate on "substance" and even "style"...it was the "sigh" and the "lock box" that dominated the next week of spinning and jokes and eventually it was played that Gore LOST the debates just on surface.

I suspect the same thing happened yesterday. Short of getting a check from the RNC, everyone knows Kerry destroyed Bunnypants Thursday night. Now it's how he did it that's being spun. He either was too mean, or didn't "answer questions" or wasn't clear (despite him being none of the above), but this is the meme that's out there now the GOOP hopes will grab hold since there's precious little else they can cling to.

At this point, anyone who doesn't like Kerry has found their reason not to vote for him and will use this crap to pile on another reason, but for any impact elsewhere...especially since this is the Rich person's channel...wasting your time bitching at these non-entities only is good for a cathartic release. Nothing more.

Cheers!

[murielm99]

2. I am tired of spin.

I e-mail, write, or call every time I hear it.

I don't usually watch this mess anyway. My husband had it on and I happened to be walking by. I was curious about what they would say.

I am going to our county Democratic headquarters now for my shift at the desk. I may be able to do some good. I won't be "wasting" my time.

[KharmaTrain]

3. Make Calls...Do Something Positive

Having worked in "the media", I was on the receiving end of hate mail and criticisms (as well as physical threats) that I soon learned to ignore or I wouldn't be able to do the job I was paid to do. And, in the cases of some of these "pundits", they are so detached from reality, showing them a contrary view to their rose-colored view of things just emboldens their distorted opinions, doesn't make them change.

Sending out mass emails, as we see here (look at yesterday's Cafferty thread) will get a negative response rather than a positive one. While it's important that the record be set straight when a lie is presenting in the media, getting the person who spread that lie to change their opinion is a rare situation indeed...usually it just breeds even further lying and distortion.

Congrats on working for the campaign and I hope you're finding that rewarding. The best you can do to help end the lies is to engage people who usually aren't asked or listened to and just let them talk...ask them how they feel and then just let them say it...no matter how outrageous some of what you hear may sound. From there you can engage one-on-one and present facts and info that can change minds and solidify support. Even better, it'll make you feel good to hear the voices of people who have many of the same concerns you have but just haven't been as enlightened as you are. Spread that light and you've done this entire country a lot of good.

Trust me, your work is not being wasted and is very much appreciated. At least let me say how much I appreciate it.

It's 4 more weeks and we it's time to put a big final push in to oust this regime. Hopefully, in a couple months you'll feel like this is one of the best things you've ever done and helped in saving this country.

Cheers!

[spooky3]

4. while I appreciate your insights based on your experience, there is anothe

another factor at play now--and that is the big business (ratings) end of the media. A superstar reporter may be able to ignore "hate mail" but if thousands of reasonable expressions of the same complaint come in a good manager is going to pay attention. You don't want to alienate lots of your viewing audience. Certainly something happened to make Matt Lauer back down after his unfair treatment of Kitty Kelley. The objective is not to change the minds of the reporter, who I am sure is just as determined to use rose-colored glasses as you say, but to change the on-camera behavior. People on TV are VERY accustomed to changing how they behave in response to likely criticism or loss of ratings; that's why so many of them are so bland. People also respond well to praise from viewers, bosses, etc.

So I think both working for the campaign and sending well-written, correctly spelled, and well-reasoned emails to the media are worthwhile.

[KharmaTrain]

5. Unfortunately That's Not What'll Wake Up These Greedy Goons

In their ivory towers, all these networks see or care about are numbers and absolutes, not emotions or comments from "non-media types". You're talking about people who live in their own worlds and rarely see the one you live in or many outside of New York or the beltway.

These outlets aren't driven by logic or truth, it's research and ratings. There's also a powerful, well-established right wing media machine that is hitting on all cylinders right now, and honestly, the Democrats and the "left" have nothing to compare to it or combat it. Things like the internet and Air America are a good start, but we're 15 years behind in having all the voices and spinners on the ground to change the current behavior of the media.

By all means, write the emails and letters, and yes, the more "pithy" (sorry, had to use the word), coherent and well-written, the better chance you'll get a response...and "snail mail" weighs 100 times more than an email and 50 times more than a phone call.

I'd also say if you hear a local talk show where you hear lies and spin, call in and let yourself be heard. While the national media is an echo chamber, the local level is where a person with your conviction and compassion could and should be heard and could do the most to help the long road to restoring a balanced media view of things.

[murielm99]

6. I called a local radio station the evening of the debates.

I told them nicely (because I call a couple times a month, and don't want to be cut off) that I thought they might be beginning to spin the debate already.

They and their callers had been speaking before the debate about how good a debater Bush was. The said he had jumped all over Gore, and he was a better debater than Kerry. They said Bush was more concise, and got his point across better than Kerry. Kerry just rambled.

After the debate, the moderators and the callers were saying, "Well, Kerry is just more articulate. Bush couldn't be expected to win."

I told them they might be spinning a bit, and reminded them of what they and their callers had said previously.