Will the Media Let Bush Lose?

[Q]

Will the Media Let Bush Lose?
By Sam Parry
September 16, 2003

The U.S. news media may soon face a dilemma: Can pundits keep calling George W. Bush "the popular war-time president" – a favorite stock phrase – if his poll numbers sink much further? For two years, the phrase has been a media cliché for Bush often delivered with a pleasing smile from an agreeable talking head. Or it’s used like a club against some critic who is out of step with the American people.

ABC Evening News used the phase to describe Bush both when Howard Dean announced his Democratic candidacy in June and when John Kerry announced his in September. To a degree, the "popular war-time president" repetition has created a self-fulfilling reality, especially when reinforced by generally fawning news coverage, laudatory books like "The Right Man," an action-figure doll in a flight suit, and even a hero-worshipful Sept. 11 docu-drama (which put brave words into Bush’s mouth though he spent most of that awful day sitting frozen in a Florida classroom or fleeing to Louisiana and Nebraska).

Similarly, the U.S. news media has framed next year’s election around the repeated question, "Is Bush Unbeatable?" – again suggesting that Bush is next to invincible. But the latest polls suggest that Bush’s voter support is fading fast in the face of job losses, a worsening deficit and continuing violence in Iraq.

Though the poll results have varied in their details, the overall trend lines are ominous for Bush and his political advisers. The declines have tracked with the continuing death toll in Iraq more than four months after Bush donned the flight suit, landed on the USS Abraham Lincoln and posed before a banner pronouncing "Mission Accomplished." - http://www.consortiumnews.com/2003/091603.html

[Brucey]

1. I think most will be very careful.

They want to support Bush, and will, but the media are corporations and they want money as well as power. If the tide begins to turn, if corporate money moves toward the Dems, then the media will turn. Is that likely? NO. Is it possible? I don't know.

[indigo32]

2. Corporate money is not likely turn to the Dems

but if people start seeing through the total crap they are being fed... maybe they'll stop watching... then it's hit the Networks in the pocket books. I don't know...I guess thats why I'm glad we have the internet. Wonder how long it'll be before it's screwed up too?

[Q]

4. Corporate money might go to a 'new' Dem...

...but not to Democrats who believe in a government by and for the people.

- I believe the (American) media will indeed back Bush*...even if they have to manipulate a few polls or help steal another election.

[Bandit]

8. I did that right after the 2000 election. No TV news for me at all

I used to catch Washington Journal every morning but it got to be a masochistic endeavor so I quit that also. I'm much happier except for the wrangling on DU. I don't miss the propaganda at all. Try it you will be much happier.

[madrchsod]

3. no

they won`t. to much invested in the bush regime to back out and tell the truth.

[xchrom]

5. no -- the media is a tool

of the corporate state. even the media isn't much in denial about it's vaunted ''independence''.

[liberalnurse]

6. I think they are trying to save his punk-ass

every day. They minimize and ridicule the dems by taking crude digs, name calling and keepiing them out of the lead story.

I think we all need to protest a lot more.

[Oracle]

7. No!

They will do everything in their power to continue to lie and distort and not report on Bush's negatives and running with every ugly rumor thrown out by Rove about the Democrats.

[Lefty48197]

9. Yes they will

I think they got such a kick out of how they helped Bush into the WH in 2000, that they think it would be fun to do it again.

[pansypoo53219]

10. or

we can pray that taking him down is just as fun.

[chimpymustgo]

12. They are fickle. But I think the corporate masters make the call.

We'll have to win by a lot of votes to win.

[hippiechick]

11. it's all about the money, honey ...

and if corporations start to see their tax breaks repealed, their regulations tightened, and their market shares and profits plummet because il Bushie has porked the economy beyond recognition ... they'll turn on him.

no jobs for the workers = no money in the workers pockets = no cable tv = no shopping = no profits for the big corps = bye, george !



:hippie:

[sexybomber]

13. don't forget that the Senate just rejected loosening the FCC regs

So they might turn on the Senate too. Woo-hoo!

[Flying_Pig]

14. If, I say if, the media does not get on the right side of things,...

and continues to support this fascist regime, I believe the people will take action (use your imagination) against them, in a way never before seen in this country. Tens of millions are tired of their betrayal, and their allegiance to Bush/BFEE/PNAC/AIPAC/Likud. Enough. What they are doing is traitorous, and they deserve to be treated as traitors.

:grr: