Friday, May 26, 2006
Pining for Al
I've been listening to Al Franken's Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them on my way to and from work.
Franken's chief task is to show that the liberal bias attributed to the media is hokum. One way of disabusing us of this notion is to discuss the media's unfavorable treatment of Al Gore during the 2000 election. A liberally biased media would cover him favorably over Bush, wouldn't it?
It didn't. Franken cites statistics from the Pew Trust to buttress his point, and then goes on to dismantle "lies" in which the press misrepresented Gore's statements, including his taking credit for the promotion of the Internet.
In fact, Gore didn't claim to have "invented" the Internet, but he was key in seeing its potential and supporting the funds for its development. Unfortunately, once a lie finds its way into the media, it's endlessly repeated, just like the images of planes smacking into the World Trade Center or the Challenger exploding in take off. The media doesn't want us to miss disasters of any kind.
As I listen to Franken's analysis of what happened (I guess Al wasn't cool enough for the reporters covering him), I can't help but grieve for the country that has been deprived of his talents since 2000. I always thought that he had the gravitas to guide us in the directions we've needed to go.
I grit my teeth whenever somebody tells me that he blew the campaign.
I grieve the system that produces pundits that tell him to kiss Tipper at the convention, to wear earth tones, to do whatever the hell "good" candidates are supposed to do.
I'm not sure who blew the campaign, but I doubt that it was Al Gore.
I still can't stand jokes about how dull he is. I am convinced that few of us know this bright, capable man, and I, for one, miss him terribly.
# posted by Lulu Maude @ 4:00 PM 
Comments:
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So why doesn't he run? what the hell else will the democrats scrape from the bottom of the barrel? no one is really out there in front saying what needs to be said in this country. if gore can pull himself together he could actually have a chance. kerry doesn't have a chance that's for sure. and boring little southern family guy... I'm so sick of family men and photo ops. But Lulu Maude, I think Gore did screw it up if anyone did, ultimately he's responsible. But so what? Everyone screws up. He needs to listen to some good comeback music.
# posted by 
: 1:13 AM
: 1:13 AM
Gore didn't screw up anything.
He won the election, then Katherine Harris threw out Florida's black vote, then the Supreme Court handed Bush the presidency on a silver platter.
I voted for him then and I'd vote for him again.
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He won the election, then Katherine Harris threw out Florida's black vote, then the Supreme Court handed Bush the presidency on a silver platter.
I voted for him then and I'd vote for him again.
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