On November 5, 2002, as part of the GOP electoral sweep in the 2002 elections, the number one target of the national Democratic party, Florida Governor Jeb Bush, won a victory which was so decisive that major news organizations changed their plans and either sent no correspondent at all to Miami for election-night coverage or sent in a B- or C-team reporter to write a couple of column inches.
Exactly one month later, a reference to retiring Senator Strom Thumond which was so obscure that it required long explanations in the media (for, in some cases, the benefit of the media) started a two-week typhoon which forced the resignation of Trent Lott as the Republican Leader of the U.S. Senate.
This was such a big story, that even heavy metal radio stations covered the intricacies of the 1948 Presidential campaign in between tracks of the new Mudvayne album.
On New Years Day, incoming Senate Majority Leader, Dr. Bill Frist (R-TN), was driving in Florida when he saw a terrible accident take place in front of him. According to the Miami Herald, Frist jumped out, called paramedics, and:
"cradled the head of one victim, immobilizing the victim's spine, until paramedics arrived ... He directed paramedics to the most seriously injured, helping set up life-support systems for two of the injured. And as they waited to be sent to hospitals, he offered words of comfort to the injured."
If this was covered at all it was put in the "Meanwhile, in other news" category. The Washington Post, for example, had one 215-word Associated Press story. Period.
One day later, Senator John Edwards (D-NC) announced he was forming an exploratory committee to run against President Bush. According to Reuters, Edwards criticized President Bush "for failing to face the nation's full range of security challenges and falling short in fixing the nation's health care problems."
Every one of Edwards' 47,539 appearances, interviews, statements and phone calls were covered in full by the political press.
Last Spring, Al Gore headlined the Florida State Democratic Convention. This was to have been the first event in the great national correction to the results of the 2000 election and was covered by every major national political reporter in the country.
Yesterday, less than eight months later, that same Florida State Democratic Party choose a new state chairman. Here's what HE said about the state of the Democrats in the Sunshine State: "It's fourth and 99. We should be candid about this: The party doesn't have any funds. We're at the bottom of a very deep hole."
Didn't see this in your local Sunday paper? Huh.
Every newspaper and Sunday talk show yesterday was wall-to-wall quoting Democrats opposing the Bush economic stimulus plan which, by the way, will not even be announced until tomorrow.
Six months ago the national Democrats were using the value of 401k plans as the ONLY measure of fairness in economic growth. Yesterday they were claiming that elimination of the double-taxation of corporate dividends (which is very likely to increase stock valuations) was yet another example of a tax-cut-for-the-wealthy program by the Republicans.
Do you see a pattern recurring here?
President Bush is preparing for a possible shooting war on one continent and is engaged is preventing another one through diplomacy on another. While that is going on, the President is announcing a major economic policy enhancement and will follow that with a serious move on the twin issues of Medicare and prescription drugs.
For an Administration which will not hit its 2nd anniversary for another two weeks, that's quite a bit. We can't help but believe that if this were a Democratic Administration it would be hailed as evidence of the President's brilliant time, personnel, financial, and political management.
You won't see it reported that way because for this national press corps, covering this administration, at this time, good news is no news.
On the Secret Decoder Ring today: A link to the Bill Frist article, a GREAT catchy caption, a reprise of the Election Night Travelogues and an explanation of Mudvayne.
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