Random Thoughts

A few thoughts on items in the news as of late...
Paul Begala and James Carville have just signed on to consult the Kerry campaign, as unpaid advisors. CNN is still keeping them on the air. Can you imagine the outrage in the media if two conservative TV guys, from say Fox News, signed on to advise Bush??? The hellstorm would make Frances look like a wind gust. But, no mention of this conflict in the "mainstream media" about CNN keeping these guys on the air.
Today the media will revert back to focusing on Bush's National Guard service...for the 43rd time. Dan "I am a liberal hack" Rather will interview the former Dem Lt Governor of TX who claims he helped get W in the guard. I am sure this guy will appear on all the networks and get write ups in the papers. Unlike the Kerry critics, the slant won't be to discredit him, but to promote his charges and make Bush refute them. There will also be no demand from the press that Kerry condemn these baseless attacks.
In the same light, there is a new group Texans for Truth releasing an anti Bush ad today. It will say that Bush was AWOL from the guard. As above, don't expect the media firestorm about baseless charges, negativity and ties to the Dems to be discussed. Only the claim and forcing Bush to prove he was not AWOL. Don't look for the media to demand Kerry denounce this ad as they did with the Swift Boat Vets for Truth. Don't look for the media to look into who is financing the 527 and do they have ties to Dems.
There is a new anti Bush screed coming out this week that says Bush did coke at Camp David during the 80s. This publisher has been thoroughly discredited in the past for writing lies and falsehoods. The media is already chomping at the bit to book her. NBC will have her on the Today show next Mon, Tues and Wed, CNN on 2 shows. MSNBC with Imus and Hardball. Once again, the media shows its blatant bias in book covering. They book every anti Bush author and play the hell out of the charges...Paul O Neil, Joe Wilson, Richard Clarke, Bob Woodward, Maureen Dowd, Michael Moore etc etc. None of these shows have interviewed Jon O Neil the author of the anti Kerry book. None of them have interviewed Tommy Franks when his book came out. Imus and Mathews interviewed Zell Miller when he wrote his book, but not the networks. They totally ignore any anti Dem or pro Bush book, but play the hell out of anti Bush books.
Now that Bush is up in the polls, look for the media to completely focus on bad news and anti Bush crap to help Kerry turn things around.
I was discussing the Time and Newsweek polls over the weekend. I was curious about how Bush was showing such a large lead so soon. I figured they over sampled Rs to make it appear Bush had a large lead to make Rs over confident and suppress turnout. My fears turned out to be real when it was discovered that the Newsweek poll did, in fact, over sample Rs. The poll should have shown Bush with a 5-6 point edge if the samples were accurately skewed. Rush had a different take on the polls. He says that they did it so they could then reskew the polls and show Bush falling and make it look like Kerry was fighting back and gaining momentum. I tend to think he is right. As they use the correct skewing it will make Bush's lead drop and make it look like his bounce was temporary and that he is losing momentum, when the 11 point lead in the poll was phony in the first place. Kevin