Katie & Matt Trash Dean, Elevate Kerry, as Dean Gives "Subliminable" Hint about Withdrawal

The Today Show

[governsleastgovernsbest]

It wasn't only Iowa Dems who voted. The liberal media have too. And to judge by the performance of Katie Couric and Matt Lauer on this morning's Today Show, Dean is dirt and Kerry's the man.

"A pretty impressive showing," said Katie with a smile regarding Kerry's victory at the top of the show.

"The man whose campaign was all but left for dead has won Iowa after a stunning turnaround."

"Howard Dean goes home with a third-place finish."

Katie greeted Kerry with the warm smile she reserves for Dem faves. "How do you pull this off?", she asked, her voice chirpily rising and almost breaking.

Surprisingly, though, Katie did ask some tougher questions. She mentioned that some are crediting his "deep pockets" for the win, and quoted someone from the Washington Post to the effect that it's not healthy for a candidate to be able to bankroll his own campaign.

Kerry pointed out he was outspent "by an opponent" (Dean).

Katie: "Will you continue to hammer Edwards on his lack of experience and are you concerned Clark will co-opt Iraq issue?"

Kerry: "I have run a positive campaign, but there are important differences among the candidates. We need a candidate with significant foreign policy and domestic experience."

Katie: "The landscape is littered with candidates who won in Iowa and didn't go on to win the nomination. How much are you making out of your victory?"

Kery: "I'm not making anything out of it. I'm here in NH, I'm the underdog here."

The funny dynamic was that Katie wanted to talk horse race, and every time Kerry got to open his mouth, out would spill his canned spiel. The look on Katie's face made it obvious she was somewhat exasperated by his canned comments. Kerry was being very disciplined and playing it safe. This was annoying, but for a guy who wants to portray himself as presidential and safe, it might actually help him.

The on to a brief interview with Edwards by Matt Lauer. "Prior to election night, your aides were quietly circulating the notion that 'third was first', so what does second do for you?"

Naturally, Edwards thought it was "a huge boost."

Can you remain positive attitude now that you have become a front runner and will come under attacks? "My positive approach is not a strategy, it is who I am. [A little vanity creeping in?] That doesn't mean I won't respond if someone attacks me."

Lauer: Kerry has commented on your lack of experience, the "still in diapers when I was getting back from Nam" comment.

Edwards: "The truth is I've worked very hard on issues of national security, and am on intelligence committee, worked on legislation to make country safer (of course he won't mention the Patriot Act by name!), have traveled to foreign countries and met with leaders and with intelligence community at home."

There was some refreshing frankness: "To be honest, the vote in Iowa was a surprise. I have no way of knowing what will happen in NH." He also said that he was not a good enough of a politician, during the week of the NH primary, not to admit that he was rooting for the Carolina Panthers against New England in the Super Bowl. "There my team!"

Then it was on to an interview by Katie of Dean: "What happened?" Dean: "I was the front runner and I took a lot of flak. It was tough but I got a ticket out of Iowa and now I hope to do well in NH."

Katie: "The more positive candidates did well. Do you wish you had been less pugnacious in your ads?"

Dean: "They weren't that tough. Kerry's mailings were in fact much tougher. He wouldn't be known as being so positive if people knew what was in those mailings."

Katie: "After the results came in, you gave a fired up speech. Some people thought you would implode. Some say you looked like the [borderline psycho character from the movie Network shouting "we're mad as hell and we're not going to take it anymore]. At the same time Kerry remained senatorial in his demeanor. Did you get out of control and over the top?"

Dean: "There were 3500 young people who turned up and they deserved a little fun - we're going to have fun in this campaign."

Next came what I consider the highlight of the entire segment, what I'd describe as a political Freudian slip in which Dean envisioned defeat and withdawal.

Katie asked: "In a lot of people's minds, the issue is electability. Many Iowans seemed to say that when they voted for Kerry and Edwards."

In response, the cocky pre-Iowa Dean would surely have boasted that he was going to win the race. Instead, Dean spoke quietly of being the only person in the race "who's ever balanced a budget or delivered health care."

He then added "that's the kind of campaign I'm going to run for as long as I'm in it, and then, realizing the implications of what he had just said, hastily added, "and I expect to be in this campaign for a long time."

A "long time"? Not "to the end," or "until I win"? Some of the strut has gone out of the bantam rooster.

Next came a Lauer interview with Tim Russert. Can everyone agree that Russert never has an original thought or a bold prediction? He is useful only as a barometer of the most conventional of conventional wisdom.

Lauer was also clearly transfixed by Dean's screaming, over-the-top performance in his post-results speech.

Lauer: "Did Dean's speech show why some voters are uncomfortable with him?" Russert agreed (you'll notice that Russert will almost always agree with whatever question is being pitched to him. His favorite response is an enthusiastic "absolutely!")

Said Russert: "Dean seems too angry, too liberal. What character and temperament does he want to show?"

Russert spoke of the moment where Dean told a critic at a rally to sit down and shut up as a turning point that got very wide play.

Russert concluded with yet another trite piece of conventional wisdom: "this is going to be a three- or four-way race for some time to come."

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Today Show ping.

[Behind Liberal Lines]

I'm sure that Katie and Kerry are old friends from Martha's Vineyard.

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Good point. Perhaps we'll uncover some footage of them dancing on the beach a la Bill and Hillary!

[cynicom]

Kerry did not pull off anything. His main opponent was a madman, the Iowans are not stupid enough to want Mad Dog Dean.

[Petronski]

He then added "that's the kind of campaign I'm going to run for as long as I'm in it, and then, realizing the implications of what he had just said, hastily added, "and I expect to be in this campaign for a long time."

A "long time"? Not "to the end," or "until I win"? Some of the strut has gone out of the bantam rooster.

Great catch.

[Elkiejg]

Thanks for your report on these interviews ...... you're stronger than I am for watching Kutie Katie and clan - I simply can't stomach them at any time.

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Thanks. I was stunned by his comment. I definitely think it's the political news of the day. It'll be interesting to see if the media pick up on it.

[goldstategop]

Even liberals are mogrified by Nikita Dean. Not that they agree with him; they do. They love him in their hearts. They just think he doesn't have the "right stuff" to beat President Bush.

[syriacus]

Many thanks for posting this so we could keep up with Katie, Matt, Howard, and the 2 Johns.

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Thanks. Particularly on morning's like this, I think it's useful to know how the liberal media are reporting the news, as it can affect some sectors of public opinion.

[Salvation]

**"that's the kind of campaign I'm going to run for as long as I'm in it, and then, realizing the implications of what he had just said, hastily added, "and I expect to be in this**

Did your foot go in your mouth again, Dean?

[Jaxter]

"Mad Dog Dean."

I hope he's mad enough to consider running as a third party candidate in the fall.

[AppyPappy]

Put the coffee pot on the stove, Judy, he's coming home.

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Katie quoted someone from the Washington Post to the effect that it's not healthy for a candidate to be able to bankroll his own campaign.

Seems like you're damned if you do, damned if you don't. If you accept contributions, you're the lackey of the special interests. If you finance your own campaign, freeing yourself from any special interests, somehow that's "not healthy."

[samtheman]

This guy might not make it. He might end up in a looney bin before the campaign is over. He's losing it. Bigtime.

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Put the coffee pot on the stove, Judy, he's coming home.

Hmm, that would force Dr. Judy to adopt another strategy to escape the clutches of this maniac. Look for her to announce a two-year trip to Iraq and Afghanistan to treat the victims of the "Bush war machine."

[AppyPappy]

He started to believe his own hype. That's how Clinton won. He always listened to his advisors and he choose the best.

[Quilla]

Thanks for the ping and putting yourself through this for us. I love your take on it! I suspect that Dean's DUmocrat followers are crying in their Fruit Loops this morning.

[Viet Vet in Augusta GA]

Who was the escaped mental patient who turned up at Dean HQ in Iowa last night and was handed a list of States to read?

[eastforker]

Well ,yes, Russert did have an original idea in the 2000 election.All during October and into November before the election he said it would all boil down to Florida, that the election would be decided there. He said that numerous times.

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Thanks for reminding me - I'll have to head over there and see how the DU'ers are doing.

By the way, I noticed that I have been barred from posting over there. I tried to keep my posts polite, if somewhat skeptical. More in the mode of sowing seeds of panic and discord in the ranks. But I guess they sniffed me out. Hey, wait a second, isn't that "profiling"?

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Hmm, okay, fair enough. Score one for Russert. Generally he seems the most conventional of all, with nary an original idea.

[Arrowhead1952]

I hope he's mad enough to consider running as a third party candidate in the fall.

Very interesting take on the 04 elections. What about Dean and Nader "Way out Left" Green Party ticket to compete with the RAT candidate? Can you spell SERIOUS LANDSLIDE?

[Pan_Yans Wife]

The media won't pick up on it.

(I think they want to exploit the screaming soundbite, and ignore the kernel of truth hidden in the quote that you found.)

[governsleastgovernsbest]

If you would like on or off the Today Show ping list for semi-regular reports on liberal bias at The Today Show, please post a reply or send me a private message.

[Common Tator]

Did you ever notice that just like the girls all get prettier at closing time, the polls all get real accurate at voting time.

[governsleastgovernsbest]

I tend to agree with you. Only we cognoscenti here at FR will really be in the know! ;-)

[samtheman]

He started to believe his own hype.

You're right. He's an empty shell with no beliefs but himself. And he's gone over the edge. Now clinically insane. They'll be coming to take him away. Ha ha.

[Lee'sGhost]

Thanks. Now take a long hot shower and cleanse thyself of Couriclauer crud.

[OldFriend]

Judging from Dean's over the top behaviour after his poor showing in Iowa one wonders if Judy's last minute visit was simply to bring Dean some 'vitamins'

[OldFriend]

Russert knew that LIEberman was in Florida working over the old folks and staying under the media radar (intenionally). Russert probably was also privvy to the plan to challenge the military ballots. That little trick was no last minute idea.

[Pharmboy]

Thanks for the ping. And thanks to the Iowans who rejected this head case...and anyone still on the fence about that just needed to watch his "concession" speech.

(For me, Dean will always be the "Candidate Most Ready to do the Dishes" with those sleeves rolled up).

[eastforker]

Exactly right, he said it as if he knew rather than suspected it.

[Ditter]

Thnaks for watching perky katie, I just can't anymore.

[evad]

Well, did we get what we wished for?

For some reason I feel depressed that the Deaniac is done.

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Dean obviously felt it was important to rally the troops, put on a brave face, etc. But such enthusiasm and upbeat energy in the face of a stinging defeat is simply not an honest human reaction, and inevitably makes people question his authenticity and even his marbles.

Last night's defeat might have been an opportunity for Dean to turn things around. To say, humbly and with good grace, that the results were disappointing, and that perhaps he had gone a bit too far with his rants.

Instead, he confirmed the absolute worst that people thought about him, and effectively destroyed whatever was left of his candidacy.

[djpg]

It's nice to see that Gore, Harkin, and Bradley are stuck with this guy. This shows that those guys don't even have much influence on the Democrat voters.

[mountaineer]

one wonders if Judy's last minute visit was simply to bring Dean some 'vitamins'

Sounds plausible. Dr. Steinberg made a house call, so to speak!

[governsleastgovernsbest]

It's nice to see that Gore, Harkin, and Bradley are stuck with this guy.

Good point. Other than Dean himself, I'd say Gore was the big loser last night. He thought he'd vault himself into relevance with his early Dean endorsement. Now he looks like just another pathetic member of the Loser's Club.

Hillary must be cackling in her Wheaties this morning!

[Pan_Yans Wife]

Here's the question though...

Is it true that Bush and his people wanted Dean to get the nomination?

Is Kerry a more formidible opponent, or not?

(And yes, if Dean just commited political suicide, I will miss him! He was entertaining.)

[Belisaurius]

Did John Kerry take Katie's panties home with him....sounds like it.

[Fester Chugabrew]

". . . Katie wanted to talk horse race."

Go ahead, Katie. We see only a horse face.

[HankReardon]

Kerry this morning referred to the ression as the "Bush Recession". If his intent was not to decieve, does this nation want a president that does not even know when the recession started?

[MrConfettiMan]

today show ping

[mewzilla]

Considering that Kerry is the Toons' stalking horse, I'm not surprised the Toon toadies on Today were in full tush-kissing mode this morning.

[governsleastgovernsbest]

No doubt the Bush people, and most Republicans hoping for a landslide, wanted to run against Dean.

But looking back on it, it was just too much to hope for. Even former Dem landslide losers like McGovern and Mondale were level-headed military veterans who, while wrong on the issues, didn't pose a clear and imminent danger to the republic.

It was just unrealistic for us to think, in our wildest dreams, that the Dems ultimately were going to nominate such a wild-eyed, unqualified nasty little piece of business like Dean.

So we shouldn't feel bad today. It was just never in the cards. Let's rejoice instead in the good sense of the American people, even the Dems, and take some schadenfreude out of the defeat of this thoroughly unpleasant man.

[ontos-on]

"Did you ever notice that just like the girls all get prettier at closing time, the polls all get real accurate at voting time."

Yeah, and all that jazz about "organization"---really mattered didn't it?

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Isn't the conventional wisdom that Clark, whose campaign is filled with former Clinton staffers, is the Clinton stalking horse?

[governsleastgovernsbest]

all that jazz about "organization"---really mattered didn't it?

Bad day for the union thugs.