Couric: Dems, in Being Very Aggressive, are "Taking a Page from the Republican Playbook"

[governsleastgovernsbest]

For Katie Couric, when Democrats are good, they're very, very good. And when they're bad . . . they're like Republicans!

In a just-completed interview with Tim Russert, Couric, speaking of the Dem presidential contenders, offered up this gem:

"Tim, Democrats are being very aggressive. They're taking a page right out of the Republican playbook."

There was another very telling moment in the interview. Discussing the fact that, contrary to his earlier pledge to get out if he lost in Wisconsin, Dean now says he's staying in the race regardless, a panicky Couric, her voice rising and almost breaking, asked Tim: "but if he stays in isn't that going to hurt the frontrunner?"

If Tim were in the studio he probably would have patted Katie's hand and given her a reassuring "now, now." He did the best he could across the airwaves, with a comforting analysis to the effect that Dean's continued presence won't harm Kerry.

Finally, Katie asked what was clearly a very scripted question about W's military service and how big an issue it would be in the campaign.

Russert claimed it would be a very big issue. He stated that W's sergeant in Alabama can't remember him being there in the summer and fall of 1972. Service is always an issue, he asserted, pointing to how W's own father had released photos of himself getting fished out of the water after being shot down, and also mentioned Ike, and JFK with PT-109.

Incredibly, almost as if he were a paid employee of the DNC, Russert employed DNC head Terry McAuliffe's most famous phrase on this issue. Russert described Kerry as having "a chestful of medals."

Thanks Tim. The check's in the mail.

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Just when I was starting to worry that Katie was becoming "fair & balanced" and that I could be out of my FR "job" of reporting on her liberal bias, along came today's interview.

What a relief - I'm back in business!

[The Wizard]

there's the little whore we all know

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Today Show ping.

[governsleastgovernsbest]

So according to Katie, it's the Republicans who use hardball tactics in campaigns, and the Dems who only occasionally "take a page out of their book."

Thinking back to the 2000 Presidential election, can anyone remember a negative GOP ad that came within a million miles of being as vicious as the Dem/NAACP ad?

You recall the ad: it recreated the Texas dragging death of a black man, and had the victim's daughter claiming she felt that W had killed her father all over again by refusing to go along with the NACCP's idea of hate crimes legislation.

[Pan_Yans Wife]

Later when she was talking with Matthews, he seemed to say that military service has ALWAYS been a big issue with voters, Cold War mentality, blah, blah, blah, (squeezed in the fact that Clinton didn't serve, in his rapid staccato) and then continued on the same line.

The Republicans should say, over, and over, and over... CLINTON DIDN'T SERVE!

[anniegetyourgun]

The lib/dems have the media, the unions, and Hollywood, and frankly - most of corporate America. What do we have?

[SevenDaysInMay]

The Dems are salting the ballots with bold and obnoxious lies, to rely on the subliminal level of doubt to anger during the autumn campaign to election day.

AKA: muddying the waters with s***.

[TheGeezer]

I had always thought that when Republicans were being aggressive, they were borrowing a page out of the DemocRat playbook! I always resented the tendency of Pubbies to be more gentlemanly, less confrontational, than DemocRats. That's why Ann Coulter is such a treasure. I also make it a practice to get right into the face of DemocRats in my vicinity that speak a party line...

[governsleastgovernsbest]

I also make it a practice to get right into the face of DemocRats in my vicinity that speak a party line.

Go Geezer - you rock!

[goldstategop]

Katie is back on track cheerleading for the Democrats. For a moment there one thought she had a Damascus Road conversion. LOL!!!

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Yes, she definitely rediscovered her heathen roots today with a vengeance! ;-);-)

[PGalt]

Right on Geezer. That's why the cellophane propagandist Couric is so evil...and Russert...he might as well do a Jim Carrey because he looks like he's talking out of John Kerry's butt cheeks.

[Jhensy]

Oh man, was she a disgrace today. Matthews too. And then watching a clip of that miserable SOB Kerry doing nothing but insulting the President over and over again...

MAKE SURE YOUR GOP FRIENDS AND FAMILY ARE REGISTERED!!! DO IT TODAY!!

[whereasandsoforth]

What is more impressive than Kerry's "chest full of metals" is his mouth full of lies. This is real wishful thinking on the part of Timmy the WonderPundit and his faithful dog Perky. A life full of character and resolve will be the winner.

[governsleastgovernsbest]

she a disgrace today. Matthews too.

Matthews has in the past occasionally had his fair & balanced moments. But in recent months he has turned into a seething Dem partisan.

[smiley]

No doubt...this election is going to be very very dirty and nasty with the Democrats leading the charge....we, the Republic, can't cower and we can't fail.

[yoe]

Regarding President Bush's service record:

(The facts on GW's service record)

Being in the National Guard is not the same as being in the regular military, albeit they carry out the same dangerous missions when called on, they are required to serve so much time - how they do it is up to their civilian jobs; The National Guard is somewhat analogous to the famed Minuteman. President Bush served his time + hours that were not required.

Katie and Tim should be ashamed to try to tarnish this man's record – can either of them fly a jet? Probably not as it takes a heap of brains to pilot one of those.

[GraceCoolidge]

If I'm not mistaken, the "Willie Horton" issue (another one that still occasions much hand wringing among the media) was first used against Dukakis in the primaries, by either Gore or Cuomo. Frankly, I never had a major problem with presentation of the Willie Horton issue... and I don't believe the media had a problem with it until (prepare for big surprise here) it was used by Republicans. And you are 110% right about that Texas ad... it was truly disgusting, and the Democrats got (as usual) a complete pass on it. Of course, the fact that two of the three criminals got the death penalty was irrelevant. They should have been punished more... by being charged with a hate crime???

[sgtbono2002]

If military service is so important , how did Clinton beat Bob Dole? The Dems had their chance to vote for a war hero , they chose Chester the molester instead. Ask yourself this question , How did Kerry get all those medals, who wrote up the paper work for them, the guys on his boat?? Why didnt the guys on his boat get any medals , werent they all in the same actions? How do you get a Silver Star for chasing down and killing a wounded soldier? A man who is running away from you.

[Lee'sGhost]

Note to Bush camp: Next time some media putz says "chest full of medals," say, "Yes, but how many of them are his and how many are the ones he bought to throw over the White House fence?"

[governsleastgovernsbest]

If military service is so important , how did Clinton beat Bob Dole? The Dems had their chance to vote for a war hero , they chose Chester the molester instead.

Excellent point.

[McGruff]

Matthews was on IMUS also this morning. After bashing Pres. Bush about this National Guard issue they eventually got around to:

The Kerry / Fonda photo.

Now IMUS is reading this article.

Bush credited for Guard drills (Kapow!)

Afterwords they comment "Time to move on."

[Pan_Yans Wife]

Is that really Kerry, in the picture? It doesn't look like him. Or, maybe there is a different picture?

[Pan_Yans Wife]

Is that photoshopped, I wonder? Or, is it proof that he was there?

[MissAmericanPie]

That would be the spinless playbook, right?

[Pan_Yans Wife]

Never mind... I see it now. My apologies.

[Ditter]

I needed you Sat. nite. LOL

[Savage Beast]

As election time approaches, the propaganda in the "Mainstream Press" will intensify! It will be relentless, insidious, and sometimes subtle. Do not fall for it! Help keep everyone's thinking clear!

[spectre]

Flash to Katie and Chris Matthews.

Yes, I was blindsided by Bush's illegal alien policy. Never expected this from him. But then, the Rats think he hasn't gone far enough. We need to turn the tables and make Kerry address the issue as well. There IS a lesser of two evils in this picture, albeit it doesn't look good either way.

So the Rats are "energized against THIS particular President"? That's a good one. They would be energized against a Republican no matter who it was.

Bush needs to revisit the amnesty issue. It was not a wise thing to do, especially before this election. He already had enough conservative votes to stay in office. What was he thinking?

Oh and just byte me, Katie and Chris, he's still got my vote.

sw

[an amused spectator]

KATIE:

Behold the cave of Caerbannog!

TIM:

Right! Keep me covered.

MCAULIFFE:

What with?

TIM:

W-- just keep me covered.

KATIE:

Too late!

[dramatic chord]

TIM:

What?

KATIE:

There he is!

TIM:

Where?

KATIE:

There!

TIM:

What, behind the Republican?

KATIE:

It is the Republican.

TIM:

You silly sod!

KATIE:

What?

TIM:

You got us all worked up!

KATIE:

Well, that's no ordinary Republican!

TIM:

Ohh.

KATIE:

That's the most foul, cruel, and bad-tempered Republican you ever set eyes on!

CARVILLE:

You twit! I soiled my armour I was so scared!

KATIE:

Look, that Republican's got a vicious streak a mile wide! It's a killer!

MCAULIFFE:

Get stuffed!

KATIE:

He'll do you up a treat, mate.

MCAULIFFE:

Oh, yeah?

CARVILLE:

You mangy Scots git!

KATIE:

I'm warning you!

CARVILLE:

What's he do, nibble your bum?

KATIE:

He's got huge, sharp-- eh-- he can leap about-- look at the bones!

TIM:

Go on, Howard. Chop his head off!

HOWARD:

Right! Silly little bleeder. One Republican stew comin' right up!

KATIE:

Look!

[squeak]

HOWARD:

Aaaugh!

[dramatic chord]

[clunk]

TIM:

Jesus Christ!

KATIE:

I warned you!

CARVILLE:

I done it again!

KATIE:

I warned you, but did you listen to me? Oh, no, you knew it all, didn't you? Oh, it's just a harmless little Pubbie, isn't it? Well, it's always the same. I always tell them--

TIM:

Oh, shut up!

KATIE:

Do they listen to me?

TIM:

Right!

KATIE:

Oh, no...

JOURNALISTS:

Charge!

[squeak squeak squeak]

JOURNALISTS:

Aaaaugh!, Aaaugh!, etc.

TIM:

Run away! Run away!

JOURNALISTS:

Run away! Run away!...

KATIE:

Ha ha ha ha! Ha haw haw! Ha! Ha ha!

TIM:

Right. How many did we lose?

LAUNCELOT:

Gephardt.

MCAULIFFE:

Lieberman.

TIM:

And Howard. That's five.

MCAULIFFE:

Three, sir.

TIM:

Three. Three. And we'd better not risk another frontal assault. That Republican's dynamite.

[governsleastgovernsbest]

LOL

With credit to Monty Python, I presume?

[Maria S]

http://quest.cjonline.com/stories/070300/gen_0703004428.shtml
http://factcheck.org/article.aspx?docID=131
http://billhobbs.com/hobbsonline/001394.html

[chiefqc]

She's just having a bad day, her a crusty had a lover spat.

[an amused spectator]

But of course. ;-)

[JacksonCalhoun]

Russert is the real stooge here. The former counselor (or should I say consigliere) to Don Cuomo tries to come across as 'fair and balanced', but he always couches his questions and statements in a way to reflect the DNC talking points ("this will be trouble for Bush, that will trouble for Bush"). He may be more subtle than Perky-poo, but more dangerous because he presents himself as an unbiased journalist. Which he is not.

[Deliberator]

they chose Chester the molester instead.

LOL!

[hedgie]

Heard her blasting out of the Today Show's speakers for the crowd on the street as I walked into work. Still yammering away about Bush's National Guard service vs. Kerry "as you know...decorated Vietnam veteran." Man, it was like you were walking past a North Korean reeducation camp. "As you know, the dear leader reigns supreme..."

[mystery-ak]

If you asked my hubby, who is a 1sgt in the Guard, and who's job it is to keep track of who's at drills, who was at a drill 30 years ago...Im betting he couldn't remember either...this is such a crock!

[JFC]

she was the person to whom the word *&^%$ was conceived. bangs and all......

[Starboard]

As election time approaches, the propaganda in the "Mainstream Press" will intensify!

Yes, its the liberal media's jihad against Bush, and its only beginning.

[EAGLE7]

Boy can she spew out crap through that annoying tombstone smile or what? As for Kerry's chestful of metals; didn't he toss them over the white house fence at one of those pro-communist anti-american rallies? They're both full of s***.

[iceskater]

I knew it was too good to be true.

Be sure to have your Nexium prescription up to date. I think you're going to need it....it's a long time 'til November.

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Be sure to have your Nexium prescription up to date.

LOL. My prescription permits up to five refills. I have a feeling I'm going to need every one of them!

[SquirrelKing]

Thanks for the Ping and for notmaking me watch!

[highlandbreeze]

It's going to be a long year!!

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Our Motto: Watching and Reporting on The Today Show Since 2002, So You Don't Have To!

[BlueAngel]

You do such a great job reporting for us. Thank you!

[ILuvW]

"Tim, Democrats are being very aggressive. They're taking a page right out of the Republican playbook."

I had this on the tube when I was getting ready for work and stopped dead in my tracks when I heard her say this. We all knew she was a shill for the DNC, but this was so blatently biased-not to mention dishonest! Has she never heard of James Carville or Paul Begala? Frankly, I wish she WAS right. The RNC should start conjuring up the ghost of Lee Atwater. At least he fought back!

[governsleastgovernsbest]

My pleasure, BA. Thanks for the kind words.