Posted on 02/10/2004 2:17:08 PM PST by FlyLow
In a moment reminiscent of Howard Dean, at a Democratic Party event in Tennessee on Sunday night, former Vice President Al Gore launched into guttural screaming in which he charged that President Bush “betrayed the country!” and “played on our fears!” But Gore’s irrational and over the top outburst didn’t faze CNN and CBS, which on Monday afternoon and night highlighted Gore’s rant.
CNN’s Wolf Blitzer played a clip of it for Bush aide Dan Bartlett, but when Bartlett started laughing Blitzer scolded him for not taking Gore seriously: “You're laughing. Why are you laughing? He's making a very serious allegation against the President.” CBS’s Byron Pitts seemed to admire Gore’s rant as he set up a soundbite by observing: “Often criticized for being stiff when he was a candidate, he was anything but last night.”
Morton Kondracke, however, on FNC’s Special Report with Brit Hume, was appalled: “I think we can all really thank God that Al Gore was not elected President of the United States. I question whether this man is stable in a crisis. I mean, he’s clearly out of control of his words...” Noting how Gore alleged that Bush has “betrayed the country,” Kondracke, a columnist for Roll Call, referred to that as an instance of Gore “saying wild things” that are “beyond the bounds” and “irrational.”
FNC showed this clip of Gore’s gravelly-voiced, full volume scream: “He betrayed this country! He played on our fears! [edit jump] He took America, he took America on an ill-conceived foreign adventure dangerous to our troops, an adventure that was preordained and planned before 9-11 ever took place!”
On Monday, neither ABC’s World News Tonight or NBC Nightly News showed Gore’s bombast and neither did any of the broadcast network morning shows, though FNC’s Fox and Friends crew had a good time with it.
The CBS Evening News on Monday, February 9, played it during a piece by Byron Pitts on the Democratic primary race. Pitts ran a clip of John Kerry declaring in front of a crowd: “Like father, like son: One term and you’re done!” Pitts added: “At a dinner last night in Nashville, even former Vice President Gore was looking toward the fall campaign against President Bush. Often criticized for being stiff when he was a candidate, he was anything but last night.” Gore, screaming: “He betrayed this country! He played on our fears!”
A bit earlier, on CNN’s Wolf Blitzer Reports, Blitzer raised Gore’s tirade during an interview with Dan Bartlett, Bush’s Communications Director, who appeared from the White House lawn. Blitzer squeezed in Gore: “One final question before I let you go, Dan. The former Vice President Al Gore, he was really angry in a speech in Tennessee yesterday, going after the President. Listen to what he said.” Gore: “The reason I'm recalling those feelings now is because those are the feelings that were betrayed by this President! [audience cheers approval] He betrayed the country! He played on our fears!” Blitzer, as Bartlett can be heard laughing: “I want to give you a chance -- you're smiling. You're laughing. Why are you laughing? He's making a very serious allegation against the President.” Bartlett quipped: “Well, I'm trying to readjust my ear set, because he was screaming so loud. But, look, he's been angry the last three-and-a-half years. That's understandable. He lost the election. And I can see why he's probably a little upset. And his most recent act, where he endorsed Howard Dean, who is no longer nowhere near the front, I'm sure he has a lot to be upset about. But that type of bitterness and anger is simply not going to forward this debate at all....”
Earlier, on Inside Politics, CNN’s Judy Woodruff described Gore’s language as “harsh,” but she treated it as a minor story: “Al Gore is denouncing President Bush once again and he's using increasingly harsh language to make his point. His latest remarks in an event last night in Tennessee question the President's rationale for removing Saddam Hussein.” Gore: “He betrayed this country! He took America on a foreign adventure dangerous to our troops, an adventure that was preordained and planned before 9/11 ever took place.” Woodruff simply added: “Former Vice President getting pretty worked up in Tennessee last night.”
This is exactly the reaction any responsible journalist should have had. I think that from Blitzer's babble, we can see the level on which this election will be fought. "Is this President a criminal?" is the retorical question the left will continue to ask.
A cult of personalities.
Gawd, isn't that the truth? I said exactly this to my husband when Gore did his Dean endorsement. I guess his latest image guru told him he needed to connect with the South or something. Few voices are more grating than Gore's in phoney Southern evangelist mode.
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