Posted on 10/15/2004 4:29:22 AM PDT by governsleastgovernsbest
You'd normally think that The Today Show would have buried Kerry's lesbian debate jab in the same deep-sixed vault reserved for Swift Boat allegations, Kerry campaign's threats to Sinclair broadcasting and the mystery surrounding Kerry's military discharge.
But, surprise! Calling it the issue of "the L-word," the controvery led Today this morning. The opening credit showed Kerry, sotto voce, making his statement during the debate, and after a brief news summary that mentioned the matter, it was on to Katie's interview of Mary Matalin and Kerry rep and former Clinton press sec Dee Dee Myers.
As an aside, Katie's megalomania reached new sartorial heights this morning, as she sported a blouse/sweater with a huge, glitzy K splashed across it. What's next: bring on the bling-bling?
In any case, Couric first questioned Matalin, and the basic theme was "what was wrong with raising Mary Cheney's lesbianism given that Dick Cheney has mentioned it and it is not a secret?" Frankly I didn't think Matalin marshalled the best arguments, but did make the case that Mary Cheney has not been a public figure and that Kerry's statement was outrageous and over-the-line.
Turning to Myers, Katie made a surprisingly pointed remark: "some have said that Kerry's statement was not a magnanimous gesture but a calculated political move intended to undermine Pres. Bush's culturally conservative base."
Forced into a corner, Myers admitted: "frankly, I don't think this was Kerry's best moment. It was awkward, and has been a distraction from the campaign's ability to talk about the real issues."
Dee Dee then launched into a laundry list of Kerry campaign talking points on issues foreign and domestic, and claimed the Bush campaign is seeking to exploit the L-word issue to distract from the fact that W lost the debates.
But clearly Kerry is feeling the heat. A candidate knows he's in trouble when even his own spokesman rips him, even if done with velvety gloves.
Kerry and Mrs. Edwards remarks but two torpedoes below the water line of his campaign.
Today Show L-word ping.
Actually, this fits the Kerry pattern of being all things to all people. Surely, the bigots need a reason to vote for Kerry. His people know they've got most of the bigot vote, but not all. So this was his chance to really go after them.
An aside: Katie closed by saying "it's nice to interview two strong, independent women."
This is in line with Katie's allegiance to some kind of shallow, pop-culture feminism. Couric is also wont to blurt out when the news concerns a woman's actions: "you go girl!"
Nice metaphor. Will rats soon be deserting the sinking ship?
K as in Kerry or K as in Katie, or more likely both.
Internal polling at Kerry HQ must be tumbling if he comes out and apologizes on something.
Zogby confirms. They made a miscalculated boo-boo.
Time for damage control.
Great point - that hadn't occured to me. Let's see if tomorrow she wears two K's inside a heart.
Good point. And although it was mentioned that Kerry explicity stated that his subsequent statement was *not* an apology, we all know that it was.
If Today is talking about it-this thing might have some legs!!
Surprised Mary did not come off great-she usually is pretty good!
Thanks, Vast, for your very kind comment.
If anyone would like to be added to my ping list for reports on liberal bias at The Today Show and occasionally at other media, please let me know by post or private message.
The Bush - Cheney spokesman on Fox & Friends this morning made a good point about the Senator's remark.
He said that Tereza Heinz refuses to release her tax returns (that she said would be released today) because her childrens finances were also in the return and she wanted to "protect" her children. Tereza said they were not public figures.
Kerry just threw away everything he had won after the first debate in one short sentence.
I don't want to be too hard on Mary - she was OK. And, ironically, Katie's tough question to Dee Dee was MUCH more important than anything Matalin could have said.
Still, I would have liked Mary to have said something along the following lines:
"When Edwards first raised it in his debate with Cheney, it might have been taken as just a passing gesture. But when Kerry subsequently went out of his way to find a means to raise this with W, it was clear that this was an ugly, calculated strategy intended to exploit the sexual orientaton of a candidate's child for political gain. Shame on John Kerry!"
Perhaps John Kerry simply has some preoccupation with lesbianism.
Hmmm.... One day, Katie has to introduce this Mr. Some. He's awfully opinionated.
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