Caveat lector

WAR WITHOUT END! Six years ago, your “press” declared war. This week, they waged war once again:

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2003

A WEEK THAT WAS: This morning, we were off entertaining the troops (well—a charming group from the GSA) and we won’t be able to waste our time with Andrea Mitchell until tomorrow. Tomorrow, we’ll post the transcript of Mitchell-with-Imus, and we’ll follow up on a few more points. Yes, it’s a giant waste of our time. But we want to complete the pitiful record of the corps’ latest War-Against-Gore.

But readers, as invented the Internet gets a new run (see below), and as the “press corps” obsesses about phone calls to Lieberman, one key point really does deserve mention. This week’s events are quite significant. What do these events clearly show? They show why George Bush is in the White House, and why Gore couldn’t run in 2004. What is America’s real recent history? In the wake of the Clinton impeachment, the Washington press waged a War Against Gore—a twenty-month propaganda campaign that put Bush in the White House. And when Gore re-tested the waters last fall, the corps’ lunacy just started again. This week, Gore tried to discuss the war in Iraq—and the press boo-hoo-hooed about phone calls to Lieberman! Readers, they declared their War Against Gore long ago, and there’s simply no chance that they’ll ever suspend it. This week, Russert was back with invented the Internet! Are you still unable to see the real shape of America’s recent, real history?

By the way, the New York Times printed letters this week—letters in which irate readers complained about Gore’s horrendous 2000 campaign. Al Gore managed to blow a sure thing: It’s a Standard Press Corps Spin-Point (link below), and the Times is quick to let readers recite it. They push it because they don’t want you to know what really decided your last White House race. But look at the clowning that met Gore this week. Are you still unable to see your own history? Unable to see the shape of the gang that is making a joke of your interests?

TOMORROW: We expect to post Mitchell’s clowning with Imus. Next week: Who is Tammy Bruce?

VISIT OUR INCOMPARABLE ARCHIVES: Al Gore managed to blow a sure thing. Disciplined pundits will always recite it. To see Michelle Cottle blow smoke in your face, see THE DAILY HOWLER, 12/19/02.

A SMASH REVIVAL: Clarence Page’s clowning has gone nationwide (see THE DAILY HOWLER, 12/11/03). It hit Chicago on Wednesday, and then things got worse: According to Nexis, Page’s column appeared in the Baltimore Sun, the Orlando Sentinel and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer on Thursday. Almost surely, the column will turn up in many more papers. Here is the astonishing comment Americans were fed once again:

PAGE: Gore, the techno gadget freak, must be impressed with how well Dean’s new-wave campaign machine rides on the cutting edge of technologies adapted to populist politics. Dean’s ability to draw crowds, organize local campaigns and raise funds has broken all expectations by his use of the device Gore once inaccurately claimed to have invented, the Internet.