Caveat lector

The Howler reader: When pundits agree

Synopsis: One of our workers holds court in CapStyle. We present his incomparable text.

The Gore-Bradley debate from October 27 is the setting for our analyst's observations. We treated this debate in great detail at the time. See THE DAILY HOWLER, 10/28/99, and see other DAILY HOWLERS for the two weeks following. Our treatment of the first Dem debate continued through November 11.

As the Capital Style article relates, pundits gave startlingly similar reviews to the performances of Bradley and Gore. But a second major pundit theme grew out of this debate—the idea that Gore was too aggressive as a campaigner. By Saturday night on Capital Gang (10/29), that theme was being set in stone. But that was not what pundits said in real time. Next Monday, we'll file a sequel to the CapStyle piece, showing scribes' instant reactions.

Capital Style's website, at www.capstyle.com, is currently under construction. Subscription information can be found there.

For text of article, click here.