Back to Howie Dean's blog:

This campaign is not only our hope, it's our future.

We MUST do this. I cannot imagine my 4 year old granddaughter living in a world where the only value is money, where our country means nothing but intimidation and fear to everyone outside it.

Taking to heart the message of peace and hope our Gov gave us yesterday should be our task.

No matter what other campaigns think of us-- or more correctly, what other people who call themselves supporters of other candidates-- we know we are the voice of hope for the future. We stand for the dignity of workers, for healthcare for all Americans, for peace in the world, and justice at home, for a clean environment, and
honesty in government.

We must preserve the dignity of our effort, avoiding name-calling and mean-spiritedness, no matter what others say about us.

If we are to be an example, we must follow rules analogous to those set out in the NY Times by Paul Krugman for journalists covering campaigns.

You know what has to be done, you know how little time there is to do it.

Peace on your houses and your hearts.

NOW GET OUT THERE AND JUST DO IT !

Posted by murphy at December 26, 2003 02:01 AM

Paul Krugman as a pillar of virtue. Shudder. Here's Krugger's latest concerning the next election and how reporters should act and cover it:

• Beware of personal anecdotes. Anecdotes that supposedly reveal a candidate's character are a staple of political reporting, but they should carry warning labels.

For one thing, there are lots of anecdotes, and it's much too easy to report only those that reinforce the reporter's prejudices. The approved story line about Mr. Bush is that he's a bluff, honest, plain-spoken guy, and anecdotes that fit that story get reported. But if the conventional wisdom were instead that he's a phony, a silver-spoon baby who pretends to be a cowboy, journalists would have plenty of material to work with.

If a reporter must use anecdotes, they'd better be true. After the Dean endorsement, innumerable reporters cracked jokes about Al Gore's inventing the Internet. Guys, he never said that: it's a malicious distortion of a true statement, and no self-respecting journalist would repeat it.

• Look at the candidates' records. A close look at Mr. Bush's record as governor would have revealed that, the approved story line notwithstanding, he was no moderate. A close look at Mr. Dean's record in Vermont reveals that, the emerging story line notwithstanding, he is no radical: he was a fiscally conservative leader whose biggest policy achievement — nearly universal health insurance for children — was the result of incremental steps.

Krugman has made his editorial career by printing falsehoods and misconceptions, He is the one telling journalists what and how to report, please. As to the fact that Bush is a far right whacko and Dean is a moderate, maybe in your book "Enron Paul", Dean will break yours and everyone elses heart wen he plays down anything he did in Vermont.