Influential journalists with a bias against candidates can impact elections.  We saw this occur in 2003-04 when Joe Klein of Time Magazine and other journalists decided that Howard Dean was too threatening to the status quo.  The theme that Dean was a champion of "populist demagoguery" and dangerously wrong for America was developed and repeated in article after article.

In the present election, Ryan Lizza of The New Republic wrote a profile on Bill Richardson in June 2007 that has received considerable attention.  Lizza derided Richardson as the "Paper Candidate," as if all of Richardson's accomplishments were an illusion, mere words on paper.  Lizza employed techniques propagandists have used throughout history in an attempt to create a devastating critique of Richardson.

There's more...

(cross-posted at Daily Kos)

Everyone remembers that the immediate spin by the mainstream media and the right wing following the 2006 midterm elections was that the results was a victory for conservatism and moderation. Of course, this was a joke; despite his occasional wankery, Stuart Rothenberg got it right when analyzing this ridiculous claim:

Well, I met dozens of Democrats running in 2006 - no, not everyone, but most of them - and I can't find much more than a couple who merit the label "conservative." That's not meant to be either criticism or praise. It's merely a statement of fact.

Nevertheless, it seems that the mainstream media just won't stop trying to interpret the election results as a drastic change within the Democratic Party. Ryan Lizza, a senior editor at The New Republic, takes a bizarre angle in today's New York Times:

There's more...

Even the enemy admits: "Edwards a threat to Hillary!" Much has been made of the new schedule recommendations to the DNC from last weekend all over the blogosphere. They benefit Edwards to a surprising degree, but NRO has officially launched a new meme. I know, I know - NRO friend or foe? However, the analysis by Ryan Lizza is pretty consistent with what we've been saying here this week. The article is also behind a firewall, so you won't read it unless you pay for it. The sacrifices I make for the cause...

Edwards is the anti-Hillary of 2008. Although the article states that we get one of these anti-Hillary designees every six months or so, the Edwards "ascendancy" is for real and I think Edwards deserves the laurel - or laurels, whatever.

Follow me below the fold to discuss the NRO story.  

There's more...

Even the enemy admits: "Edwards a threat to Hillary!" Much has been made of the new schedule recommendations to the DNC from last weekend all over the blogosphere. They benefit Edwards to a surprising degree, but NRO has officially launched a new meme. I know, I know - NRO friend or foe? However, the analysis by Ryan Lizza is pretty consistent with what we've been saying here this week. The article is also behind a firewall, so you won't read it unless you pay for it. The sacrifices I make for the cause...

Edwards is the anti-Hillary of 2008. Although the article states that we get one of these anti-Hillary designees every six months or so, the Edwards "ascendancy" is for real and I think Edwards deserves the laurel - or laurels, whatever.

Follow me below the fold to discuss the NRO story.  

There's more...