Carl Cameron continues passive-aggressive coverage of Kerry
Reported by Chrish - October 22, 2004 -
On Special Report today, October 21, Carl Cameron continued his pattern of debating the video footage of John Kerry on the campaign trail. We see film of Senator Kerry making a point to an audience, and we cut to Carl telling us exactly why and how Kerry is wrong, according to the Bush camp's way of looking at things. He is also reaching for evermore descriptive and inflammatory rhetoric, saying Kerry "unleashed his most caustic attack yet on the president, as a close-minded idealogue".
What Kerry actually said: "He has an extreme ideological agenda, that slows instead of advances science." During these minutes of the segment, ostensibly about John Kerry, we are shown footage of Bush signing autographs of the pre-screened faithful while Carl gives us a (very) short list of scientific progress approved by Bush. "With dripping disdain, Kerry accused the president of choking off scientific advancement". What Kerry said: "if George Bush had been president during other periods of history, he would have sided with the candle lobby against electricity...the buggymakers against the cars, and the typewriter companies against the computers!"
Carl makes an issue of a hunting partner carrying the goose that Kerry bagged from the field, merely by mentioning it at all, and introduced a clip of Cheney "mocking" Kerry's hunting camouflage outfit and reminding us that Kerry has an "F" from the NRA. Carl told us Bush also chimed in, "updating one of his favorite attack lines on Senator Kerry, saying the Democrat can run, even wearing a camo jacket, but he can't hide."
Carl does get in that Kerry says Bush is a captive of the NRA who stood idly by while the ban on "so-called" assault weapons expired.
Comment: Another day, another partisan hack job by Campaign Carl. The dramatic hyperbole is wearing thin . I don't expect him to go out of his way to talk up John Kerry, just be calm and objective. If anyone is dripping with disdain, it's you, Carl.
Using the qualifier "so-called" in regard to assault weapons is a subtle pandering to the radical "anything goes" wing of the NRA, who thank Bush for putting their loyalty above our safety. I hope the so-called security-moms feel better, having the nuts armed with military weapons right here at home.
