One week old
This is way late, but I wanted to get it down nonetheless. I didn't post at all about the Democratic National Convention since I haven't been able to pay all that much attention apart from listening to radio coverage on my commutes and sneaking occasional peeks at the various blogs out there... The one thing that struck me was the constant observation about how scripted the convention was this year:
Democrats are aiming for an upbeat convention that echoes Kerry's "Stronger at Home, Respected in the World" themes.
"This is going to be the most harmonious convention we've had in years," New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson said on the "Fox News Sunday" show.
For speakers, the memo went out - literally - weeks ago.
Kerry convention organizer Jack Corrigan wrote speakers a three-page memo outlining the "clear message" Kerry wanted to send from the convention.
All drafts were submitted for review, changed and rewritten with the no-negative rules heavily enforced. Among the guidance offered: "Criticism of Bush is allowed, but only as a subtle or indirect dig when comparing Kerry's vision to Bush's record. Red meat won't be served at this convention."
All I could think of when I heard reports and observations like this -- we're depserately telling ourselves right now: "Don't fuck up! Don't fuck up!" I hate to be cynical, but it sounds awfully like Dubya's tactics of rigidly controlling White House Spin. I sure hope that a Kerry administration won't do the same.
posted by claudine |Added at
9:19 PM| |
politics, dnc 2004, kerry
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