turning a corner

In the past few weeks, the election seems to have turned from one where it was Kerry's to lose to one where the President's reelection appears more and more likely. Part of this can no doubt be attributed to the Swift Boat ads and the media's unwillingness to identify them as the lies they are. But there is a broader element at play, and I think the Republican National Convention is demonstrating it.

They have a vicious noise machine of political operatives throughout their organization (but never the President) who immediately react to any misstep by Kerry. The "rapid response team" the Republicans operated at the DNC is unmatched by Democrats this week. This constant spin wears down journalists who seem less and less willing to call them on their lies. On CNBC the Vice President recently denied saying that it was "pretty well confirmed" that Mohammed Atta met with Iraqis (this is the Iraq/Al Qaeda connection he had repeatedly cited even after evidence that Atta wasn't in Prague at the time of the meeting). He used those exact words on Meet the Press in December of 2001.

The reporter, flustered for a moment, tried to press him on it, but without having prepared the clip, simply allowed him to repeat his denial. Sure, this story hits the blogsphere, but it is besieged by stories about THK telling a reporter to "shove it" or Kerry's Vietnam service record. Whether a coordinated strategy or not, the Republicans seem to deluge the media with myriad claims about John Kerry and George Bush. Overwhelmed, the media can't provide an appropriate filter, and enough of the lies and misleading statements get through to have an effect. Are the Democrats unwilling to play this game, or are we just no good at it?