One of the best criticisms I’ve heard about the media during campaigns is their disregard for the issues and their insistence on covering the horse race aspects instead. While they may like the watching the contest best, they might consider that these guys are going to have a lot of power and it might be interesting to see how they would use that power. Ted Koppel, who doesn't seem to mind asking tough questions on his regular show, fell right into the campaign trap.
Another aide to Mr. Clark put it more pointedly, if anonymously: "I think the big loser tonight was Ted Koppel. He was short on substance and short on class. It was an ad for Howard Dean and a negative ad for the Republican National Committee by repeatedly advertising all the flaws of the candidates."
Steve Elmendorf, a chief strategist and aide to Rep. Richard A. Gephardt of Missouri, said: "Koppel asking all those process questions? I've never seen anything like it."
The issues are tough to cover because you have to know your homework and be willing to point out when someone is lying. It’s much easier to get reactions to temporary phenomenon like Gore endorsing Dean.
Gore’s endorsement will fade from the news, but how these guys intend to keep Social Security solvent for 40 more years without forcing tax rates of 70% might be an idea someone could explore before the end of the election.
Also, the Democrats are full of scorn because we haven’t dug up the bodies of Osama and Saddam. If they have a great plan to find them maybe they could be good Americans and share their genius with the administration now before terrorists strike again. Or maybe they wouldn’t mind a terrorist strike right before the election at that.
Since most of Democratic candidates are from Congress it might be interesting to cite the ones who have voted against budget increases for intelligence through the years and ask how that was prudent policy.
Ultimately, it would be nice to hear each candidate explain why having your material needs met by government is more valuable than the appreciation and self-respect a person feels when they get these things through their own work.
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