Beth has already e-mailed today regarding Adam Nagourney's article on the DNC race in this morning's paper, "Dean Rival Gains Strength in Bid for Chairman." She refers to several entries on this site (I was only able to track down "Opinion: A guide for picking through the trash can that is Nagourney's writing in this morning's New York Times") and wonders if Donnie Fowler "suprise leap to the front of the race is why you ignored yesterday's article and considering all the nice things you've said about Donnie, I'm just a little suspicious."
I can't find these (or even "all") nice things I've said regarding Fowler and don't have time to spend all morning looking. (That's not to imply that I couldn't say nice things about Fowler. Searching my mind right now, the only detracting thing I can think of about him is he has a tendency to talk while chewing.) The blog's endorsed Howard Dean. That's who we decided on sometime ago.
Nagourney wrote an article that appeared in yesterday's paper and I didn't read it because I didn't feel like "picking through the trash can that is Nagourney's writing." I did quick read his report this morning (online) while waiting for the paper to arrive as a result of Beth's e-mail. I also checked my personal e-mail accounts (which I ignored this weekend -- I was "out of pocket" for most of the weekend to most people and when I did have conversations, they revolved around Iraq and East Timor). I've got an e-mail from someone present for what Nagourney's reporting on. The e-mail echoes the main thrust of Nagourney's reporting but it draws into question many of the smaller points (on which Nagourney builds his case). This isn't a response to Nagourney's article, this was e-mailed yesterday.
Nagourney, for whatever reason, appears to have imposed a narrative on his article that I questioned before I started checking my e-mails.
We're supporting Howard Dean (even though Nagourney isn't and never has in his reporting).
There's no effort or plot to slowly beginning bringing up Donnie Fowler and begin saying, "Hey everybody, I think you should really check him out." The blog spoke a long time ago and the decision hasn't changed.
In a sign of resistance to Howard Dean's bid to lead the Democratic Party, the executive board of the Association of State Democratic Chairs recommended on Sunday that the association endorse one of Dr. Dean's rivals, Donnie Fowler Jr. of South Carolina.
The recommendation, to be voted on by the entire association on Monday, reflected turmoil among Democrats as Dr. Dean seeks to portray his election on Feb. 12 by the Democratic National Committee as inevitable, and his opponents move to rally around a candidate to block him.
The executive committee recommendation is not binding, and some Democrats held open the possibility that the association would reject it. Mr. Fowler drew eight votes, to six for Dr. Dean, who was the perceived front-runner among the Democratic candidates for president until his defeat by Senator John Kerry in the Iowa caucuses.
That is about the only thing the e-mail report I received and Nagourney's article agree on.
(I trust the person who e-mailed me. I know him and he's not been as loose with the facts as I've found Nagourney's reporting to be.)
Here's a link to the Sunday article I didn't read and have no interest in reading, Seven Candidates Scramble to Lead the Party That Lost and, in addition, Nagourney has another article in today's paper about John Kerry's appearence on Meet the Press Kerry Says bin Laden Tape Gave Bush a Lift which I have read online. (The paper only arrived about twenty minutes ago.) On the article about Kerry's appearence, Nagourney has again proven he's adept at transcribing. Hopefully Bob Somerby will address the appearence and provide perspective (something sorely lacking in Nagourney's article) today or tomorrow on The Daily Howler.
If you missed Wednesday's Howler last week, please check out "TIM WAS GROWING AN OLD DOG NOW! Russert slept at one guest’s feet. But then he chased after another" which is illumantive and entertaining. (Somerby compares to the dog Flush from Virginia Woolf’s Flush.)
Russert's childish hijinx of 2000 (he proved he could color within the lines as long as he was given a blue and red crayola) have hardened into something that resembles journalism less and less and facts be damned.
Lynda e-mailed yesterday afternoon about the full page ad in the Times for Kerry's appearence on Meet the Press and regretted that she'd missed it. I saw the ad that morning and made a deliberate choice to miss it. Russert needs an ombudsman more and more. (A real one, so don't start working on that resume Daniel Okrent.)
Read the Nagourney articles if they speak to you. They don't to me and I had other things I needed to focus on yesterday. (I'd recommend you go to msnbc.com and track down the transcript for yesterday's Meet the Press if you read Nagourney's article.)
