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Here is an email I sent PBS' Newshour after i figured out you can't post on there site directly. How do we best get this message out to local and national press?
"I'm not going to ply you with flowery metaphors, nor will I engage in rabble rousing and hysteria about a monolithic "press". Better yet, I will not use the terms "the press" or the ubiquitous "they." I will give you the facts as I saw them from Friday night's political wrap-up on the Newshour.
Jim Lehr specifically stated that Sen. Clinton won Texas. Mark Shields asserted that point twice. Even David Brooks, normally an oasis of rationality within the miles of spin and punditry that masquerade as televised political coverage, implied that Sen. Obama lost Texas. Now if you proceed from that thesis, then one must recognize that Sen. Obama's chances were damaged by Tuesday's results. But what if that thesis is not based in fact?
I find it difficult to concede that the editors and staffers, and yes, Misters Shields, Brooks and Lehr, do not know that Sen. Obama won Texas. While of course he lost the primary by roughly 100k votes, he not only won more pledged delegates than Sen. Clinton, it appears that when the caucus votes are added to the primary votes, he may indeed have won more total votes as well. Therefore, when TX results are brought up, if one is not going to restrict their comments the TX primary, an assertion of victory by Senator Clinton is patently false. When the subject of TX as a whole is broached, at the very least the results should be characterized as a tie, although it is certainly more correct to assert victory for Sen. Obama.
More delegates won, and likely more total votes cast for Obama. What is the Newshour waiting for? More importantly, why do they feel the need to further untruths about such an important matter? When the Texas Democratic Party declares Obama the victor in writing, as they have already conceded to the Obama campaign, will the Newshour lead in with the correct story for several days, as they have done with its converse?
The only hint of accuracy that I have seen about the TX result came from PBS's sister in mission, NPR. See this link, listen to this story, and realize I am not a member of the flat earth society. http://www.npr.org/templates/s...
Note that in the subsequent 48 hours since the above report, the story has evolved to the point where the Obama campaign can make a clear assertion of victory. Why is the truth not "out there?" When will Dewey beats Truman become Truman beats Dewey in Texas?"
Any suggestions on this?
you can email me at jhakerr@gmail.com
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