NP: CMJ New Music Monthly, March 1996 (CD)

Everybody seems to want to bury Wes Clark after New Hampshire. I'll admit, John Kerry is now going to get a boost going into next week, especially considering that he hasn't been airing any ads in those primary states yet. But as I said yesterday, anyone who wants to say this is over after ONE primary is out of their fucking gourd. I would advise General Clark and Senator Lieberman to respond to all and any questions from anyone at MSNBC that ask if they're going to drop out of the race by asking when MSNBC is going to drop out of the cable news business, since they're so far behind CNN and Fox. Sorry, Keith, I still like you, but your network stinks.

It does bring into question the decision to skip Iowa, but that decision was made based in part on Kerry sucking like a...well, you get the picture. Nobody expected this resurgence, and it obviously hindered Clark's ability to be the war-seasoned national security candidate in New Hampshire. Once you factor in Kerry's bounce, as well as Kerry and Dean's hometown roots, you can make a case for the the general's relentless campaigning while he had the state to himself as an effort to build up support specifically because it was going to drop once everybody else got there. I don't understand why anyone is surprised that his numbers tailed once he had, you know, competition.

The thing that galled me most about Chris Matthews and Company's coverage was the sheer irrationality of it all. They talk about how 13% and 3rd place is a good showing for Edwards, who was at the bottom not too long ago. And then they turn right around and talk about how 13% and 3rd place means Clark should quit. I know I chastised Phineas about actually watching the State of the Union address when he knew darn well how much it would piss him off, but then I go and watch this asinine coverage of our democracy allegedly in action on purpose. Serves me right.

Next week will be interesting, that's for sure.

And no, I still haven't heard anything. Thanks for asking, though.