Saturday, March 13, 2004
Here is the transcript from Anderson Cooper 360's coverage of Kerry's remark calling the Republicans crooked.
Today, back here at home, controversy. Republicans going on the offensive of John Kerry accusing him after smear campaign, that's what he said, because of what Kerry said yesterday.
Today, the Senator says he's not sorry about crooked Republicans. Whether you agree with him or not, we think candidates talking off the cuff, it is a rare glimpse of real, raw politics.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER (voice-over): Political lesson No. 1, when you're wired for sound, even if you're not on, your microphone may be.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Keep smiling.
SEN. JOHN KERRY, (D-MA) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Oh, don't worry, man. We're going to keep pounding, let me tell you. Just beginning the fight here. These guys are the most crooked, you know, lying group I've ever seen.
COOPER: He might not have chosen to have them recorded, today John Kerry says he stands by them and will not apologize. Republicans say they're outraged by the remarks, but it is certainly not the first time we have heard a candidate being candid. Four years ago, then Governor Bush didn't know his mic was on when he used a crude expletive to describe about a reporter. Bush later apologized.
And remember 1984 when Ronald Reagan made a joke while testing a microphone before a radio address?
RONALD REAGAN, FRM PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: All right. My fellow Americans, I'm pleased to tell you today that I've signed legislation that would outlaw Russia forever. We begin bombing in five minutes.
COOPER: Why does anyone care about the captured comments? Perhaps because in this age of prepackaged, prescripted politics, hearing something unexpected is, well, unexpected.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: That's raw politics for tonight.
Notice the part I marked in bold at the end. That would be a great statement, if only Kerry's remark was really an off the cuff captured moment. It was not. Kerry was speaking to a supporter, a man he had probably never met before. While he did not actually make the remark for the cameras, he was saying within the context of his campaign. So rather than being some sort of insight into Kerry's true nature, feeling, or beliefs, it was simply coverage of what the presumptive Democrat nominee tells supporters. Kerry's remarks to supporters are likely just as packaged and scripted as his remarks on TV. Even without the microphone on, reporters could have gotten basically the same story simply by talking to supporters after they have had the chance to shake the candidate's hand. This incident, then, is actually, quite different than the other two mentioned in the CNN segment. Both in the case of Bush making a remark to his close ally Cheney and in the case of Reagan joking before a speech a moment was captured that gave insight into how the man thought that could not quite have been gotten any other way. Kerry's remark, however, while generating similar hoopla did not offer quite the same unique insight as the other two examples.
Today, back here at home, controversy. Republicans going on the offensive of John Kerry accusing him after smear campaign, that's what he said, because of what Kerry said yesterday.
Today, the Senator says he's not sorry about crooked Republicans. Whether you agree with him or not, we think candidates talking off the cuff, it is a rare glimpse of real, raw politics.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER (voice-over): Political lesson No. 1, when you're wired for sound, even if you're not on, your microphone may be.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Keep smiling.
SEN. JOHN KERRY, (D-MA) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Oh, don't worry, man. We're going to keep pounding, let me tell you. Just beginning the fight here. These guys are the most crooked, you know, lying group I've ever seen.
COOPER: He might not have chosen to have them recorded, today John Kerry says he stands by them and will not apologize. Republicans say they're outraged by the remarks, but it is certainly not the first time we have heard a candidate being candid. Four years ago, then Governor Bush didn't know his mic was on when he used a crude expletive to describe about a reporter. Bush later apologized.
And remember 1984 when Ronald Reagan made a joke while testing a microphone before a radio address?
RONALD REAGAN, FRM PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: All right. My fellow Americans, I'm pleased to tell you today that I've signed legislation that would outlaw Russia forever. We begin bombing in five minutes.
COOPER: Why does anyone care about the captured comments? Perhaps because in this age of prepackaged, prescripted politics, hearing something unexpected is, well, unexpected.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: That's raw politics for tonight.
Notice the part I marked in bold at the end. That would be a great statement, if only Kerry's remark was really an off the cuff captured moment. It was not. Kerry was speaking to a supporter, a man he had probably never met before. While he did not actually make the remark for the cameras, he was saying within the context of his campaign. So rather than being some sort of insight into Kerry's true nature, feeling, or beliefs, it was simply coverage of what the presumptive Democrat nominee tells supporters. Kerry's remarks to supporters are likely just as packaged and scripted as his remarks on TV. Even without the microphone on, reporters could have gotten basically the same story simply by talking to supporters after they have had the chance to shake the candidate's hand. This incident, then, is actually, quite different than the other two mentioned in the CNN segment. Both in the case of Bush making a remark to his close ally Cheney and in the case of Reagan joking before a speech a moment was captured that gave insight into how the man thought that could not quite have been gotten any other way. Kerry's remark, however, while generating similar hoopla did not offer quite the same unique insight as the other two examples.
# posted by Julia @ 3:51 PM 
