A glimmer of light?

I was very pleased to hear the president had selected Tony Snow to replace Scott McClellan as White House Press Secretary. Now in his first week of his new job, Tony isn't letting me down. He's stating the facts and he's naming the papers by name who have misreported the truth.

“The New York Times continues to ignore America’s economic progress,” blared the headline of an e-mail sent to reporters Wednesday by the White House press office.

Minutes earlier, another e-mail blasted CBS News, which has had an unusually rocky relationship with the White House since 2004, when CBS aired what turned out to be forged documents in a failed effort to question the president’s military service.

Another glimpse of hope: Democratic chairman Howard Dean is being called on the carpet for saying what people want to hear. The best part is this criticism is coming from an organization he (and many other democrats, for that matter) might actually listen to.

Dean told Christian Broadcasting Network News that the 2004 Democratic platform declares "marriage is between a man and a woman" just one of the points he made in reaching out to religious conservatives who are largely hostile to the party.

But the platform does not define marriage that way, and his remarks prompted the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force to return a $5,000 donation from the Democratic National Committee.

Dean later acknowledged his misstatement, but the group sent back the money anyway. "We need for Governor Dean to demonstrate real leadership on our issues," executive director Matt Foreman said in an interview, "not to equivocate depending on the audience."

Maybe he thought he could get away with it because his normal cadre of supporters wouldn't be caught dead watching CBN. Who knows?

It's clear to me he still doesn't "get it". He truly is trying to woo any group he can think of, as evidenced by this statement (which he did not withdraw):

He went on: "The truth is, we have an enormous amount in common with the Christian community, and particularly with the evangelical Christian community. And one of the biggest things that Democrats worry about is the materialism of our country, what's on television that our kids are seeing, and the lack of spirituality."

Did you catch it? The Democratic party has a lot in common with the Christian community. Not that many Democrats are members of the Christian community (though I'm sure many are). Dean seems to see them as pretty much mutually exclusive things. "We Democrats are pretty much the same thing as Christians, doncha know!"

This may be nothing more than the common misconceptions that Christianity is about being a good person, not being greedy, giving to the poor, etc. It seems clear to me that at least some of it was also a career politician doing what he does best – telling people what they want to hear, because the correction will never see the same coverage as the original quote, thanks to the MSM.

I think some of the same confusion overtook Katy Couric on Good Morning America, Tuesday morning. I guess it must be surprising to a New York resident that evangelical Christian values are as widespread as they are, based on the tone of her segment. She should get out more. I heard about the piece on the Laura Ingram (sp?) show, under the heading of "2000 years behind the curve", and I think Laura's about right.

Katy even had the nerve to quote scripture to Joel Osteen, pastor of a mega-church in Houston, and focus on how he can be rich and call himself a Christian. Point A: a reporter trying to outfox a pastor by quoting scripture is like a kid with a water gun trying to get a fireman wet. Point B: Katy Couric probably makes a lot more than Joel Osteen, and spends a lot more of it on herself. Point C: What exactly entitles her to unilaterally decide what makes a good Christian, and whether he fits that profile?

From what I heard, I was very pleased with Joel's answers. Whether she wanted to or not, I think Katy's interview was a good thing, since it gave him a chance to speak to a new audience, if even briefly.