Just a quick quote from Atrios right now:

The Washington press corps doesn't much like John Kerry. And, as we learned with Al Gore, that's important.


Actually, it isn't important. The Washington press corps won't like any Democratic candidate. What is important is that said candidate realizes that fact sooner and not later and stops trying to please them.

I'll admit that for a few very brief moments in '92 the press had a bit of a "Clinton Buzz" but that too was overwhelmed by their willingness to report any horseshit dished up to them about him. Dem candidates will always get a bum rap from the Alpha Girls. We can discuss why, but frankly it doesn't really matter unless we can figure out how to change it. Fact is, the Spite Girls will knock whoever the the Dem candidate is. That's the hand we've been dealt and it's time to figure out how to deal with it.

Not too much to add, except that part of the reason this whole thing exists is the good ol' Mighty Wurlitzer... it can be awfully tempting for mainstream media types to go along with the right's spin when it comes from faux-mainstream sources like Fox News, especially when the counter-spin is so relatively weak.

As to how to change it? Not quite sure, except maybe to put together a Democratic version of the living Zaphod Beeblebrox that is the Shrub, one that is as unthreatening and amusing to them.