Putting a Smiley Face on the GOP

This shouldn’t come as a surprise, but “The Point’s” wrap up from New York was bit sunnier than any of the coverage of the Democrats in Boston. Not that there was any more substance dealt with than we’re used to getting from Mark Hyman.

Although he claimed he had taken “The Point” out and about New York to show us what “the network and cable news programs didn't show you,” the editorial was simply a collage of feel-good images and atrocious puns. Among the images of apple-cheeked kids, veterans with medals pinned to their chest, and people wearing funny hats and smiling, there was little mention of any of the protests that were certainly the most obvious difference between the atmosphere of the Democratic convention and the GOP gathering in New York

The only acknowledgement of dissent was the comment that “protestors showed contempt for the president.” The sound bite to bear this assertion out was simply a mild-mannered man who said, “We came together to speak in one voice against the Bush agenda.” That counts as contempt? Apparently simply disagreeing with Bush on policy matters is equated with having hate-filled personal animosity toward him. We’re just wondering, Mark: if this is your idea of contempt, what do you call the discredited blather coming from the Swifties?

And that’s The Counterpoint.