The theme at the Kerry convention seems to be Unity. All those happy, rainbow-colored faces, all in line with their candidate on every issue. No ranting speeches, no floor fights over obscure planks, no walkouts by Texas or Alaska over some slight by a controversial speaker. Never a discouraging word. Even Michael Moore was civil, at least on TV. In short the Democrats were behaving like Republicans. Right down to their four-square committment to the national defense.
Even Viet-Nam was in vogue.
And the press: did they call them on it? Did they note that their candidate was quite at odds with the Democrat base on issues like the military and terror? Did they seek out interviews with delegates who were miffed that no one was exposing Bush as a madman and/or a dictator from the podium. Did they comment on how beholden the party is to certain wildly over-represented groups (e.g. public employees unions and trial lawyers)? Nope. Nothing but hagiography and sycophantic "analysis", at least as far as the NY and LA Times had to report.
Drudge had more hard news each and every day than those two papers had all week combined.
Now, a pool: As the Republican convention approaches at the end of next month, how long will it take these same papers to turn over every Republican rock, seeking disaffected delegates and those seamy-side stories about this speaker or that? How long will it take before the obligatory "they're all rich, white and male" story graces the front page of both papers? How many reporters will they have scouring New York for some drunk reprobate delegate to quote at length? How soon until articles about how "lifelong Republicans" can't stomach President Bush.
Probably all that and more even before the convention starts.