Obama Political Cartoon

Media Afraid to Report on Obama Biography

CBS News reports in its article End Of The Obama Affair reports that tensions are building among the Obama campaign and members of the media due to hyper-control of biographical and other information.

Reporters who have covered Obama's biography or his problems with certain voter blocs have been challenged the most aggressively. "They're terrified of people poking around Obama's life," one reporter says. "The whole Obama narrative is built around this narrative that Obama and David Axelrod built, and, like all stories, it's not entirely true. So they have to be protective of the crown jewels." Another reporter notes that, during the last year, Obama's old friends and Harvard classmates were requested not to talk to the press without permission.

This is what's troubling about Senator Obama, no on really knows who he is, and the media is partly to blame. Their job isn't to ogle the candidates it's to find out information, and most just aren't willing to do that. Many reports out this week show that the media is miffed that the McCain campaign called them on their Obama love fest. They routinely site that Senator McCain in 2000 jokingly referred to the media as his base as proof that they aren't bias. However, anyone with eyes and ears can tell that this year Obama is their paramour.

The problem with the obsession is that no one is reporting on facts and issues. Still no one has asked if Senator Obama believes in 'black liberation theology'. No one has asked why he has some many ties to shady people like William Ayers or Tony Rezco. No one asks why he hasn't conducted hearings on Afghanistan as committee chair. No one has asked him about the money directed to Reverend Pfleger's church while he was in the Illinois state Senate. These are fair questions for a presidential candidate, yet the media sits on its hands and belly-aches when anyone points out that they are not doing their job, and the public misses out on important information.

A Good Week for McCain Despite the Media

The media has summed up this week as a bad for McCain because of Senator Obama’s rock and roll world tour. However on issues, the week goes to McCain. Finally, people are recognizing that the surge has worked; a strategy change that McCain championed under challenging circumstances. The media spun Maliki’s statement about the withdrawal of troops to sound like it was an endorsement of Obama, but Obama has been wrong on foreign policy throughout this campaign. Discussions about withdrawals are occurring because of the surge, a surge that Senator Obama will not recognize as a success despite overwhelming evidence. If voters view Iraq and foreign policy with more than superficial interest McCain wins hands down.

The McCain campaign also called out the media for its blatant bias in its new web ad. The media doesn’t like to be criticized, but they’re not even able to deny this weeks Obama love-fest. While continuing attacks on the media may sound like sour grapes to some, it is a reality that needs to be addressed. This week made it abundantly clear to any rational or balanced thinker that the press is in the tank for Obama, and in the long run public recognition of this is a plus for McCain.

It’s hard to deny that there is some frustration coming from the McCain camp and supporters. The obsurdity of the New York Times trying to dictate a candidate's foreign policy would get on anyones nerves. However, while understandable it isn’t helpful. It gives the media another opportunity to sum up the campaign as angry, frustrated, or not as strong as the Obama campaign.

However, a couple state polls show this race as getting even closer. Rasmussen shows McCain with a ten-point lead in Ohio. A Detroit News poll has Obama up only 2 points in Michigan. While state polls seem to be all over the board, it suggests that the country isn’t as enamored with Obama as the media is, and it’s another good sign for the McCain campaign. The race is extremely tight despite a numerous reports singing Obama’s praises, and that another reason that this is a good week for McCain.

Media's Obama-Love Results in Unlikely No Obama Coalitions

As stated in several posts if there is one thing Clinton and McCain supporters can fully agree on it is that the mainstream media is in the bag for Obama. The lack of reporting on Obama flip-flops is a major source of frustration for both Clinton and McCain supporters. It is rarely mentioned that Obama signed a pledge saying he would take public financing before changing his mind. The media glosses over the Senator’s multitude of contradictory statements about Iraq. His change of position on gun control receives little attention. There has been almost no coverage on Senator Obama’s plans to continue President Bush’s faith based initiatives under a new name. With the exception of Jesse Jackson’s cutting remarks, the media has all but forgotten Obama’s associations with controversial clergy members, and other less than admirable associates.

However, the reality of politics is that a campaign rarely points out the flaws and shady dealings of their own candidate. The media's rose-colored interpretation of Obama in many ways is what has made Obama a viable candidate. They may see their Obama worship as admirable, but Senator Obama remains inexperienced, and in many ways a risky and unknown entity.

In this context it is understandable why the Clinton campaign may have underestimated Senator Obama. How could a candidate with strong 20 year ties to a radical preacher and a church that openly preaches ‘black liberation theology’; who has a good friend and major fundraiser under indictment for fraud; who has zero foreign policy in a time of war possibly win the nomination? The answer turns out to be the press.

Now that the general election is upon us, it is becoming clear to McCain supporters what Clinton supporters already have known, that Senator Obama has not been held accountable for his actions. As all the network news anchors follow Senator Obama to Iraq and Europe, McCain supporters are left scratching their head as Senator McCain’s visit to Iraq last Thanksgiving was not covered by any of the networks at all. McCain supporters suddenly can relate to Clinton supporter’s frustration, as it becomes clear that a victory in November will have to come despite this incredible media bias.

This has formed a somewhat odd alliance of McCain and Clinton supporters. Sites like Nobama Mission, Nobma Network, The No Unity Report, Democrats4McCain, and Clintons4McCain have emerged with the basic understanding that their members and readers may disagree on a variety of issues, but agree that McCain (and/or Clinton) are preferable to Obama. Many of us Independents don’t have qualms about voting for or associating with members of either party, but it is amusing to find under the same umbrella ‘Leftist Lesbian Atheist for McCain’ and ‘Evangelicals for McCain’. Now that's a broad coalition. The common thread is the recognition that Senator Obama is ill-suited to become President and Commander-in-Chief.

Planned Parenthood Kicks Off The Silly Season

Planned Parenthood has released new ads against John McCain criticize him for dodging a question about birth control and Viagra. Now I'm a girl, I get it, it's obnoxious that insurance companies cover Viagra but not birth control; but what in the world does that have to do with becoming president? Did Planned Parenthood think he should propose an executive decree that Viagra and birth control be treated the same by the insurance companies? I say, thank God he didn't answer that question, or every late night talk show along with YouTube would be playing that quote on a continuous loop from now until election day. The only thing that the clip shows is that Senator McCain is incredibly accessible to the media, and he doesn't screen his questioners.

Pack Away the Pundits

The one thing that this presidential race has shown is that the pundits are about as useful a magic eight ball in predicting the outcome of this race. Whether it was last years numerous predictions about exactly when Senator McCain would drop out of the race, and who he would support when he did; or the Clinton 'inevitablity' statements, at almost every turn the media has guessed wrong. However, in a race that is historic and fascinating pundits are still endlessly featured on every cable news network.

Here's a suggestion for the media, put away your crystal ball and do some reporting. There are plenty of issues that all three candidates address frequently that the media never bothers to discuss. Last week there was a back and forth between the Obama and McCain campaign about diplomacy, who a president talks to and under what circumstances. This was covered in the media as campaign bickering when in reality this is a serious issue that deserved more that superficial grade school level reporting.

If the press is looking for a new aspect of the race to cover report, how about the effect the internet is having on the race. This is a completely new and unknown element of politics. Does it help? Could it hurt? Will there be a backlash from Obama supporters over the top Clinton criticisms, or will this just get lost in cyberspace? Who reads political blogs? Who comments on political blogs? This is something completely new and the main steam media covers this like it does many topics; very lightly. It will be interesting to see as the internet continues to develop if the main stream media's lack of depth will limit its future.

Top Ten Ways to Tell the Press is in Love with Senator Obama

10. Newscaster crosses himself before speaking Senator Obama’s name
9. 5:2:1 Ratio of Obama:Clinton:McCain campaign representatives featured on nightly broadcasts.
8. News analysis concludes that only uneducated narrow-minded people don’t vote for Senator Obama
7. Station does expose on SNL bias after they joke about Senator Obama being coddled by the press.
6. Delegate count that is repeated every 15 minutes ends with the proclamation that Senator Obama’s nomination is a mathematical certainty.
5. Press now considers the Clintons Republicans
4. Commentator tears up whenever someone challenges Senator Obama’s experience level.
3. Newscast breaks into Clinton or McCain speech with Obama speech.
2. Commentator flies into a rage when Senator Clinton wins a primary
1. Shivers shoot up their leg when Senator Obama speaks.

John McCain and the Media Part II

It’s interesting how Senator McCain is received in the press. I’ve heard complaints that Senator McCain doesn’t get a fair shake in the press, and complaints that he’s a media darling. Oddly enough, I think both sides have a point. First, the reason Senator McCain has reporters that genuinely like him is simple, he’s incredibly accessible and a likable guy. He answers all questions, from reporters and voters alike. I challenge anyone to name another politician that takes all comers in the manner Senator McCain does. The other day I a was on a blogger call with Senator McCain, and I was sitting on the line thinking, ‘How in the world am I on the phone with Senator McCain?’ He doesn’t just talk to bloggers, he does Meet the Press, he does the John Stewart Show, he does Hardball, along with many more. Hardball and John Stewart illustrate why many members of the media like him so much. Both of those shows are not reflective of the Senator’s views, but he comes on and answers their questions anyway, and he does so gracefully and with humor. The hosts of those two shows have both made statements that they just like the guy, even though they often don’t agree with him. One can argue whether it’s fair that these people like him, but the Senator gives them good cause to do so.

Now the other side of the coin is, does Senator McCain get a fair shake in general media terms? While I don’t think networks sit around thinking up ways to trip up the McCain campaign, I do think he has received the brunt side of biased reporting. The most blatant example of this is Iraq. Unfortunately, Iraq has become one of the most politicized issues in years. This isn’t just done by politicians, but by networks and reporters as well. Senator McCain has made his stance on Iraq clear from the beginning and has taken a beating for it from left leaning news networks. Now that the situation in Iraq is improving he’s not receiving the credit he is due for pushing for a change in strategy and for answering hard questions from reporters that other candidates avoided with platitudes like, ‘There are no good answers in Iraq’.

Now it is somewhat a toss up whether the coverage of the Iraq last spring and summer was due to bias, poor reporting, or both. However, there was little information given about what the surge was and why it was different than the previous strategy. The impression left by news networks was that the surge simply meant additional troops. The change in strategy itself was given little to no coverage, and the surge (along with Senator McCain) was decried as being a foolish and stubborn policy. The perception given by the media was that Senator McCain walked in lock step with President Bush, and it was ignored that Senator McCain pushed for a strategy change years before it was implemented. Now that there are signs of success in Iraq you still don’t see these networks willing to point out progress, instead they say nothing.

Then the question comes up; are the networks pushing a particular candidate, and is this reflected in their reporting? Are they trying to promote a particular party? Does the network itself pick a candidate or are individual reporters responsible for promoting one candidate and not another? I don’t know the answer, but I do know that they are doing a poor job at appearing objective. Mayor Giuliani has a friendship with Roger Ailes the head of Fox News, and while I in no way fault either one for having this friendship, I do wonder if it affects the network’s objectivity. CNN has been dubbed the ‘Clinton News Network’ for a reason, and the over-the-top reporting of Rick Sanchez this week only helped to reinforce that moniker. The large number of opinion shows on cable news makes it difficult to know what is genuine reporting, and what is opinion. The strength of Senator McCain in the media is that he continues to keep answering the hard questions that others avoid, and it wins him respect from a wide range of people. His challenge is that the network’s agenda may not include him, and that he may have to find a way to win despite the fog created by poor and biased reporting.

Cross Posted from http://blogs4mccain.com/2007/11/16/john-mccain-and-the-media-part-ii/