Jim Stillman
NevarWhy does Senator McCain get a “free pass” from the Media?
July 31st 2008 00:00
It has been an accepted “fact” that Fox News has traditionally taken positions, including in its non-editorial news programs, which have been anything but “fair and balanced”. Any reasonable observer or listener of the radio talk shows of Michael Savage, Bill O’Reilly, Neal Boortz, Dennis Prager, Hugh Hewitt, Michael Medved, and others would be convinced that the media were determined to paint anything to the left of Genghis Kahn as evil.
Ask the average Republican politician if the media are biased, the response would be that the major non-Fox networks and major publications were totally in the pocket of liberals, that the product of these news outlets is thoroughly and unreservedly biased in favor of the Democrats.
Over the past months there has been an increasing awareness on the part of the press and academics that there has been a demonstrable bias; the only surprise is that it has been strongly in favor of Senator McCain.
The evidence had been anecdotal. Examine, if you will, the mistakes uttered by John McCain over the past weeks. He spoke of an Iraqi-Pakistan border, ignoring the existence of Iran, he spoke of an uprising in Iraq against militia resulting from the “surge” in troops ordered by President Bush, when the uprising came months before the surge, he confused and obviously was unfamiliar with the Sunni and Shia, and his contradictory pronouncement s of the likelihood of tax increases during a McCain administration. The latter resulted in the previously unheard assertion by a campaign spokesman that John McCain did not speak for the John McCain campaign!
Through all of these events, it seemed that Senator McCain was being treated with great delicacy by the media; he was a lovable old coot, one’s grandfather, who was adorable.
Both Senators McCain and Obama had their “preacher” problems, outspoken and even outrageous clergy who supported them. Each Senator repudiated and condemned the views of Rev. Jeremiah Wright and Televangelist Rod Parsley, respectively. Yet the alleged “association” between Barack Obama and Wright was the sole topic of a week’s news cycle or more whereas the ravings of Parsley and Reverend John Hagee are ignored.
Sometimes the anti-Obama slant is so ridiculous as to be funny. Conservative Mike Gallagher on Fox’s Hannity & Colmes, brought up a People Magazine interview with Senator and Mrs. Obama in which, Gallagher falsely claimed, “revealed that the Obamas don’t believe in giving their children Christmas presents or birthday gifts.”
In fact, that’s not what the article revealed at all. While it really doesn’t matter, Gallagher continued, “Now, we’ve been looking for proof that they’re socialists. There it is. There’s proof positive that this is a socialist family. These children are going to have a lifetime of therapy to contend with.”
Now, however, there is more than anecdotal material.
A press release by the Center for Media and Public Affairs, a well-respected nonpartisan research and educational organization, reports its findings:
“Barack Obama is getting more negative coverage than John McCain on TV network evening news shows, reversing Obama's lead in good press during the primaries, according to a new study by Center for Media and Public Affairs (CMPA). The study also finds that a majority of both candidates' coverage is unfavorable for the first time this year. According to CMPA President Dr. S. Robert Lichter, "Obama replaced McCain as the media's favorite candidate after New Hampshire. But now the networks are voting no on both candidates."
A few years ago, the Center and Dr. Lichter, issued a report that suggested that the media were biased in favor of liberals. Fox’ Bill O’Reilly responded by hailing Dr. Lichter as a “truth teller”. Now that the Center has issued a new report suggesting more unfavorable reporting of Senator Obama, Mr. O’Reilly called the report misleading and a mistake.
Notwithstanding the shrill protests of Fox, the media has given Senator McCain a pass.
Thank goodness there are other voices. I add this last as a commentary because it is simply funny.
Ask the average Republican politician if the media are biased, the response would be that the major non-Fox networks and major publications were totally in the pocket of liberals, that the product of these news outlets is thoroughly and unreservedly biased in favor of the Democrats.
Over the past months there has been an increasing awareness on the part of the press and academics that there has been a demonstrable bias; the only surprise is that it has been strongly in favor of Senator McCain.
The evidence had been anecdotal. Examine, if you will, the mistakes uttered by John McCain over the past weeks. He spoke of an Iraqi-Pakistan border, ignoring the existence of Iran, he spoke of an uprising in Iraq against militia resulting from the “surge” in troops ordered by President Bush, when the uprising came months before the surge, he confused and obviously was unfamiliar with the Sunni and Shia, and his contradictory pronouncement s of the likelihood of tax increases during a McCain administration. The latter resulted in the previously unheard assertion by a campaign spokesman that John McCain did not speak for the John McCain campaign!
Through all of these events, it seemed that Senator McCain was being treated with great delicacy by the media; he was a lovable old coot, one’s grandfather, who was adorable.
Both Senators McCain and Obama had their “preacher” problems, outspoken and even outrageous clergy who supported them. Each Senator repudiated and condemned the views of Rev. Jeremiah Wright and Televangelist Rod Parsley, respectively. Yet the alleged “association” between Barack Obama and Wright was the sole topic of a week’s news cycle or more whereas the ravings of Parsley and Reverend John Hagee are ignored.
Sometimes the anti-Obama slant is so ridiculous as to be funny. Conservative Mike Gallagher on Fox’s Hannity & Colmes, brought up a People Magazine interview with Senator and Mrs. Obama in which, Gallagher falsely claimed, “revealed that the Obamas don’t believe in giving their children Christmas presents or birthday gifts.”
In fact, that’s not what the article revealed at all. While it really doesn’t matter, Gallagher continued, “Now, we’ve been looking for proof that they’re socialists. There it is. There’s proof positive that this is a socialist family. These children are going to have a lifetime of therapy to contend with.”
Now, however, there is more than anecdotal material.
A press release by the Center for Media and Public Affairs, a well-respected nonpartisan research and educational organization, reports its findings:
“Barack Obama is getting more negative coverage than John McCain on TV network evening news shows, reversing Obama's lead in good press during the primaries, according to a new study by Center for Media and Public Affairs (CMPA). The study also finds that a majority of both candidates' coverage is unfavorable for the first time this year. According to CMPA President Dr. S. Robert Lichter, "Obama replaced McCain as the media's favorite candidate after New Hampshire. But now the networks are voting no on both candidates."
A few years ago, the Center and Dr. Lichter, issued a report that suggested that the media were biased in favor of liberals. Fox’ Bill O’Reilly responded by hailing Dr. Lichter as a “truth teller”. Now that the Center has issued a new report suggesting more unfavorable reporting of Senator Obama, Mr. O’Reilly called the report misleading and a mistake.
Notwithstanding the shrill protests of Fox, the media has given Senator McCain a pass.
Thank goodness there are other voices. I add this last as a commentary because it is simply funny.
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Comment by Randy Inman
Waxing Political
Football Dogz
The media does tend to pick their favorites and sometimes they change from week to week.
Comment by Jeff Musall
Comment by Smooth Political