The Myth of the Media Bias Toward Barack Obama
Reader Comments
More Media Bias For McCain
Charlie S of Il. Right on and I Have read countless gaffs and downright lies from McCain, and behold not one word in the Media. McCain said it himself "The Media is his base"
John of WA You have a problem.
IT'S IS NO MYTH
IF YOU BELIEVE IT IS A MYTH THAT THE MEDIA IS BIASED, YOU CERTAINLY MUST NOT HAVE BEEN LISTENIG TO THE VOTERS. IT STARTED WITH THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY'S TACTICS DURING THE PRIMARY. WHAT A JOKE, THE MEDIA HAD THE RACE OVER FOR SENATOR CLINTON AFTER THE IOWA CAUCUS AND SUBSEQUENT RACES THAT FOLLOWED. THE MEDIA CONTINUED TO TELL HER IT WAS TIME TO GET OUT AND THE DNC CHIMED RIGHT IN ALONG WITH MANY OF THE BIG SHOT POLITICIANS. SHE WAS DAMNED IF SHE DID AND DAMNED IF SHE DIDN'T. IT IS SO OBVIOUS THAT THE DNC ALONG WITH THE PARTY FAVORITES SELECTED OBAMA AS THEIR NOMINEE WITH THE HELP OF MOST ALL OF THE MEDIA. SO YOU CAN SAY IT IS A MYTH BUT THE OBJECTIVE REPORTING WAS DEFINITELY MISSING. DO YOU NOT REALIE OBAMA IS TREATED AS THE NOMINEE AND HE DID NOT HAVE THE NECESSARY VOTES TO SECURE THE NOMINATION. PERFECT EXAMPLE IS HOW THE MEDIA REPORTED THE DECISION BY THE RULES COMMITTEE ABOUT THE MICHIGAN AND FLORIDA PRIMARIES. THE COMMITTEE ACTUALLY GAVE DELEGATES TO OBAMA THAT BELONGED TO SENATOR CLINTON AND THE MEDIA WAS MUTE ON THE SUBJECT LIKE THEY WERE OF OTHER UNFAIR TREATMENT SHE RECEIVED. NOW THAT SENATOR CLINTON IS GONE IT IS SENATOR MCCAIN'S TURN. OBAMA HAS HAD A FREE RIDE FROM THE MEDIA BECAUSE IF ASKED THE TOUGH QUESTIONS HE SHOWS HIS LACK OF SUBSTANCE. AFTER HIS TOUGH DEBATE WITH CLINTON HE OPTED NO MORE DEBATING. JUST WATCH THE RECENT FIRST OBJECTIVE QUESTIONING BY KATIE COURIC ABOUT THE SURGE IN IRAQ. A REAL EXAMPLE OF WHY SUPPORTERS OF SENATOR CLINTON ARE NOT VOTING FOR OBAMA HE IS A SPEAKER BUT CERTAINLY LACKS SUBSTANCE.
HE IS A WEAK CANDIDATE WITH A LACK OF EXPERIECNCE OR RECORD THAT QUALIFIES HIM TO BE PRESIDENT OR COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF.SO LET'S JUST SAY WE HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING BIASED REPORTING AND THAT IS NO MYTH. MONEY WAS THE REASON FOR THE DEMOCRATIC CHOICE NOT THE VOICES OF 18,000,000 VOTERS. OBAMA WAS SELECTED BY THE DNC BUT NOT THE CHOICE OF THE PEOPLE.
what bias??
Yes, there might be more coverage of Senator Obama but I think McCain is the one with the free ride right now. Every word Obama speaks is beign covered, scruitinized and examined. McCain gets away with continual gaffes and out right un-truths with out any quetsion.
The Media SHOULD Give McCain More Coverage
Regarding the perceived media bias against John McCain, I agree that John McCain should have more media coverage. If he had been receiving the same level of coverage that Obama has then maybe he wouldn't be getting a free pass on all of the gaffes and mistakes that he has been making. (i.e. Pakistan/Iraq Border, Czechoslovakia, Sunni vs. Shi'ite, Surge Timelines, etc.) For all his talk about making so many trips to the area, you would think he would be a little more educated.
Dee
Dallas, Texas
Give me a break
You liberal media cronies are so far in the can for Obama, it's pathetic. Don't worry though, we can see through it. You people of the press however see nothing wrong with a 200 member entourage of press staff following Obama around on his single trip to the middle east, when barely 35 words were printed about McCain's 10 previous visits.
Mashek, you missed the boat on this one
Johnny, I have known you since 1958, when we worked together in the Dallas News city room. I respect your political acumen. But, pal, I think you missed the boat on this one. The sort of fawning coverage the media have given Obama is despicable.
I am sitting out this year's election; I go along with Mencken who wrote, "Fah to all to them." Just what has this guy done to warrant putting him in the Oval Office? I feel that the media are performing like those Orange-clad long-legged babes known as the Texas Stars who whooped up support for my UT Longhorns in the 1950s.
And, lest I be dismissed as a right wing nut, on the wall to the right of my desk is a letter from Sen. George McGovern thanking me for my work on an off-the-books media commmitee that worked for him in 1972.
So, let the games continue. I choose to sit out this one.
Joe Goulden
Washington, DC
OBAMA mubbling and stuttering in Middleseast? I didnt think so
Obama mubling like a scared college kid get nothing-No press.
Are you kidding me? How can one turn a blind eye that? If McCain did that no one would vote for him including me. Lets just be fair people. And honest.....
Let the poeple hear each candidate. I not here to endorse anyone-but be honest with yourself
Right Wing Corp Based Media
The right wing corporate-based media is biased to a fault. The bias is and has been against Barak Obama.
You don't have to look any further than the ridiculous, relentless, biased coverage given to the Rev Wright non event and how it was blown into cataclysmic proportions by none other than the right wing corporate based television networks. I didn't hear any complaining about that coverage.
Rev. Hagee, and Pastor Parsley, received virtually no mention from the right wing corporate-based media. McCain's acceptance of the endorsement of these so called men of faith in light of their despicable, hateful comments should have been covered as much or more so than the coverage given to Rev. Wright.
McCain made such an issue out of Obama not going to Iraq, and Afghanistan. Now that he's made the trip, Gramps is beside himself because Obama was received with open arms by our brave young men and women thrust in harms way, and by the leaders of Iraq and the other countries that Obama visited.
The Conservative attack machine is out of ammunition and is groping for anything.
Ta Ta my right wing friends. Face the facts, Gramps is a weak candidate. Its not your year. You can thank Bush for that.
John W. Mashek covered politics in Washington for four decades with U.S. News & World Report, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and the Boston Globe. His primary beats were Congress, the White House, and national politics. He covered every presidential election from 1960 to 1996. He was a panelist in three televised presidential debates in 1984, 1988, and 1992.