Anti-Bush views sway coverage

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution ^ | September 15, 2004 | Shaunti Feldhahn

[Cincinatus' Wife]

I'm beginning to wonder whether our major news outlets should run a disclaimer after any story about President Bush: "This report reflects the personal opinion of the journalist and does not necessarily represent XYZ News Company's policy of objective reporting."

We all know that the media trend liberal — just 7 percent of journalists identified themselves as conservative in the most recent Pew Research poll. But while we may wince at biased reporting every now and then, we generally trust media outlets to prevent personal views from influencing news.

However, every now and then we glimpse the intense journalistic desire to see Bush defeated, and see how clouded journalistic integrity can become when reporters encounter Bush-bashing stories that they desperately want to be true.

CBS' Dan Rather often demonstrates this tendency. Last week, he aired supposed 1972 National Guard documents saying that the young George W. Bush refused to follow orders, and that Bush's superior was pressured to "sugarcoat" his record. Thanks to some keen-eyed bloggers, it became apparent that the explosive documents were almost certainly forged — but not before many newspapers put the story on their front pages. Embarrassed, NBC, ABC, CNN, the Washington Post and the Associated Press — among others — hired independent experts, who said there was little chance the copies were genuine.

One typewriter expert, Richard Polt, is a Kerry supporter, but was "95 percent sure [they were] produced with a word processor." Although a complex Varityper publishing machine could have produced the same print in 1972, he said, it "doesn't seem very plausible that somebody would have a Varityper lying around" to produce routine memos.

The experts called on CBS to release the original documents. And the public called for an internal CBS investigation.

CBS' response? No documents; no internal investigation. Rather defended the documents on-air, but did not fully answer the primary criticisms, reveal that several key sources were backtracking or explain that the officer supposedly pressing for the "sugarcoating" had left the service long before the purported memo date.

A recent Associated Press debacle makes CBS' looks tame. The day President Clinton was unexpectedly hospitalized, I was distressed to learn that a conservative crowd behaved terribly when President Bush broke that news at a campaign stop. According to a widely circulated AP story, when Bush said Clinton was in his prayers, "Bush's audience of thousands in West Allis, Wisc., booed. Bush did nothing to stop them."

Turns out the AP story was a complete fabrication, the reverse of the truth. On the tape of that moment, when Bush shared the news the audience broke into thunderous, respectful applause. The AP was flooded with challenging e-mails and changed the story — but, again, not before it had been picked up by dozens of other media outlets. Incredibly, the AP never officially retracted the original story and never issued a public correction.

And it's still a busy week for Bush-bashing. NBC's "Today" is devoting three days to interviewing tabloid journalist Kitty Kelley, whose new unauthorized biography alleges George W. used cocaine after his religious conversion. Kelley has a long history of inaccurate reporting, and it is of some credit to the "Today" show that they also interviewed Kelley's cocaine-allegations source, who denies she said any such thing. But, still, back when President Clinton was running for re-election, I can't imagine "Today" show producers giving any time to the several unauthorized, scurrilous Clinton biographies hitting the market.

Sometimes, it seems media representatives so desperately want an anti-Bush revelation to be true that they lose sight of good journalistic judgment. Let's hope the public never does.

Shaunti Feldhahn of Norcross is the author of several books. Her column appears Wednesdays.

[samtheman]

Strike a blow against the media. Donate to the swiftvets.

[jwpjr]

The radio station I listen to most of the time carries AP Network news at the top of the hour. I've noticed lately that when they carry a sound byte from Kerry that they always include the applause and crowd reaction, but when the actuality is of President Bush they cut it before any applause or reaction. Maybe we could be on the lookout for little things like this that they appear to be doing to slant the news one way or the other?

[oust the louse]

Good article.I just sent off to my liberal brother who dispells the notion that the media is biased.Of course,his reply will be,"those comments are from a conservative writer,what do you expect..."

[Republican Red]

The AJC has a story complaining about media bias? I canceled my subscription to this rag five years ago. Maybe they should do some inner soul searching before they criticize others.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

..... but when the actuality is of President Bush they cut it before any applause or reaction.

I've noticed this too. So I imagine a lot of people are "getting it."

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

Kelley has a long history of inaccurate reporting, and it is of some credit to the "Today" show that they also interviewed Kelley's cocaine-allegations source, who denies she said any such thing. But, still, back when President Clinton was running for re-election, I can't imagine "Today" show producers giving any time to the several unauthorized, scurrilous Clinton biographies hitting the market.

The networks gave so much credence to Unlimited Access, for example.

Sometimes Usually, it seems media representatives so desperately want an anti-Bush revelation to be true that they lose sight of good journalistic judgment.

[Soul Seeker]

Instead of McCain forcing politicians to say "I am so and so and I approve this message", maybe he should have written the law for his buddies in the O.M.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Shaunti Feldhahn and Jim Wooten are excellent Atlanta Journal-Constitution editorial writers.

The problem with AJC and all other major newspapers is, that their news stories are slanted, spun and editied.

[dubie]

Why are journalist so liberal? Is there something in the water? Is there something about journalism that does not attract conservatives? I often wonder that. I also wonder why school and college teachers are more liberal. What is causing conservatives to flee from these professions? Perhaps flee is not the right word... I just wonder what in the brain is missing from a liberal that they don't get that they are wrong...

[lizma]

I've noticed lately that when they carry a sound byte from Kerry that they always include the applause and crowd reaction, but when the actuality is of President Bush they cut it before any applause or reaction..

With the last election they almost never even played a Bush sound byte, just Gore's. I think they've actually improved, though they have a long way to go.

[HIDEK6]

Another one of their little tricks is, when reporting the day's campaign events, they tell you what d*ckhead said that day, then play the clip of him playing it, while merely summarizing what the president said.

[rabidralph]

Yes, they do that with the CBS radio news report at the top of the hour on my radio station, too.

Also, watch for Photoshop touch-ups on Kerry's face whenever there's a close-up of him posted on internet "news" sites like Yahoo. Look out for unnaturally smoothed patches of skin and mismatched blotches of color. It's usually a sign that a picture has been retouched. It is unethical to retouch news photos, unless there is a disclaimer saying so or unless the photo is likely used on a magazine cover--and those are usually shot in a studio anyway. But to retouch a street photo of someone is plain wrong. Yet, some places are doing that for Kerry.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

I think a lot of anti-war activists went into teaching. Now they're teaching in schools of journalism and schools of education. Teacher's unions are the main support of the Democratic Party. Teachers make up the largest segment of those attending the DNC. Teacher's recruit a lot of candidates to run for public office.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Teacher's = teachers

[rabidralph]

And then there is the suppression of embarrassing photos. This picture came from the Post site but it doesn't say where or when it was taken, although it's used to illustrate Kerry's gaffe in calling the Packers' stadium Lambert Field.

[Savage Beast]

The American "Mainstream Newsmedia" outlets have discarded the pretext of objectivity and have become overt Leftist propaganda organs. Because of the technological advances of the last half-century, combined with a de facto political consensus, the American "Mainstream Newsmedia" has become the most powerful propaganda machine in history. Because of its power and consensus, and therefore its ability to lead or mislead the public, it is also the most dangerous.

It is obvious that the agenda of this propaganda machine is to elect Sen. Kerry to the Presidency of the U.S. and to defeat President Bush. The full power of this propaganda machine is now devoted to accomplishing this.

Also inherent in the agenda is the establishment of a Marxist government.

Only the steadfastness and basic wisdom of the American people prevent this propaganda machine from fulfilling its designs.

The ability of the American people to resist this relentless propaganda is a tribute to their commitment to truth, justice, liberty, and the ideals of the United States.

The American people must resist this propaganda. The fate of the U.S. and the fate of the world depend upon it.

[reformedliberal]

Kerry is always seen after a professional make-up job. This foundations is airbrushed on in layers, w/skillful use of highlight and shadow under the final coat. Then blush and lipcolor are applied. His hands, when photoed near his face, show the differences in tone and also in texture.

When he is outside, he is shown from a medium distance or shot w/a zoom and is wearing sunglasses.

He is heavily tanned, as well. You can always tell if he is freshly Botoxed or is it is wearing off, too. I am not sure what longterm Botox does to skin texture, if anything. He may get collagen injections, too. Botox doesn't do everything for 61-year-old skin.

I am not sure the pics are retouched, as you can always see the red around his eyes, just under or over the lashline....I have wondered if that is also makeup, but it looks so creepy that I doubt it.

Has anyone seen him IRL? I haven't, so I can't comment on how obvious the makeup is to the naked eye.

[rabidralph]

If you look at that picture, you can see that the deep wrinkle that runs from the corner of his eye to the side of his mouth is smoothed out, smudged out or blurred, by a program like Photoshop. Yes, he does wear a lot of makeup when you see him on TV, but some of his pictures that appear online have been retouched by the news orgs publishing the pics.

[Keith]

" But while we may wince at biased reporting every now and then, we generally trust media outlets to prevent personal views from influencing news"

"What you mean WE, white man"

- Tonto, when told by the Lone Ranger that they were surrounded by "Indians"