Obama's Edge in the Coverage Race

Washington Post ^ | Aug. 17, 2008 | Deborah Howell

[FocusNexus]

Democrat Barack Obama has had about a 3 to 1 advantage over Republican John McCain in Post Page 1 stories since Obama became his party's presumptive nominee June 4.

In overall political stories from June 4 to Friday, Obama dominated by 142 to 96. Obama has been featured in 35 stories on Page 1; McCain has been featured in 13...

When Obama traveled to the Middle East and Europe, the coverage dwarfed that of McCain -- six Page 1 stories from July 19 to July 27, plus an earlier front-page story announcing the trip. McCain managed one Page 1 story and one Page 1 reference;

[FocusNexus]

Based on this extremely skewed coverage and that virtually all articles about Obama are not only positive, but downright fawning, Obama should be ahead by 20 points in polls, instead of tied with McCain and sinking.

No wonder the Dems are in full scale panic.

Then to top it off, when voters actually see the candidates answering questions important to them (Saddleback interviews), McCain dwarfs Obama, showing him for the midget that he is, as far as ability to lead the country.

It didn't start out looking too good for Republicans, but now I think the Republicans have a very good chance this year, especially when you add the energy issue.

[BamaDi]

and can someone explain to me again why the lib media keeps arguing that they’re NOT biased towards the Dims???

[Maelstorm]

Just imagine a world where the GOP got equal coverage. Liberals would NEVER get elected.

[Baladas]

Saw this article just a few minutes ago - the writer blasts her own employer for bias, but then tries to justify it by claiming Obama is unknown and exciting - revealing her own bias.

The MSM doesn’t have nearly the impact on presidential elections it had twenty or forty years ago, and even then, they’d lose most of the time. All the Democrats, including their MSM supporters, should be freaking out right now, they’re just a week away from nominating the unelectable.

[Iron Munro]

[Maceman]

Watching the media cover Obama vs. McCain reminds me of the old Daffy Duck cartoon where Daffy gets Elmer Fudd into a very rigged boxing match.

Take a look at the cartoon, with the following casting in mind:

Barak Obama -- Daffy Duck
John McCain -- Elmer Fudd
Joe Lieberman -- Elmer's faithful hunting dog
the MSM -- The referee
The Democrat Party -- the audience

Maybe it's just me, but I think it's a pretty good fit.

[FocusNexus]

“Watching the media cover Obama vs. McCain reminds me of the old Daffy Duck cartoon where Daffy gets Elmer Fudd into a very rigged boxing match. “

I am watching it now, I see what you mean. But he who laughes last, has the best laugh. :)

[ishabibble]

Beautiful! That is EXACTLY how this race has been run.

[ovrtaxt]

This is why the FAIRNESS DOCTRINE is makign a resurgence.

[Lamchops]

So the WaPo is reporting on indisputable evidence of media bias as if it were some sort of inexplicable natural phenomena, and not the result of the fact that 95% of reporters and editors are liberals? And these liberal editors and reporters don't seem to recognize that this skewing of their presentation of the news results from their political biases?

These people are a bunch of clowns. They are Bozos. Why would intelligent people pay money to get information from clowns? Guess this explains why newspapers are on the endangered species list.

[FocusNexus]

“This is why the FAIRNESS DOCTRINE is makign a resurgence.”

Not at all. The reason it is making a resurgence is that the MSM doesn’t want to allow anyone else to contradict their lies and have any alternative to reading ONLY their biased reporting.

With the Fairness Doctrine, FR would have to allow equal time to DU posters posting right here, and Rush Limbaugh would have to spend equal time praising Obama.

[ovrtaxt]

Yes, that’s exactly my point. The MSM is coming to the end of their influence, as this abysmal Obama campaign is indicating.

Therefore, the Fairness Doctrine is their only life preserver if they want to maintain influence. Can’t have all those talk radio listeners and internet investigators thinking for themselves now...

[phillyfanatic]

All politics is local and Dems should still do well in Congressional elections since youth, gays, unions, teachers and liberal lobbying groups do get good turnouts in varied districts. But, McCain actually has done himself good with the BASE after Saddleback and he came out today complaining about NBC-MSNBC bias. This is so obvious that only the Beltway mentality is in denial. With people, according to a poll today, still getting their news from TV, Obama and the Dems have a huge advantage so the GOP should hit the airways now blasting bias, and the poor leadership on the issues that do destroy the Dems: energy, jurist selections, foreign policy(Islamofascism, Russia, China, Iran) which Dems just do not get as they fawn over our enemies, and school choice. McCain can actually still win this affair if he keeps on the message that BO is not a leader who can protect America in any way.

[dervish]

Hmm... I guess WaPo got the memo - printed press is in the toilet becuase no one trusts them anymore.

[Billthedrill]

Numbers aren't everything in political coverage, but readers deserve comparable coverage of the candidates.

The Post's editorial board response - "Thanks, Deborah, now you've compared them. On with the flogging!"

Of course it's bias - outrageous, blatant, overwhelming, and obvious even to its perpetrators. Admitting it isn't doing anything about it. Nothing will be done about it.