Lott's Comments Get 20 Times the Coverage of Murray's

Newsmax ^ | 12/27/02 | NewsMax

[chiller]

The mainstream media gave former Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott's comments praising his Senate colleague Strom Thurmond nearly 20 times the coverage it devoted to Sen. Patty Murray's remarks praising Osama bin Laden during the same period of time.

From Dec. 5, when Lott praised D-Day veteran Thurmond's 1948 presidential candidacy on a segregationist ticket at his 100th birthday celebration, through Dec. 12, more than a week before Lott resigned his leadership post, the Lott-Thurmond imbroglio was the subject of 641 print reports and news broadcasts, a Lexis-Nexis search reveals.

Coverage was particularly heavy in prestige press outlets like the New York Times, the Washington Post and all three broadcast television networks.

But Sen. Murray, who suggested in comments first reported last Thursday that the man who killed more than 3,000 Americans on Sept. 11, 2001, had performed many good works that the U.S. should emulate, has gotten a mainstream media pass. From Dec. 19 through Dec. 26, Murray's incendiary remarks, which struck some as traitorous, were covered in just 35 news stories, with almost all prestige press outlets declining to pick the story up.

The New York Times, for instance, has yet to breathe a word about Sen. Murray's praise for the 9/11 mastermind, but devoted nine stories to the Lott-Thurmond flap in its first week. The Los Angeles Times has also been silent on Murray. The Washington Post has had two reports on Murray compared to twelve on Lott.

excerpted

[chiller]

Keeping it alive.

[BaBaStooey]

they are just giving bernie goldberg more fuel for his next book on media bias. business as usual here.

[cynicom]

Where are the sactimonious, self righteous voices of the "conservative republicans" that joined their socialist friends to destroy Lott???? Why are they so silent????

[Let's Roll]

Well of course Lott's comments received 20 times the coverage that Murray's has received. After all his lack of sensitivity has hurt so many feelings while hers will only get more people killed.

[Caroo]

Cynicom, are you suprised? They've always made a mad dash for the door when accused of something by the Democrats. I hope and pray that Frist is the kind of leader we need.....one that will stand up to the Dems and give it right back to them, ask them for proof, confront their accusations..........we can't afford to continue letting the left define our agenda.

[dhuffman@awod.com]

It's just a measure of how trivial is the 'thought' by progressives.

The conspiracy of ignorance masquerades as common sense.

[Dog Gone]

And, of course, "comic strips" continue to focus on Lott.

[Minutes]

as I've quoted before

There is surely no nation in the world that holds "racism" in greater horror than does the United States.

Compared to other kinds of offenses, it is thought to be somehow more reprehensible. The press and public have become so used to tales of murder, rape, robbery, and arson, that any but the most spectacular crimes are shrugged off as part of the inevitable texture of American life.

"Racism" is never shrugged off. For example, when a White Georgetown Law School student reported earlier this year that black students are not as qualified as White students, it set off a booming, national controversy about "racism." If the student had merely murdered someone he would have attracted far less attention and criticism.

by Thomas Jackson

[cynicom]

Caro

Surprised??? Sadly no, not at all.

Frist??? Confrontation with the socialists??? None at all, in any substantive matter that is of consern for this country. Perhaps over the color of his new drapes in his new office, he will go to the mat with them.

I will say this, I sense Frist as being the forerunner of socialiized medicine in this country. Those same republicans that raged at the Clintons for their heavy handed attempt will cheer Frist and Friends on to the ultimate goal.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Could be simply news judgement here. Everyone knows Murray is an America-hating idiot. We didn't know Lott would step in it and keep making it worse by denying what he ment.

[johnny7]

Murray is either stupid or a traitor. I think both.

Why haven't they dragged KKK Byrd out to the chopping block?

Why don't blacks and the left ask him to step down?

We know why... and it's scarey!

[Jorge]

Truthfully I never even heard of Murray before this. Maybe because she isn't in leadership position like Lott was?

I'm not surprised by the disparity in coverage.

[Jorge]

What a pathetic comic strip. Of course the logical conclusion of smearing the entire Republican party as hating black people is that the majority of Americans who voted them into power must hate blacks as well.
So let these Democrat/liberal smear artists wallow in their self pity and spread misery to all who are ignorant enough to believe their slander.
They deserve each other.

[dasein64]

Is it possible that the RATS didn't pile on and knife one of their own and are probably dealing with it out of public sight? Republicans made sure that Lott played 24/7. I bet smart republicans in the political arena are now suitably clad in kevlar. And they also have a better grasp on the necessity to keep their heads clear when dealing with their own party. A pat on the back might be accompanied with a knife.

[Paleo Conservative]

But Senator Murray is not the Democrat leader in the Senate.

[nanny]

Could be simply news judgement here.

In a word - NO

[nanny]

Truthfully I never even heard of Murray before this. Maybe because she isn't in leadership position like Lott was? I'm not surprised by the disparity in coverage.

I don't think anyone else is surprised - but not for the same reason you state.

[1Old Pro]

I don't believe this, I want to see the evidence.

It seemed much more like 50 times the coverage, not 20.

[BIGZ]

Keep this alive!

" I did not call Paul Fray a F--king Jew bastard".

Where is the Media on Hillary baby.

[bandleader]

Rush always refers to her as"The Tennis-Shoed Mom".