Despite these obstacles, [Leslie] Stahl maintained that her early years with CBS were positive because they were "a huge learning experience." She had made her share of mistakes as a rookie and had learned from them.The RATS and their henchmen in the national media CANNOT win on this one. EVERY SINGLE TIME THEY SHOW BUSH ON THAT CARRIER, IT'S AN INCREDIBLE WIN FOR OUR SIDE. The words they use underneath the images are completely irrelevant.One such mistake occurred when she was covering Ronald Reagan's reelection campaign in 1984. Apparently, Reagan had proposed some budget cuts in federally funded nursing homes and benefits for the handicapped. These cuts were very unpopular, and during re-election time, he wanted very much to improve his image on the issue. So while campaigning, he would engage in activities such as inaugurating new nursing homes and hugging and putting medals around kids at the handicapped Olympics. During these times, he would, of course, invite the press along to get some free publicity.
While covering these events, Stahl was keenly aware of Reagan's ulterior motives. So every time the camera showed Reagan's affected support for nursing homes and the handicapped, Stahl would steadfastly remind her viewers of his budget cuts.
To her surprise, her words did not have much impact on her audience.
In fact, a CBS study found that less than 25 percent of Stahl's audience understood her message while most thought that her piece was a positive news story on Ronald Reagan. It was then that she realized that "when the pictures [such as Reagan hugging a handicapped child] are emotional and powerful and when you are saying something that conflicts with them, the messages aren't married; the pictures will drown out what you say."
[Note: The reason the quoted text is written with such an anti-GOP, anti-Reagan tone is because it's from the MIT student newspaper.]