Free Republic

Seven out of 10 voters (69%) remain convinced that reporters try to help the candidate they want to win, and this year by a nearly five-to-one margin voters believe they are trying to help Barack Obama. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 50% of voters think most reporters are trying to help Obama win versus 11% who believe they are trying to help his Republican opponent John McCain. Twenty-six percent (26%) say reporters offer unbiased coverage (demographic crosstabs available for Premium Members). Just last week a Rasmussen Reports survey found that 51% of voters believed reporters...

<p>With startling chutzpah, Republicans are again casting the opponent as out of touch. Democrats shouldn't play the game.</p> <p>The current worry of many Democrats, who once thought Denver would be a celebration en route to a coronation, is that Barack Obama could be about to join that uncelebrated company. Polls show the race with John McCain locked in a dead heat, Obama's lead eroded to zero. The question delegates and bigwigs are asking each other in the hotel lobbies and on the shuttle buses is: "Why aren't we ahead?"</p>

In recent presidential history, Republicans have swamped Democrats among voters who regularly attend worship services - and in the last two nail-biters they provided more than the margin of victory. But a new poll out is the latest to suggest that this November will not be a repeat. The Barna Group, which tracks faith groups, said Democrat Barack Obama is leading Republican John McCain 43 percent to 34 percent. Obama's campaign Tuesday highlighted the findings that, of the 19 faith groups tracked in the poll, McCain is only leading among evangelicals. Still, like other national polls, it shows the race...

Once again the ugly shadow of "media bias" is darkening the otherwise wholesome world of partisan politics. Actually, media bias is so terrible, so unjust, so despicable, just about everyone wants to be offended by it. Take, for instance, the recent flap over the New York Times editorial page decision to reject a John McCain op-ed regarding Iraq only a week after running a Barack Obama column on the very same topic. As the adults among us probably already know, "fairness" is only a fairy tale. So The Times had no obligation to publish an opinion it found objectionable. Yet,...

Still suffering from the Jayson Blair scandal and a national survey showing only 21 percent of readers believe what they read in the paper, the New York Times is fighting back with a strategy to build credibility. In a report today in the paper, a panel of editors suggests a variety of steps including limiting the number of unnamed sources used and responding more assertively to critics. The paper is also considering an increase of coverage of religion in America and more reporting from rural areas of the country. Bill Keller, the executive editor who charged the panel with the...

I am a product of the media. I began my career in radio and became a news director before being hired by a large metropolitan daily newspaper in Southeastern Wisconsin. I also worked as weekend anchor and political reporter for a Denver radio station. Later as the press secretary to the Chairman of the Senate GOP Policy Committee in Washington, I dealt with the media daily for four years. So I am not one to complain about the media as some in the conservative community do. I am reminded of the story told on many occasions by the marvelous late...