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Go Home Don't Worry, John, They Hate Barack Too

JULY 28, 2008

Don't Worry, John, They Hate Barack Too

I'm a day late on this, but a study out of George Mason -- no liberal bastion there -- pokes holes in the McCain meme that the press is in love with Obama (via the LAT):

The Center for Media and Public Affairs at George Mason University,
where researchers have tracked network news content for two decades,
found that ABC, NBC and CBS were tougher on Obama than on Republican
John McCain during the first six weeks of the general-election campaign. ...

During the evening news, the majority of statements from reporters and
anchors on all three networks are neutral, the center found. And when
network news people ventured opinions in recent weeks, 28% of the
statements were positive for Obama and 72% negative. Network reporting also tilted against McCain, but far less
dramatically, with 43% of the statements positive and 57% negative,
according to the Washington-based media center.

Don't hold your breath for McCain to reject and denounce his "Obama Love" video.

--Eve Fairbanks

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10 comments

If you dig into the study, you find an interesting fact: McCain has received significantly more press coverage to date than any previous candidate for president since the study began in 1988. John McCain's post-Keating strategy of making himself Washington's biggest media whore continues to pay off.

It's just that Obama has received even more press coverage than McCain.

So the idea that the media is "ignoring" McCain is a pure fantasy. A demonstrated falsehood. But it's a falsehood that helps McCain to cast himself as a sympathetic figure to the conservative base. So it comes as a surprise to everyone that the newsmedia just happens to repeat the falsehood about its own relationship with McCain that just happens to benefit McCain and obscure the newsmedia's disgraceful relationship with him. I mean, really, who could possibly have imagined. The national newsmedia? Reporting something that isn't true? That benefits their longtime favorite Washington politician? Why, it almost defies belief!

But speaking of luck, of a sort, how about McCain's people lying to Bob Novak, causing him to report an untrue bit of McCain counterspin, the week before a said-to-be-angry-like-you-wouldn't-believe Novak has to suspend his column for a serious health crisis? After the VP non-announcement, that McCain folks all but admitted was a head-fake to drive a little press coverage even if that meant lying to Novak, I had almost been looking forward to see how the P of D would exact his pound of flesh from the McCain campaign. Alas!

- rhubarbs

July 28, 2008 at 6:53pm

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Let's hope this hardens into CW really quick. Maybe the press will start falling over themselves to fight the accusation that they gave a McCain a free ride to prove they weren't giving Obama a free ride.

May an onslaught of McCain hit pieces rain freely upon our parched outstretched tongues!

- thetraytiger

July 28, 2008 at 6:58pm

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They will eventually become disillusioned with Obama.  Just as FINALLY with Bill Clinton.  Question is how long it will take.

A sure bet, not till after the election.  The media is as desperate as the Democrats to get a Democrat in the Oval Office.  Because, by every survey, the media votes Democratic overwhelmingly, and is also very liberal.

So, please, let's quit kidding here.

- ChanRobt

July 28, 2008 at 7:11pm

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Eh, 'parched outstretched tongues' may have been a bit much, but y'all get the idea.

- thetraytiger

July 28, 2008 at 7:24pm

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I second that thought, TrayTiger!

- GSpinks

July 28, 2008 at 7:26pm

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"So, please, let's quit kidding here"

Please, lets stop being stupid. They're probably overcompensating for their Obamaphilia, but there is no denying that the press is giving McCain a pass while scrutinizing every step, word and gesture that comes from Obama.

- GSpinks

July 28, 2008 at 7:32pm

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In light of John McCain's recent the-papers-have-a-crush-on-the-other-boy victim act -- and its debunking

- Anonymous

July 28, 2008 at 7:36pm

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Let me also stipulate, however, I think it is poor strategy for the McCain campaign itself to be talking about this infatuation.  It just can't help but look like sour grapes.  (Who was the guy JR in Dallas always got the better of?)

Better to use surrogates and third parties for such bitching.  Playing the victim never gets you laid.

- ChanRobt

July 28, 2008 at 8:27pm

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That would be Clint Barnes, Chan.

And fifteen points from me for even knowing that. I'm actually a little ashamed ...

- rhubarbs

July 28, 2008 at 10:10pm

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Rhubarbs, some of the smartest people I know are also treasure troves of trivia.  You never know when it will make you money.

- ChanRobt

July 28, 2008 at 11:51pm

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