Is Obama Getting Too Much Coverage?
Critics Charge Media Has Been Unbalanced In Race Between McCain, Obama
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Favorites In The Media?
The media's coverage of Barack Obama has been criticized for showing favoritism. Many say Obama's rival, John McCain, has been dealt a significant disadvantage. Randall Pinkston reports.
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Photo Essay
Barack Obama
A look at the life and meteoric rise of the president-elect.
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Photo Essay
John McCain
Some call him a hero, some a maverick. Will Americans call him Mr. President?
The widely covered trip is the latest example of what some critics are saying is a continuing pattern that puts Obama's presidential opponent, Sen. John McCain, at a disadvantage, reports CBS News correspondent Randall Pinkston.
The trip is a high risk gamble, and as one journalism expert adds, highly unusual.
"International travel is not usually a way for candidates to win the White House," says Tom Rosenstiel, the director of the Project For Excellence In Journalism. "That says something about Obama's needs as a candidate and what the issues are this year."
What Obama is trying to strengthen is his foreign policy credibility. McCain, a war hero with decades in the Senate, claims he already has it.
What McCain doesn't have these days is media magic.
Since June 9th, when Obama effectively clinched the votes for the nomination, the Project For Excellence In Journalism took a weekly look at 300 political stories in newspapers, magazines and television. In 77 percent of the stories, Obama played an important role, and 51 percent featured McCain.
"That's an edge," said Rosenthiel. "That is a big enough difference that it is an uneven playing field probably for McCain."
And there is more to come. As Obama continues his foreign travels to the Middle East and Europe, he will be interviewed by all three network anchors - CBS' Katie Couric on Tuesday, ABC's Charles Gibson on Eednesday and NBC's Brian Williams on Thursday.
While Obama's likely to endure tough questions from the networks, the amount of media attention will probably remain lopsided.
"A lot of Republicans are very frustrated with what they see is the uncritical coverage of Barack Obama's candidacy," said David Mark, a senior writer at Politico.com.
At the end of the day, Obama may have his chief political opponent to thank for this shower of media attention.
"This could end up backfiring on Sen. McCain who sort of goaded Barack Obama into taking this trip. On his Web site, he repeatedly had a sign up about how long it had been since he went to Iraq," Mark said.
The tour could also trip up Obama. One slip or gaffe could hurt his candidacy and give him the kind of media coverage he doesn’t want.
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See all 68 Commentseven though he has changed his stance on several of his promises, the media chose to ignore those state-ments. the media and people chose him because of the color of his skin, but that is not racial?.
his autobiography and books should be read by every-one. how many, besides me, are probably not going to vote because of the candidates?
Dead-on. For almost every issue, you can find John making statements or voting on both sides.
The ''cons whined about BO not going. Now they whine that he''s there. They whine that we don''t know enough about BO. He gets coverage so we know more, and they whine. Fact is, the ''cons are just whining hypocrites.
Obama is getting too much coverage, but only from media types looking for weaknesses and gaffes. The MSM is firmly in the McCain camp. We need more coverage of McCain, with a critical eye towards how out of touch he is. Just today he said that Iraq and Pakistan border each other! This is front page news, people! Either Afghanistan magically disappeared, or this guy has about as much knowledge of geography as the average American - which is a scary thought, considering this guy will have control of the red phone if we elect him. What happens when he calls in a nuclear strike on Czechoslovakia?
Thx for the heads up on McCain''s ''Iraq-Pakistan'' border, PRICELESS!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NC0Y7zMcn_4
What Obama is trying to strengthen is his foreign policy credibility. McCain, a war hero with decades in the Senate, claims he already has it.
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So, why did McCain go, not only to the Middle East, but also South America, recently? And why does this article imply that only Obama would do such a thing?
This is bad reporting.
McSame or is it McBush, or is it McAgain is getting too much faverible coverage. You guys hide the old farts blunders and misstatements.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOHupX1-zJ8&feature=related
Need some ointment for that sweet burn, Cryos?
Don''t worry, I suspect you''ll be in good company. All the McSame supporters are going to be smarting when Obama sweeps their man this November. Good luck, you''ll need it.
2) Will stories like this... which are about the media coverage of Obama... will they be counted as stories about Obama as well? Garbage. Naval gazing stories from the media about their own coverage? And they''re including the Wright nonsense coverage as well?
MCCAIN SHOULD STOP WHINING...
lest he gets what he''s asking for... actual media coverage on his flips, his flops, and his "senior moments."
Just today he confused Iraq with Afghanistan. Hey John, IRAQ DOESN''T BORDER PAKISTAN, GENIUS!!!
John McBush is a Special Olympics candidate and Obama is going to win the gold. McBush should be glad people aren''t paying attention to his meltdown.
The oil companies aren''t even drilling on 75% of the land they''ve already got leases for. It''s just another boondoggle from Republicans in order to dismantle more of our environmental laws. All it is. Gas prices are a completely phony construct... it''s just price gouging, and Republicans continue to veto any legislation Dems come up with to stop the gouging... and Republicans continue to let it happen without taxing the oil companies on their profits... as we sink further and further into debt.
It won''t stop until the oil companies either decide enough is enough and their price gouging is hurting their bought and paid for Republican candidates... or Dems get into the White House and hold the veto pen.
being Pres. for 8-10 years, etc. He''s only been in the Senate(a questionable outfit)for 143 days and left no foot prints.
The Liberal Press(their voting record proves this)is proping him up. McCain on the other hand is running a campaign reminiscent of Bob Dole''s ...
Senators are NOT presidential material. The Islamic Fundalmentalist Terrorist are still with us and are putting a grand attack together!
Wake-up.
Posted by googetter at 01:57 PM : Jul 21, 2008
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Wow. Do you care that your writing makes you appear to have an IQ of 70?
Nope. John McCain is the icon of "affirmative action."
He''s never earned anything on his own in his life. Not one red cent. He has to beg his sugar-momma (the one he cheated on his first wife to be with) to cover his $1,000/bet craps habit.
He got shot down and held prisoner and he''s been coasting on that his whole life.
Obama on the other hand overcame incredible odds to be where he is, as all blacks who achieve what he''s achieved must.
McCain is a Special Olympics candidate that the media is treating like an untouchable God... they''re fair and balancing out the playing field for him like they do for all Republicans.
Meanwhile, Obama is getting the lions share of media attention (ie negative attention) and McCain and his supporters have the audacity to complain about it?
Well, OK... McCain SHOULD get more criticism from the media... only I won''t hold my breath. The media won''t get tough on John McCain... they have too much money to make if he wins the presidency. He''s been a sellout to the media all his life, flipping and flopping in order to be in the spotlight. He doesn''t show up for work... but he''s always looking for more time on camera.
Now this Special Olympics candidate, John McBush... he''s even begging the media for it like he begged Obama to take him along to Iraq, like some pitiful little terrier. McWoof! McWoof!!
If that was Bush you were talking about, the FBI would have already tapped your phone.
You''re not only a nut, you''re a Treasonous worm.
Us liberals always knew you Republicans were really on Al Qaeda''s team... ever since you let the Saudis fly home after 911... ever since you guys let one slip one past the goalpoasts on 911 in the first place.
Traitors.
Yeah.. the media isn''t focusing on McCain. That''s the liberals'' argument.
Thanks for finally proving us right Republicans.
McCain should get media focus and scrutiny. Just today he confused Iraq with Afghanistan.
Note to McCain: IRAQ DOESN''T BORDER ON PAKISTAN, GENIUS!!!!!
Yeah media... cover that. It''s definitely news.
But you won''t. Negative media attention is reserved for the Democrat... as usual... you biased clowns.
And Republicans are either dumb enough or they think America is dumb enough to fall for their talking points on media attention?
I suppose so... but liberals know better.
Wouldn''t it be nice if there was a presidential test for Obama? There is, go to YouTube and type ''anonbene'' into the search engine and watch
''Sen. Obama''
Like Boston Globes - "Grime Proving Ground for Obama''s Housing Policy"
and research "Obma, Rezko and the Iraq Power Plants"
and "Obama''s history as chairman of the US Senate
Foreign Relations Subcommittee on European Affairs"
supposedly to oversee NATO involvement in Afganistan -appointed chairman in early 2007 he has not held one meeting on the subject of Afganistan.
These are just some of the MINOR details on the character of the man.
It is not that there is too much coverage - it is not the full coverage explaining all his baggage.
It should read, ''Is Obama getting too much leftwing BIASED coverage?'' The answer would be - YES!
In the LAMEstream media''s eyes, Obama (the baby Jesus) can do no wrong. That''s why no one really cares what the media says anymore. They have lost their objectivity and credibility.
So then, why is the press ignoring McCain?
McCain story has been told and retold a hundred times. I think it''s only fair to the lesser known guy to get better coverage.
The Republican party has lost it''s credibility, no matter how much advertising money they spend.
no, your wrong he said states.
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Yes it is
Two words ....... HELL YEAH!!!!!!!!!!
It is imperative to closely follow both campaigns.
Today McCain went on TV and demonstrated his lack of understanding of the middle east, by saying Iraq has a border with Afghanistan.
That demands detailed consideration.
Today, in Iraq, the Maliki government said, Iraq agrees with Obama''s plan to get our troops out by the end of 2010. That''s major news.
We have been at war for 7 years. You cannot cover that story TOO MUCH. The Iraq''s disagree with John and Bush and the Iraqi''s support the Obama position. You cannot cover that story too much.
Until now, the Bush-McCain "plan" was to keep our troops in Iraq for a generation. The rejection by the elected Iraqi government of the McCain Bush ''plan'' is major news, and the only spin the Bush-McCain cabal could come up with today is that the Iraqi''s may have been mistranslated.
They were not. The NY Times took that ball and ran with it and they came up with the same translation as the German magazine that first ran it. Then, after all that, the Maliki employee SAID IN ENGLISH, WE WANT THE US OUT BY THE END OF 2010. That is the opposite of John McCain''s PLAN. OBAMA wins. That''s NEWS. You cannot play it big enough. The end of the war is in sight. And we can go after Bin Laudin now, something that Bush apparently was unwilling to do.
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