Asked by NBC Nightly News anchor Lester Holt on Sunday evening about how a new MSNBC/Mason-Dixon poll found that Iraq is not “the dominating issue” as “the economy is immensely important to voters,” Tim Russert suggested Hillary Clinton and Rudy Giuliani will have “to re-calibrate” for “a bread and butter election” since “with the surge in Iraq and the level of American deaths declining, it is off the front pages.” Iraq is also now of less interest to the television networks. A MRC study released last week documented how Iraq stories on the three broadcast network evening newscasts fell from 178 in September to 68 during November, “with only eleven (16%) actually from the war zone itself.”
Holt did not report any issue-oriented poll results, just how the MSNBC/Mason-Dixon poll, also conducted for McClatchy Newspapers, has Barack Obama tied with Clinton in Iowa, New Hampshire and in South Carolina, and on the GOP side, Mike Huckabee way ahead in Iowa and South Carolina. MSNBC's First Read and a McClatchy news story also stick to the horse race, but the posting of the McClatchy article includes links to PDFs with results for what most concerns caucus and primary voters.
The exchange on the Sunday, December 9 NBC Nightly News:
LESTER HOLT: When we look back a long time ago, I think there was the assumption that Iraq would be the dominating issue going into this campaign. Now these numbers tell us the economy is immensely important to voters. So what does that mean for candidates like Rudy Giuliani, like Hillary Clinton, who've really been pushing national security, tough on terrorism type credentials?
TIM RUSSERT: I think they're going to have to re-calibrate their campaigns. They have to focus on the economy, focus on health care, and they're capable of doing that. It is interesting, with the surge in Iraq and the level of American deaths declining, it is off the front pages. It looks like it could be a bread and butter election where people are very concerned about their homes, the financing, the economy, those kinds of gut issues, Lester.
The December 4 study by the MRC's Rich Noyes, "Good News = Less News on Iraq War; MRC Study: As Surge Succeeds and Casualty Rates Fall, ABC, CBS and NBC Lose Interest In Iraq War."
—Brent Baker is Vice President for Research and Publications at the Media Research Center
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Wow, who would have thought..
December 10, 2007 - 06:40 ET by Jcon96"Good News = Less News on Iraq War; MRC Study: As Surge Succeeds and Casualty Rates Fall, ABC, CBS and NBC Lose Interest In Iraq War."
Also discovered was that up is away from the local force of gravity and the sky really is blue even if Bushitler and Cheneysatan says so...
Yawn. The MSM really is boring any more.
Russert cannot see past what Democrats want him to see
December 10, 2007 - 06:58 ET by Jack BauerYou get the effortless arrogance and hubris of the MSM (wholly owned subsidiary of the Democrat party) all in one meaty soundbite from Russert.
What he's saying is this: because the MSM has decide that Iraq is no longer worthy of huge coverage, that in itself means the American people do not see the issue as an important election decider.
You see how it never crosses Russert's mind that success in Iraq would be something voters may see as an election issue, and therefore worth he and his colleagues spending air time on it?
And that would be because he only sees a template in which failure in Iraq is no longer a theme which the Democrats want to push -- ergo it is no longer important to he and his colleagues.
Once again, the MSM only sees what IT wants to see as important to voters.
And that would be because
December 10, 2007 - 07:13 ET by motherbeltAnd that would be because he only sees a template in which failure in
Iraq is no longer a theme which the Democrats want to push -- ergo it
is no longer important to he and his colleagues. -Jack Bauer
Good point, Jack. Except that failure not a theme they don't want to push; they can't because they cant' keep saying "This war is lost." So Russert helps to redirect people's attention to where he thinks they will have the advantage.
I 'm waiting for stories with the "As the war recedes from the front pages" leader. They can make it happen, just like they can decide that "the questions are not going away." Both are promises.
mb -- yes, can't push is
December 10, 2007 - 07:18 ET by Jack Bauermb -- yes, can't push is better.
All The News That's Fit To Pre-Think, So You Don't Have To...
Normal MSM shift
December 10, 2007 - 07:51 ET by billbWhen the economy was rocketing along, it was not news. Now that the economy has stubbed it's toe, it's a headline. When Iraq was falling apart it was the ONLY story. Now that Iraq is beginning to show some success the MSM is not interested. Why are we surprised? This is a normal, very predictable shift for the MSM.
Lack of Interest
December 10, 2007 - 10:28 ET by BourbeauThere's nothing that will turn the MSM off faster than anything even remotely successful by the Bush Administration. Their collective failure (in concert with the Dems) to report accurately on the country's economic progress and the governments favorable tax programs, the on-going immigration debacle, the successful surge strategy and the people behind it, and the list goes on. The MSM and Dems invested heavily in U.S. failure; they took the side of the enemy when it came to intelligence, enemy captives, troop requirements, and worse yet, they looked for every possible opportunity to impugn the integrity of the President, and his administration. The press has no stomach for good news, unless it's being instigated by Bill Clinton.
New MSM Strategy...it's the Economy Stupid
December 10, 2007 - 11:38 ET by JayTeeWhat we are seeing is the Ignoring of Success in Iraq, for chicken Little reporting on the Economy, ad naseum in 2008.
Victory and Success in Iraq, means bad news for MSM and their Democratic Selections. They have to Talk and Report the Economy into a Recession.
And the MSM thinks they have the power to sink the perception of the Economy. But success in Iraq will breed lower Oil prices during 2008.....unless congress passes a NO DRILLING Energy Bill based upon Al Gore's bad Science.
What good is a Free Press, if it is a False Press ? David Foote GoE
Less bloodshed means less
December 10, 2007 - 11:53 ET by Chris NormanLess bloodshed means less coverage. Russert may have acknowledged this, but he doesn't condemn it, he just acts like it's a given.