Could Pro-Obama Bias Trump Media's Anti-American Bias?

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By Brent Baker (Bio | Archive)
January 14, 2009 - 00:23 ET
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Pointing out how a Reuters photo caption described those burning an effigy of President George W. Bush as merely “demonstrators,” while in a caption a few days later those burning posters of President-elect Barack Obama were characterized as “hardline demonstrators,” OpinionJournal's James Taranto on Tuesday observed: “Reuters' pro-Obama bias seems to be tempering its usual anti-American bias.” Taranto wondered in his “Best of the Web Today” compilation for the Wall Street Journal's editorial page site: “It will be interesting to see whether this continues to be the case after Obama becomes President next week.”

The two Reuters photo captions on anti-Israel demonstrations, as posted by Yahoo News. From Friday, January 9:

Demonstrators burn an effigy of U.S. President George W. Bush during a demonstration outside the U.S. Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, in protest of Israeli aggression against Palestinians January 9, 2009. About 2,000 Muslim protesters gathered outside the U.S. embassy in the Malaysian capital on Friday holding placards and banners, and shouting anti-Israel slogans.

The Reuters photo caption from Tuesday, January 13:

Hardline demonstrators burn posters of U.S. President-elect Barack Obama, during a demonstration in support of the people of Gaza, in front of the Swiss Embassy in Tehran January 13, 2009.

Taranto's take:

Not surprisingly, both captions are biased against Israel, the first referring to "Israeli aggression," and the second claiming the poster-burners support "the people of Gaza" when one presumes they actually back the Islamic supremacist movement Hamas.

But note the difference: The guys who are burning Bush in effigy are merely "demonstrators," while the guys who are burning Obama's poster are "hardline demonstrators." Reuters' pro-Obama bias seems to be tempering its usual anti-American bias. It will be interesting to see whether this continues to be the case after Obama becomes president next week. Is Reuters merely an anti-American news service, or is it a hardline one?

—Brent Baker is Vice President for Research and Publications at the Media Research Center


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Pro-Obama Bias vs. Anti-American Bias?

January 14, 2009 - 00:39 ET by R D Helm

Heck, give me a few days, and I just might be able to come up with at least one reason why these are somehow different.

LOL-But don't hold me to it.

-Dave

“Them that’s going get on the wagon. Them that ain’t get out of the way.” -While there is still time.

Good evening RD

January 14, 2009 - 00:46 ET by cocodrie

The only thing I can think of is they're spelled a little different.

Mornin' coco,

January 14, 2009 - 01:06 ET by R D Helm

LOL-Crap, now I have to go back to the ol' drawing board.

Do I get another week?

Thanks a pile.  :-)

-Dave

“Them that’s going get on the wagon. Them that ain’t get out of the way.” -While there is still time.

I think I've got it

January 14, 2009 - 01:03 ET by legacyrepublican

D stands not just for Democrat, but also DEMONstrator. And since the D's want a hard core porn bailout bill, then these must be hard core DEMONstrators just like them.

See, its all so easy to understand. \sarc

Hey, check this out. 

January 14, 2009 - 01:38 ET by SpaceManSpiff

Hey, check this out.  They're burning effiges of Obama in Tehran!  http://i.dailymail.c...

It's a Reuters photo from a Daily Mail article.  I wonder if the US media has the backbone to print this stuff!

Did Orwell predict the future?  Or are the enemies of freedom following Orwell's example?

They were burning Obama

January 14, 2009 - 07:13 ET by kg

They were burning Obama posters yesterday in Gaza.

"Forget change, I want improvement!"

Pro-American, now

January 14, 2009 - 07:15 ET by cheesegrater

Now that the "ONE" is at the helm the foreign press will write positive articles about the U.S. You see, the goal of their negative writing was to blame Presdent Bush as the reason for the hatred of us around the world. President Bush is one who believes in the exceptionalism of the U.S. and this runs counter to oneworldism. Our new President is a "citizen of the world" and so the new story line will be that the U.S. is a beacon for world unity.  The more we are diminished in power, the more they will praise us.