All in all, I like Politico's list of the Top Ten Media Blunders of 2008, by staff writer Michael Calderone, appearing on the website this evening. How can you be too tough on a list that includes, among other faux pas:
- MSNBC's use of Keith Olbermann and Chris Matthews as election night and convention co-anchors;
- The New York Times's suggestive but unsubstantiated story about John McCain and lobbyist Vikki Iseman; and
- The MSM's lack of curiosity despite the National Enquirer's solid reporting on the John Edwards affair?
But no story about a list would be complete without some beefing and second-guessing, and I have some. Here's blunder #6 on the Politico list [emphasis added]:
ABC Democratic Debate in Philadelphia: Co-moderators Charles Gibson and George Stephanopoulos faced plenty of blowback following the Obama-Clinton debate for spending the first half focused on what many complained were trivial issues — his relationships with the Rev. Jeremiah Wright and Bill Ayers, and his stance on flag pins.
My kvetch is two-fold. First is Politico's description of Obama's relationship with Wright and Ayers as "trivial." Is it really irrelevant that Obama for 20 years sat in the pews of the Right Reverend GD America, and chose to launch his political career in the home of an UDT?
Second, I fault Politico for its deficit in the guts department. If it thinks Obama's relationship with those two men is trivial, say so. But Politico pulled a variation on the Katie Couric "some say" gambit, writing that "many complained" the issues were trivial.
—Mark Finkelstein is a NewsBusters contributing editor and host of Right Angle. Contact him at mark@gunhill.net.
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Mark...I agree with
December 22, 2008 - 21:26 ET by bigtimerMark...I agree with you...the msm are forever going to downplay this and call it trivial, they are already rewriting history with false facts even before O is inaugurated.
As an aside...sure can tell the difference between Fox and msnbc....E.D. gets the axe, Shyster gets a promotion.
"America isn't the problem...America is the solution." ~ Rush Limbaugh
"The difference between Fox
December 22, 2008 - 21:28 ET by Mark Finkelstein"The difference between Fox and msnbc....E.D. gets the axe, Shyster gets a promotion."
Brilliant point, bt!
Blunders
December 23, 2008 - 03:26 ET by jcharlesMy 2 cents
December 23, 2008 - 04:59 ET by JWFThe relationship with Wright was trivial. Obama is the most opportunistic politician we have ever seen. He joined the church as a politically expedient way to get votes. I believe he is actually agnostic or athiest. He never heard a lot of the inflammatory speeches because he was rarely there.
Ayers, the man ghostwrote his book, they practically share a brain. Oh yea, extensive relationship, extensive.
I have written extensively about Obama and the flag here. He spent little of his childhood here in the U.S. He grew up in Hawaii, which is chock full of haoli (white) haters. He sharpened his socialist views in some of our universities and colleges which seem to have a larger percentage of America haters today. The man does not understand patriotism and the respect for our flag.
Sincerely,
a Veteran of a 1000 psychic wars.
Personally, I think
December 23, 2008 - 07:22 ET by BKeyserPersonally, I think Politico is just barely above reproach anyway. Much of there reporting is as slanted left as ABC or CBS. I realize they have their editorial side, but the lefties get the majority of the "cover stories" and the right side is as often apologetic for being so as they are aggressive in their stance. Generally, they're as difficult to stomach as most of the others.
I don't remember seeing anything about the mass hysteria over the "Palin pregnancy" on that list. And the "terrorist fist bump"? Something said on any of the morning shows is hardly worthy of scrutiny; from either perspective. I equate the morning shows to morning radio- more shock than news.
Politico
December 23, 2008 - 08:08 ET by kiwikitis just a WAPO without the fact checkers. I find it no better than the rest of MSM, or less arrogant. If I see their name as a source, I know their slant if leftist.
I read this and...
December 23, 2008 - 22:19 ET by pbthinkerI read this one Drudge and the one thing about this story that is missing is how little aside from this debate, the media questioned Obama about anything. I wouldn't call it a blunder, since that intimates an accident, this was intentional avoidance, on their part, and it turned into a faux pas when Sarah Palin was nominated. Once they started questioning Sarah Palin's qualifications many of us sat back and said, "That's fair; but what about questioning Obama's qualifications in the same manner." One was nominated to be vice-president andcould be the President, the other was nominated to be the President. Seems to me there's a little difference there.
Meanwhile, the press could care less about their obvious avoidance and continued to question Palin's qualifications.
Election 2008-God's way of showing us that elections count.