If the reports are true, Barack Obama has gone from Democrat presidential candidate to an out and out media star.
According to the New York Times, when the junior senator from Illinois goes to Iraq in the coming weeks, all three network broadcast news anchors will go there to interview him.
This goes in stark contrast to what happened when John McCain visited Iraq last March.
I guess it's good to be Messiah.
As Jim Rutenberg reported Thursday (emphasis added):
[W]hen Senator Barack Obama heads for Iraq and other places overseas this summer, [Brian] Williams is planning to catch up with him in person, as are the other two network evening news anchors, Charles Gibson of ABC and Katie Couric of CBS, who, like Mr. Williams, are far along in discussions to interview Mr. Obama on successive nights.
And while the anchors are jockeying for interviews with Mr. Obama at stops along his route, the regulars on the Obama campaign plane will have new seatmates: star political reporters from the major newspapers and magazines who are flocking to catch Mr. Obama’s first overseas trip since becoming the presumptive Democratic nominee. A “Meet the Press” interview is also being planned.
The extraordinary coverage planned for Mr. Obama’s trip, though in part solicited by aides, reflects how the candidate remains an object of fascination in the news media, a built-in feature of being the first black presidential nominee for a major political party and a relative newcomer to the national stage.
But the coverage also feeds into concerns in Mr. McCain’s campaign, and among Republicans in general, that the news media are imbalanced in their coverage of the candidates, just as aides to Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton felt during the primary season. [...]
The imbalance has appeared in various analyses of the news coverage. The Tyndall Report, a news coverage monitoring service that has the broadcast networks as clients, reports that the three newscasts by the networks — which have a combined audience of more than 20 million people — spent roughly 114 minutes covering Mr. Obama since June. They spent about 48 minutes covering Mr. McCain, who made the rounds of the evening newscasts in satellite interviews last week.
Liberal media bias? What liberal media bias?
—Noel Sheppard is the Associate Editor of NewsBusters.
Editor at Large
Comments Policy
Maybe now we will get accurate reporting?
July 17, 2008 - 09:51 ET by JTPIf they get the stories first hand it won't be filtered on the way up the ladder before broadcasting.
Ya right....
The 2ND Amendment exists to secure the rest
Now if they just admit they
July 17, 2008 - 09:53 ET by athoughtor2Now if they just admit they are in the tank for him than the circle will be complete. They have done everything to show who's side they are on. If they can just say it, note to self and others do not hold your breath. However actions do speak louder than words.
Lord Obamessiah, we shall follow thee!
July 17, 2008 - 09:59 ET by goldenthroatat2,
By announcing that they - the media disciples following Obamessiah - are following their appointed one to the far reaches of the earth, they have more than solidified their allegience to this quasi-savior!
The circle is already complete - now let's see how accurate the reporting will be. Then again, I have some prime real estate at the base of Mt. St. Helens I'll sell ya!
"How can you be in two places at once when you're not anywhere at all?" - Firesign Theatre (and the MSM)
I agree. Was just hoping
July 17, 2008 - 10:03 ET by athoughtor2I agree. Was just hoping that they could actually say the words. They think that the common folk, those who cling to GOD and their guns, will not pick up on it. They know the "elite" of this country has figured it out, but are on their side. They truly believe people are too dumb to catch on to their acts.
I don't know about
July 17, 2008 - 10:10 ET by taterI don't know about that...most common folk I talk to think that the media is in the tank with Obama. Can you blame them though since it is blatently obvious.
www.theholyrosary.org
"There is no problem, I tell you, no matter how difficult it is, that we can not resolve by the prayer of the Holy Rosary." -Sister Lucia
the "common folk" get it.
July 17, 2008 - 10:30 ET by athoughtor2the "common folk" get it. what i was saying is that the anchors, msm and elites think the common folk don't get it. b/c they think they are the be all end all of news and getting to the masses. to paraphrase jesse, they talk down to us...they just think they are better and know more.
I'm waiting to see the
July 17, 2008 - 10:14 ET by motherbeltI'm waiting to see the headline banners at the top of all three newscasts:
Obama: The Battlefield Tour.
Shoot 'em all; let God sort 'em out! - Marge Simpson
I am waiting for the day...
July 17, 2008 - 10:19 ET by AmericanEnergist...of the collapse of the old 'Nightly News' media. At times, I feel like I am in a friken' parallel universe where the opposite makes sense (ala Seinfeld). I haven't watched any of the big-3's newscasts for years, but for some God-please-tell-me reason, these talking heads still have viewers and 8-digit contracts. Unreal!
Give me some REAL journalism instead of this 'Entertainment Tonight - Current Events Edition' programming!
www.ArmchairEnergist...
Remember
July 17, 2008 - 10:37 ET by TexndocOh how I look forward to the polls after this whirlwind tour-a-palloza. Remember Messiah has remained continually "tied" with the old man, despite the fact that he should be 60 points ahead given his publicity agents (i.e., the MSM). I think election day people are going to be downright sick of the flashy hare, and vote the tortoise.
And isn't it interesting that the lord Osamessiah...
July 17, 2008 - 10:48 ET by goldenthroatTex,
Isn't it interesting that the lord Obamessiah, who refers to himself as a "Christian", doesn't rebuke anyone for calling him messiah?
Hmmm - makes you wonder doesn't it?
"How can you be in two places at once when you're not anywhere at all?" - Firesign Theatre
"messiah"
July 17, 2008 - 10:54 ET by TexndocGolden, I'm just glad Rush picked up on it. I may be wrong but I didn't think in the past he was stressing the media's "Oh, Messiah!" "Oh, Saviour!" as much as he was yesterday. I think what put him over the edge was the "we can't joke about this man" stories from the Hollywood late-night crowd.
Excellent point: never
July 17, 2008 - 11:07 ET by SickofLibsExcellent point: never thought of that.
Even mentioning the word muslim or using his middle name is 100% verbotin, but friendlies using the term Messiah is OK.
Same for 'lightworker'. Not a single humble molecule in his body.
What? Has a Presidential
July 17, 2008 - 10:51 ET by bassndudeWhat? Has a Presidential candidate never traveled over seas before? Did I miss something here?? I notice one thing here. He is going to Iraq. The safest destination. The one they are already preparing to pull troops out of. Now, if he really wants to visit a war zone, one that will demonstrate his "courage", Afghanistan is the place. Up on the Pakistan border, in the mountians. Not the green zone in Iraq.
Save a SeAL, club a liberal!!
Pee down their legs
July 17, 2008 - 10:55 ET by ThisnThatThe MSM simply feel safer traveling with Obama than with McCain -- and I don't blame them. Look, if a bad guy approaches Obama and crew, the MSM know what's going to happen. He's going to
And then the MSM will take a picture with a halo around Obama's head, and (at least in the case of Chris Matthews) pee down their collective legs.
___________________________________
If you can read this, thank a teacher. If it is in English, thank a Soldier. - My barber
Oooh, ooh, who gets to sit closest to The Chosen One?
July 17, 2008 - 11:10 ET by SickofLibsThe BHO 114 minutes of coverage contrasted with McCain's 48 minutes is DISGUSTINGLY misleading...
BHO's 114 minutes were 98% positive and McCain's meager 48 were overwhelmingly negative and critical. More like 10:1, not 2:1.
I just hope there are no 'mechanical problems' on those flights.
Isn't this just the
July 17, 2008 - 11:06 ET by ConservativeRexIsn't this just the sweetest thing that has happened this year? Now they call all sit at the feet of the wise, seasoned, politician Obami, and learn his wisdom from all his life experiences in governing his fawning subjects.
No, wait....
It's John McCain's Fault
July 17, 2008 - 17:25 ET by Rush FanThe article describes all the reasons why Barack Obama is receiving this special coverage. There is a long list of them, but the reason I like the best is that John McCain is partly to blame for this special coverage. As Paul Friedman, the senior vice president of CBS News stated: “Friedman said McCain and the Republicans have helped make the visit a bigger story because they have repeatedly questioned Obrama's credentials, keeping a running count of the number of days that have passed since Obama last visited Iraq, in 2006.”
So it’s John McCain’s fault! If John McCain and his Republican buddies had kept their mouths shut and not questioned his credentials, Obama would probably not be receiving this special media coverage. How many times has John McCain been told by many of us to keep his mouth shut. He just won’t listen. Bad, bad, John McCain!
Unfortunately, Rutenberg, unintentionally I'm certain, fails to mention the most important reason why Barack Obama is receiving this special media attention. The liberal media is in the tank for Obama (or any Democrat).
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"They are actively promoting the decline of America." ~ Rush Limbaugh on liberals and Democrats
Obama Poker...
July 17, 2008 - 11:21 ET by Clear thinkerThere will be a winner takes all Poker game between all the media rock stars during the flight to Iraq. It's called Obama Poker. The winner get's to kneel and kiss Obama's hand to show appreciation for him getting them safely to Iraq.
There will also be another game on the way back, but true to form, these media hacks won't say exactly when. More earth shattering news at 11:00.
45 Communist Goals for America http://www.nationmakers.com/com_goals.htm
Kudos to Lou Dobbs
July 17, 2008 - 21:33 ET by Rush FanToday on Lou Dobbs show Lou and the Washington Post media critic Howard Kurtz were discussing this topic – the heavy media coverage of Barack Obama’s overseas trip and that all three network news anchors planned to accompany Obama. The lack of coverage on John McCain’s three trips in the last four months was also mentioned. Lou Dobbs said that it was obvious that the media were “in the tank” for Obama. I almost fell over when I heard him say “in the tank”. Then Lou said something to the effect that the news organizations should be ashamed for their obvious bias and lack of objectivity. Howard Kurtz was in agreement.
You just can't get any better than that!
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"They are actively promoting the decline of America." ~ Rush Limbaugh on liberals and Democrats
RF... I saw that....my
July 17, 2008 - 21:47 ET by bigtimerRF...
I saw that....my husband watches Dobbs I do certain segments and I try to flip it Beck also...
It was the truth what Lou and Kurtz said...
Simple as that.
All of CNN must not be too happy...heheheee....
bigtimer
July 17, 2008 - 22:16 ET by Rush FanHe gets away with being open and honest about bias, even on his own network, because he's getting the ratings. I don't agree much with Lou Dobbs, with the exception of his stance toward illegal immigration. He bashes the Bush administration too much for me to watch him regularly.
By the way, I believe in one of your posts you mentioned something about CSPAN moving toward the left. I noticed a lot of their programming today had a lot of liberal content, including a speech by Al Gore. I may be wrong about CSPAN. I don't watch CSPAN or television very much.
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"They are actively promoting the decline of America." ~ Rush Limbaugh on liberals and Democrats
RF... Well when it
July 17, 2008 - 22:27 ET by bigtimerRF...
Well when it comes to Dobbs that is about how I see it too...for me he is about the same as BOR...I flip the channel about 50/50 on both their shows, just depends what they are covering on each subject segment....
As to C-SPAN, I had watched the Washington Journal for about 15 or more years straight in the morning, it comes on at five a.m. here...I was upset if I missed it for the day...anyway, it has been going more left IMO for quite a long time, but the phone bank has been horrendous there for years now...leftists calling in on all lines...when a real repub or conservative would finally get on they would rarely get the same amount of time...I quit caring this year finally, I would get to angry in the mornings...lol..I have noticed the last two days on and of when I flip it there though that real conservatives are really getting through...
I hope they are getting plenty of complaints..maybe they are trying to get some fairness back..time will tell...I used to call in now and then...since Brian Lamb isn't there anymore it has really never been the same...
Oh well...he got married...hope he is happy and has a great long marriage...he waited long enough..lol.
"America isn't the problem...America is the solution." ~ Rush Limbaugh
Brian Lamb will be
July 17, 2008 - 22:39 ET by Rush FanBrian Lamb will be interviewing Brit Hume this Sunday at 8PM ET/PT on Q&A. I'm going to miss Brit when he leaves his program and cuts back his schedule at the end of this year.
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Which political party is invested in our defeat in Iraq?
RF... Yeah I know about
July 17, 2008 - 22:49 ET by bigtimerRF...
Yeah I know about the interview...I am looking forward to it...glad Brian is doing it too..glad he is still doing that part of C-SPAN...
I too will miss Brit...he helped make Fox what it became.
He and Snow both going just leaves one empty in a way when it comes to Fox.
Thanks for the reminder too about Sunday...
"America isn't the problem...America is the solution." ~ Rush Limbaugh
I always expected that the
July 17, 2008 - 22:35 ET by Free StinkerI always expected that the news divisions of ABC, NBC, and CBS would all become an irrelevant joke someday.
I just never thought it would happen to all of them at the same time.