The Weekly Standard’s September 14 issue parodied the Washington Post for its biased, obsessive coverage of Virginia gubernatorial candidate Bob McDonnell, wryly featuring a mock headline that read: "Post Runs Another Story About Its McDonnell Story: Stories to run until ‘controversy’ takes on life of its own, sources say." [Emphasis added]
The Washington Post has published 12 pieces in 11 days highlighting a 1989 Regent University thesis by the Republican about the traditional family structure. The spot-on Weekly Standard parody spoofed, "Three days after publishing a story in hopes of generating a controversy over a master’s thesis written 20 years ago by GOP gubernatorial hopeful Bob McDonnell, The Washington Post will publish another story today about the reaction to its original story, the Washington Post has learned."
That parody is rather similar to actual Post coverage. On September 1, 2009, two days after first focusing on the story, the paper featured a front page story with this headline: "Governor's Race Erupts Over McDonnell's Past Views." The eruption consisted, more or less, of the Deeds campaign pouncing on the campaign gift.
Reporters Amy Gardner, Rosalind S. Helderman and Anita Kumar breathlessly announced:
The Virginia governor's race ignited Monday over Republican Robert F. McDonnell's 20-year-old graduate thesis: Democrats assailed him in e-mail blasts and interviews for what he wrote about working women, homosexuals and "fornicators," and McDonnell tried to explain his views to crucial moderate and female voters.
The Weekly Standard satire dryly observed:
One headline, for example, said the race "erupted" 48 hours after the first article appeared. The text of the article, by contrast, said the race "ignited." Virginia voters were quick to point out that the race had done neither.
"Did the copy desk mix metaphors in describing something that wasn’t happening? Yes," said one source close to the paper. "Is that a risk that a fearless newsgathering organization is willing to run if it’s going to take down a candidate that none of its employees would vote for? You bet it is."
Read the entire Weekly Standard parody here.
Read past NewsBusters coverage of the Washington Post’s fixation with McDonnell here.
—Scott Whitlock is a news analyst for the Media Research Center.
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WaPo and NYT are beyond pathetic.
September 9, 2009 - 14:33 ET by jazboThe death throes of a fading, impotent medium.
"Democrats; Breeding voters like farm animals since 1962"
Got to give credit...
September 9, 2009 - 14:32 ET by SpokerYou've really got to give the Washington Post credit for trying their hardest to prove they are still relevant and can still manipulate an election.
Has the Post started publishing in Venezuela yet?
the wha po lost all it's investigateing credibility on12/17/05
September 9, 2009 - 14:55 ET by larry on LIthe day that jack anderson died.
As compared to the 'many' stories on their stories on Van Jones
September 9, 2009 - 15:20 ET by Cape Conservativeand his WELL-DOCUMENTED blasphemous statements, both uttered and written! Oh...and well oh yeah...HE'S A SELF-AVOWED COMMUNIST as well!!!
Wonder when they will decide to do a story or two on the thesis of either Barack or Michelle Obama - oops, I guess I've spoken out of turn here...such reporting is a big 'NO NO' 'NO NO' 'NO NO'
This comment comes from a proud Tea Party attendee, otherwise designated by Homeland Security as a Domestic Right Wing Terrorist! It is no dishonor to be in a minority in the cause of liberty and virtue ~ Sam Adams
202.224.3121 LET THEM HEAR THE ROAR OF THE SILENT MAJORITY!
Ah -- but is the Standard's
September 9, 2009 - 15:02 ET by Jack BauerAh -- but is the Standard's satire as good as my effort which I posted on NB all of a week ago!
BREAKING NEWS
Today's Post....
September 9, 2009 - 15:03 ET by Prester John.....had an article that was trying to show McDonnell in a bad light for, when he was in the House of Delegates, voting IN THE MAJORITY against reappointing a judge who was accused of sexual harassment.
The Post is, well, it's the Post.
spot on
September 9, 2009 - 16:28 ET by konoTheir mock headline is right on target.
I get the distinct impression that a lot of people take these stories at face value, never thinking about a possible agenda behind them. And that's a little discouraging...
The WoPo
September 9, 2009 - 16:38 ET by Airforce_5_OHas just brought a knife to a Gun fight. Their continued attacks amount to nothing more than a 2 year old trying to get their way.
Its time to put a diaper over their head and bottle up their arse and call it a night.
Liberalism: The haunting feeling that someone, somewhere, can help themselves.