Not Bad: Washington Post Plays March for Life on A-3

Photo of Tim Graham.
By Tim Graham | January 23, 2008 - 08:52 ET

For pro-lifers used to being ignored when they come to Washington for the annual March for Life, Wednesday’s Washington Post story will please them. It’s placed on page A-3, and even more surprising, it came with a wide crowd shot that lets the reader see the rally’s size (it’s a shot by a Post photographer, not the Reuters photo the website used). The headline is "A Youthful Throng Marches Against Abortion." The story underneath by Sue Anne Pressley Montes is straightforward, as she noted "In many ways, the march resembled a gigantic pep rally, with smiling teenagers in matching scarves or sweat shirts holding school banners high as they moved along."

The Post website also has a brief video, although it’s simply some of Bush’s remarks over AP video, not really a Post staff production. The story was not located anywhere on the washingtonpost.com home page this morning (although you could find it on the Politics page).

Last year's story was on A-10, and it had a more traditional story featuring both sides of the abortion debate. The Montes story had no reply from abortion advocates. I participated in the March yesterday, and saw no sign of pro-"choice" hecklers or street debaters (although my group didn't march all the way to the end.)

Yesterday's rally certainly did have a raucous, youthful feel, with chanting and cheering. But no presidential candidate attended again. Last year, Sam Brownback spoke and had his presidential campaign posters everywhere. The only sign of a presidential campaign yesterday came from Ron Paul boosters.

CORRECTION: ....And Ron Paul himself, who spoke at the podium. MRC's Matthew Balan corrected this distracted marcher. Matt has also reminded me (more than once) that Duncan Hunter spoke at last year's March (but he had no army of pamphleteers like Brownback did.)

—Tim Graham is Director of Media Analysis at the Media Research Center

Comments Policy

All comments are owned by whoever posted them and are subject to our terms of use. They should not be assumed to represent the views of NewsBusters.

Viewing options

Select your preferred way to display the comments and click "Save settings" to activate your changes.

OK, I'm back from my

OK, I'm back from my "Flying Pigs" reconnaissance trip to the window.

Wow! Let's give them credit since it's due, finally......and their finally treating this event as newsworthy is WAY overdue.

My daughter attended the march all four years of high school, with our church's youth group or her school's Pro-life group. Every year she came home and said it was an "amazing" experience.

I am just amazed at the number of young people who are pro-life.. NOW must look at this crowd and think, "Quelle nightmare" (You've Got Mail).

And I believe the Roe Effect is only going to increase this phenomenon.

Actually, the story made

Actually, the story made the front page of our local newspaper here yesterday; focusing on locals who were traveling to the rally. 

*****

"People only insist that a debate stop when they are afraid of what might be learned if it continues." - George Will 

Tim, I think the Post as

Tim,

I think the Post as well as some other local TV news stations may have received some complaints about the lack of coverage last year. This may have caused them to cover their collective butts this year to at least be professional journalists and cover the event.

This is just my speculation, though.

 

Thanks for the post, Tim. I

Thanks for the post, Tim. I don't read the WaPost, so I wouldn't have known they actually reported on the event. As usual, the number in attendance was staggering, and the number of those "under 25" appeared to be more than 50%. I saw a helicopter hovering for awhile -- it would be nice to see an aerial photograph one of these days.