You could sense the revelry as the Los Angeles Times featured Sen. Barack Obama's announcement on the top of its front page (Wednesday, January 17, 2007). (See the image.) Along with the 1469-word article is a color photo of Barack and a colored box highlighting his "Background," "Experience," and "Education." Inside, with the continuation of the article, is another generous photo of Barack, this one covering over 30 square inches. The article gushes that Obama is a "charismatic speaker" who "has been enthusiastically received by audiences around the country."
Contrast the Times' glowing front-page reception of Obama with the way the paper reported the exact same announcement from Sen. Sam Brownback last month (December 5, 2006). Front-page treatment? An additional text box in color featuring Brownback's "Background," "Experience," and "Education"? A couple of nice photos? Not even close. The Times stuffed the moderately-sized, 833-word article on Brownback on page A20. And the title? "Conservative Sen. Brownback explores presidential run." The article begins, "Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kan.), a favorite of social conservatives ...," and the word "conservative" is sprinkled throughout the piece.
Meanwhile, while Obama enjoyed a perfect rating of 100 from liberal groups Americans for Democratic Action (ADA) and NARAL in 2005, the Times does not use the word "liberal" to describe Obama until the closing paragraphs of the article when it finally reports, "He has a traditionally liberal voting history - supporting gay rights, abortion rights and gun control. The only vote in 2006 with which he opposed the liberal Americans for Democratic Action was in supporting a free-trade agreement with Oman."
Mind you, Obama did not even formally announce his candidacy for President. (The Times says that announcement is expected February 10 in Illinois.) Rather, he announced he had formed an exploratory committee, just as Sen. Brownback did last month. And this is a big front-page story at the Los Angeles Times? Yup.
Disparate treatment and bias? Of course.
[Funny P.S.: I've never considered myself much of a fortune teller, but check out the article I penned back in Jan. 2005 called, "Los Angeles Times Launching 2008 Obama Campaign??" The Times has been fawning over this guy since (before) Day One.]
—Dave Pierre is the creator of TheMediaReport.com and a contributor to NewsBusters.
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Am I the only one who's hop
January 17, 2007 - 23:12 ET by DyneAm I the only one who's hoping that the Democrats cause a huge internal schism amongst themselves when they can't decide whether they want to fawn over Obama or Hillary Clinton more come time to name an '08 candidate and crumble to pieces internally?
Not all Americans are stupid, it's just that all of the idiots are given jobs within the MSM.
I really hate to agree with
January 18, 2007 - 15:28 ET by motherbeltI really hate to agree with the LA Times, but I gotta say the treatment of these two stories is probably not due to bias. The fact is that an Obama candidacy has been getting talked about for weeks, all over the country. It is seen as an event that will add interest and excitement (good and bad) to the race. On the other hand, Brownback's announcement isn't going to give anyone goosebumps, and doesn't generate anywhere near the amount of interest.
However, on the matter of labelling "liberal" vs. "conservative, I agree that the bias is obvious.
More Buttkissing
January 18, 2007 - 20:09 ET by emjem24Yuck, is all I have to say. Obama would make a terrible president just as he has been a terrible senator. But, then, Illinois really wouldn't know the difference. The man wants to be hopeful, then why side with the damn liberals all the time? Why don't you show a little independence and vote with your conscience instead of being in lockstep with your compadres. Yet more double standards. Conservatives are accused of moving in lockstep with each other but Obama gets a pass on the little, very little, he's accomplished. What major thing has he done besides being (gasp!) a black senator from Illinois.
The difficult we do immediately; the impossible takes a little longer. Air Force Motto
emjem says: When your brain's stuck on liberalism it self-destructs.
I'm already sick of hearing a
January 18, 2007 - 20:13 ET by Clear thinkerI'm already sick of hearing about Obama, why won't the lefties give some airtime to Tom Tancredo?