The pro-Obama and pro-Democratic bias at the Los Angeles Times has been very well documented here at NewsBusters. (See here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here - for starters.) Here's some more. Look at how the Times covered day one of the Democratic convention versus day one of the Republican convention:
Tuesday, August 26, 2008, following day one of the DNC: The headline is "Obama is cast as an everyman: His wife portrays him as a symbol of America's promise; a Senate lion calls him a leader for a new era" (click to see the image). A flattering, full-color, 36-square-inch photo of Michelle Obama and her children graces the top of the front page. Inside: Three pages of coverage with five more photos (4 color, 1 b&w), including a huge 79-square-inch, full-color photo taken during Ted Kennedy's address.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008, following day one of the RNC: The top-of-the-page headline is "GOP wasn't expecting this challenge: McCain's campaign is shaken up by the announcement that his running mate's teen daughter is pregnant" (click to see the image). A small color photo of Bristol Palin and Trig Palin accompanies the article. Inside: Two-and-half pages of coverage with four black-and-white photos (0 color), including one of Barack Obama (!). The largest photo features a St. Paul police officer standing by protesters.
To be sure, the RNC was on a reduced schedule due to the devastation of Hurricane Gustav. However, the Times could have very well published a photo of Cindy McCain and First Lady Laura Bush (like this one or this one). Mrs. McCain and Mrs. Bush called on the convention to help victims of the hurricane, and it would have tied into the ongoing story of the storm. Instead, the Times posted a gleeful story about "shaken up" Republicans supposedly "[swinging] into damage control" over the news of Bristol Palin.
Uneven coverage? It sure looks like it! Big thumbs down to the Times and staffer Mark Z. Barabak.
