Obama, McCain: Media Darlings
It's true that, as Howard Kurtz notes today in The Washington Post, Barack Obama is getting some pretty adulatory press coverage lately. Still, Sen. Obama did win the first nominating contest, against what looked at one time to be pretty long odds, so a certain amount of the praise is
only to be expected.
John McCain, on the other hand, finished fourth in Iowa (though he looks likely to win in New Hampshire tonight). And yet, in recent weeks, I'd argue, he's received equally glowing coverage, just as he did in 2000.
Here's one explanation for why -- and not one which reflects well on campaign reporters.
Obama won primaries with the help of positive media coverage. The media has given him rock star treatment. We have yet to see the media scrutinize him. When the Rezko fiasco came up, the media was quick to put the fires out for Obama by flashing a picture the very next morning of the Clintons posing with Rezko. There was a marathon of Clinton bashing on MSNBC that followed after the debate. Their non-stop attacks were brutal and personal. I am no fan of Hillary Clinton but I could not stand the media bias on a very personal level. They were all foaming at the mouth when they attacked this woman. My lord, serial killers are treated with more respect by the media. I had to change the channel and haven't watched MSNBC since.
Obama won primaries with the help of positive media coverage. The media has given him rock star treatment. We have yet to see the media scrutinize him. When the Rezko fiasco came up, the media was quick to put the fires out for Obama by flashing a picture the very next morning of the Clintons posing with Rezko. There was a marathon of Clinton bashing on MSNBC that followed after the debate. Their non-stop attacks were brutal and personal. I am no fan of Hillary Clinton but I could not stand the media bias on a very personal level. They were all foaming at the mouth when they attacked this woman. My lord, serial killers are treated with more respect by the media. I had to change the channel and haven't watched MSNBC since.