Press Bias Post Republican National Convention Vs. Democratic National Convention–UPDATED, The Campbell Brown Edition

Are you tired? Good grief, I’m tired. It’s like beating a dead pig, trussing it, roasting it, taking it down from the spit and beating it again for good measure just to make sure it’s dead. And then, after all that, it turns out the pig is still squealing because it’s the pig that just won’t die. Media bias rears it’s piggish head again. Must. Beat. It. Down.

Thankfully, Newsbusters knows a thing or two about perseverance. Look at how the LA 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.

Go to the link.

Updated:

The Anchoress and I must be experiencing a mind meld because what she’s said is exactly what I’ve was thinking:

It’s so tiring, you almost don’t want to bother saying it. But we have to keep pointing it out, this mad descent of the press, and not grow weary or complacent. The only way to keep the press honest is to keep it accountable; that is our responsibility – yours and mine – a free press is an unencumbered, detached, open and honest press. And we must have it; we must insist that our press be free – unaligned with any cause or movement – because a free press is the hardy spine of liberty.

Our hardy spine, burdened by the demands of corporate interests, excessive attachment to distinct agendas and heavy competition from all sorts of media, is bending and crooking. It is not, at present, healthy, straight and strong. There is cause for concern.

The press needs a good chiropractor and some nutrition, too.

Updated again:

Matthew Sheffield of Newsbusters asks, “Will CNN’s Campbell Brown go down as the next Dan Rather in the halls of liberal bias infamy?” Maybe. You know, if she pit-bulled a Democratic operative ever, I might cut her slack for just tenacious questioning. Because she’s such a cream puff to the left, she gets no slack. And would cream puff be used for a man? Absolutely.

Updated again:

RedState’s blogger Streiff has the best summation so far of why Campbell Brown’s treatment of McCain spokesman was so horrible and it comes from her own sweet, former cheerleader mouth:

Naturally, Kurtz delves into the contretemps over John McCain cancelling an interview with CNN’s Larry King, presumably in favor of a leisurely bowel movement, over the spittle-flecked performance of former cheerleader and sorority sister Campbell Brown in interview McCain campaign spokesman Tucker Bounds.

“The interview was totally fair,” Brown said. “I was trying to get an answer. I was persistent, but I was respectful. That’s my job. Experience is a legitimate issue when John McCain raises it about Obama, and it’s also legitimate for us to raise it about Palin.”

Note the construction:

*Experience is a legitimate issue when John McCain raises it about Obama, and it’s also legitimate for us to raise it about Palin.*

That tells you all you need to know about the press coverage. McCain has to raise issues concerning Obama campaign and the media is raising issues on the McCain campaign.

In a nutshell that is why the Obama connection to Ayers isn’t covered. That’s why Obama’s sweetheart real estate deal isn’t explored. That’s why Tony Rezko might as well not exist. That’s why utterly scurrilous and facially ridiculous stories on Governor Palin are given front page attention in major papers. That’s why former cheerleader Campbell Brown, who is allegedly a reporter, has never seen fit to ask a single question about Obama’s qualifications for office.

My point, exactly.

Posted in Entertain Me • Political Animals
Tags: Democrats • MSM • Republicans