For weeks, almost months now, conservatives have written or spoken about the media's love for Barack Obama (John McCain even had a video of media personalities professing their admiration for Obama set to music). Deborah Howell, the Washington Post's Ombudsman, finally admitted in an article today that her own newspaper is heavily biased in favor of Barack Obama:
Democrat Barack Obama has had about a 3 to 1 advantage over Republican John McCain in Post Page 1 stories since Obama became his party's presumptive nominee June 4. Obama has generated a lot of news by being the first African American nominee, and he is less well known than McCain -- and therefore there's more to report on. But the disparity is so wide that it doesn't look good.
Ms. Howell included a quote from Bill Hamilton, the Post's managing editor for politics, who offered this explanation:
We make our own decisions about what we consider newsworthy. We are not garment workers measuring our product every day to fulfill somebody's quota. That means as editors we decide what we think is important, because that's what our readers look for us to do -- not to adhere to some arbitrary standard.
So covering both candidates equally is somehow an arbitrary standard now. And let's be honest here. What's newsworthy is completely subjective. What he may consider newsworthy may be total pap to someone else. Yet, Mr. Hamilton, an editor at the Washington Post, feels entitled to run as many pro-Obama pieces he wants (under the excuse they're more newsworthy than stories about John McCain), publish all the liberal commentary he wants on Page 1 and call it objective journalism, and no one is allowed to say anything about it.
This disregard for objectivity isn't just happening at the Washington Post, either, as Ms. Howell pointed out:
This is not just a Post phenomenon. The Project for Excellence in Journalism has been monitoring campaign coverage at an assortment of large and medium-circulation newspapers, broadcast evening and morning news shows, five news Web sites, three major cable news networks, and public radio and other radio outlets. Its latest report, for the week of Aug. 4-10, shows that for the eighth time in nine weeks, Obama received significantly more coverage than McCain.
This should not be a surprise to anyone who has followed this campaign. We saw the same pattern during the Democratic primary, when it was Hillary Clinton who was on the receiving end of the she's not newsworthy enough standard.
While Hamilton and other editors in print and broadcast media continue with their pro Barack Obama bias free from any legislative repercussions, those in talk radio are fighting the heavy hand of censorship that the liberal Democrats in Congress are trying to bring down on their heads. It's unfair, the liberals cry like little girls, that conservatives have found a voice for themselves in one medium, talk radio. Even though the liberals have monopolies in print, broadcast, and web media, it's simply unacceptable that conservatives are having success in one. It's outrageous and must be stopped, the liberals insist.
It's a nice, cushy, little double standard Hamilton and his editor buddies have got going for themselves, isn't it.




Comments (27)
"I see said the blind man I... (Below threshold)1. Posted by retired military | August 18, 2008 7:12 PM | Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
"I see said the blind man I see"
1. Posted by retired military | August 18, 2008 7:12 PM |
Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Posted on August 18, 2008 19:12
2. Posted by BIRDZILLA | August 18, 2008 7:21 PM | Score: 6 (6 votes cast)
When it comes to the WASHINGTON COMPOST it was dileberate
2. Posted by BIRDZILLA | August 18, 2008 7:21 PM |
Score: 6 (6 votes cast)
Posted on August 18, 2008 19:21
3. Posted by GianniD | August 18, 2008 7:26 PM | Score: 6 (6 votes cast)
So, all of those articles on him, and, no real news? hard to believe they can keep typing with sticky fingers from knobbing 'Mr 57 states' so often.
Have they even dug up his official birth certificate yet?
3. Posted by GianniD | August 18, 2008 7:26 PM |
Score: 6 (6 votes cast)
Posted on August 18, 2008 19:26
4. Posted by Scrapiron | August 18, 2008 8:10 PM | Score: 4 (6 votes cast)
So the post chooses to join the democrat party and the American people can choose not to buy the post since it's no longer a 'news' paper but a DNC propaganda outlet.
4. Posted by Scrapiron | August 18, 2008 8:10 PM |
Score: 4 (6 votes cast)
Posted on August 18, 2008 20:10
5. Posted by max | August 18, 2008 8:14 PM | Score: -3 (3 votes cast)
Except..
http://www.cmpa.com/Studies/Election08/election%20news%207_29_08.htm
5. Posted by max | August 18, 2008 8:14 PM |
Score: -3 (3 votes cast)
Posted on August 18, 2008 20:14
6. Posted by Geoffrey Britain | August 18, 2008 8:27 PM | Score: 6 (6 votes cast)
The democrats are evidently too stupid to see that they are playing with fire when they push "The Fairness Doctrine" for radio. What's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander...
Once the democrats establish The 'Fairness Doctrine' it would apply as much to TV, Print and Web Media :-)
6. Posted by Geoffrey Britain | August 18, 2008 8:27 PM |
Score: 6 (6 votes cast)
Posted on August 18, 2008 20:27
7. Posted by Venomous Kate | August 18, 2008 9:32 PM | Score: 5 (7 votes cast)
So in effect WaPo is admitting their publication is basically a blog printed on paper.
7. Posted by Venomous Kate | August 18, 2008 9:32 PM |
Score: 5 (7 votes cast)
Posted on August 18, 2008 21:32
8. Posted by Tbird | August 18, 2008 9:37 PM | Score: 5 (5 votes cast)
Wrong my friend. When Nancy Peloci introduces the fairness doctrine it will be carefully re-written to apply only to AM talk radio. The cable channels, newpapers, and the MSM will not be included. They're not that stupid. I mean you really don't expect them to be fair do you?
8. Posted by Tbird | August 18, 2008 9:37 PM |
Score: 5 (5 votes cast)
Posted on August 18, 2008 21:37
9. Posted by Brian | August 18, 2008 9:38 PM | Score: -10 (14 votes cast)
Washington Post Admits Pro-Obama Bias
No, they stated that they ran more stories about Obama. Where is your analysis of how many of them were positive stories vs. negative stories?
9. Posted by Brian | August 18, 2008 9:38 PM |
Score: -10 (14 votes cast)
Posted on August 18, 2008 21:38
10. Posted by retired military | August 18, 2008 9:55 PM | Score: 9 (13 votes cast)
"No, they stated that they ran more stories about Obama. Where is your analysis of how many of them were positive stories vs. negative stories"
Tell you what.
For every 1 negative Obama story you can find I will find either 3 negative McCain stories or 3 positive Obama stories.
10. Posted by retired military | August 18, 2008 9:55 PM |
Score: 9 (13 votes cast)
Posted on August 18, 2008 21:55
11. Posted by Mark Ducharme
| August 18, 2008 10:02 PM | Score: 4 (4 votes cast)
If the body-count media was not a complete disgrace to the original concept of what the press was supposed to be, "extreme" liberals would be no worse than Hubert Humphrey. As much as he sucked, he was actually to the right of most current "republicans".
Tail-gunner Joe was right and now they are institutionalized.
11. Posted by Mark Ducharme
| August 18, 2008 10:02 PM |
Score: 4 (4 votes cast)
Posted on August 18, 2008 22:02
12. Posted by hyperbolist | August 18, 2008 11:32 PM | Score: -13 (15 votes cast)
#10: your assertion would prove devastating to Brian's incredibly relevant suggestion. Perhaps some statistics (as though objective statistics could ever be produced on such a subject)?
"Terrorist fist-bump" and idiotic blathering about flag pins would count as "stories". The networks ran and re-ran McCain's ads ad infinitum for free and passed that off as journalism. So quit being babies and find something that McCain has said or done recently that's worth spilling ink over.
12. Posted by hyperbolist | August 18, 2008 11:32 PM |
Score: -13 (15 votes cast)
Posted on August 18, 2008 23:32
13. Posted by BlueNight | August 19, 2008 12:40 AM | Score: -8 (8 votes cast)
And what's so wrong about being biased? How about a hundred voices on each side, COMPETING in the marketplace of ideas? Each side is clear who they're advocating, and why. Oh wait, we don't want to COMPETE, we want to SHARE.
13. Posted by BlueNight | August 19, 2008 12:40 AM |
Score: -8 (8 votes cast)
Posted on August 19, 2008 00:40
14. Posted by retired military | August 19, 2008 2:36 AM | Score: 7 (9 votes cast)
" Oh wait, we don't want to COMPETE, we want to SHARE."
So says the side that can't compete.
-----------
""Terrorist fist-bump" and idiotic blathering about flag pins would count as "stories". "
As would "tingling up my leg". Come on and give it a rest. You are showing more and more that you are moreso in the tank for Obama than the media.
14. Posted by retired military | August 19, 2008 2:36 AM |
Score: 7 (9 votes cast)
Posted on August 19, 2008 02:36
15. Posted by you're kidding, right? | August 19, 2008 3:13 AM | Score: -7 (9 votes cast)
Yeah, Obama gets more coverage, but it's MOSTLY NEGATIVE. Read the rest of that poll.
McCain supporters have every reason to be made about getting the same amount of screen time, but keep in mind what comes with being the TOP STORY- it's usually a story demanding the candidate defend themselves regarding something stupid.
15. Posted by you're kidding, right? | August 19, 2008 3:13 AM |
Score: -7 (9 votes cast)
Posted on August 19, 2008 03:13
16. Posted by marc | August 19, 2008 5:15 AM | Score: 3 (7 votes cast)
Brian - "No, they stated that they ran more stories about Obama. Where is your analysis of how many of them were positive stories vs. negative stories?"
Buwahaha!
Oh excuse me, that was funny you know.
Anyway you claim what she wrote was correct and pointed out "the why."
Shouldn't you provide the counter-point? "If you had you certainly would be receiving so many belly laughs not to mention negative votes.
16. Posted by marc | August 19, 2008 5:15 AM |
Score: 3 (7 votes cast)
Posted on August 19, 2008 05:15
17. Posted by retired military | August 19, 2008 7:11 AM | Score: 6 (8 votes cast)
"Yeah, Obama gets more coverage, but it's MOSTLY NEGATIVE. Read the rest of that poll.
"
a. Polls are about opinions. Obama couldnt answer this poll because he has to have his opinion handed down to him from someone of a higher pay grade (his words not mine)
b. Just because a poll says it does not make it so.
c. If you honestly believe that that statement reflects the reality of negative stories about Obama then all I can say is
"Dude you are doing WWWWAAAAYYYY too many illegal drugs". You should talk to hyperboli as I am sure his scientists have done studies to that this is not healty for you.
17. Posted by retired military | August 19, 2008 7:11 AM |
Score: 6 (8 votes cast)
Posted on August 19, 2008 07:11
18. Posted by cstmbuild | August 19, 2008 9:45 AM | Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
You would have thought that "quotas" would have been the perfect measuring stick for a liberal organization.
But, as usual, quotas and other liberal ideas/beliefs don't apply to the liberals.
18. Posted by cstmbuild | August 19, 2008 9:45 AM |
Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Posted on August 19, 2008 09:45
19. Posted by Mac Lorry | August 19, 2008 10:18 AM | Score: 10 (12 votes cast)
Do they mean some arbitrary standard like fair and balanced? I got news for this dunce, if it's not fair and balanced it's not news. It might be commentary or opinion, but it's not news.
It's the same when the main stream media starts reporting only bad economic news while ignoring good news. In making a biased selection of what to report they negatively impact consumer confidence, and as a result, actually create more bad economic news.
19. Posted by Mac Lorry | August 19, 2008 10:18 AM |
Score: 10 (12 votes cast)
Posted on August 19, 2008 10:18
20. Posted by Brian | August 19, 2008 11:09 AM | Score: -3 (9 votes cast)
Anyway you claim what she wrote was correct and pointed out "the why."
Shouldn't you provide the counter-point?
First of all, it was done already.
But more importantly, do we now have to disprove every unsubstantiated claim that's invented by hand-waving rather than facts? How about when you make a claim, substantiate it? Is that too much to ask of Kim?
20. Posted by Brian | August 19, 2008 11:09 AM |
Score: -3 (9 votes cast)
Posted on August 19, 2008 11:09
21. Posted by _Mike_ | August 19, 2008 3:14 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
True but incomplete. Prior to early June, Clinton supporters were writing about the bias also. They seem to have mostly stopped that complaint since mid-June though.
21. Posted by _Mike_ | August 19, 2008 3:14 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 19, 2008 15:14
22. Posted by Herman | August 19, 2008 3:22 PM | Score: -1 (3 votes cast)
No cause for alarm: the Washington Post simply understands its need to counterbalance DC's other newspaper, The Moonie Times.
And yes, conservatives, it is more newsworthy when ObamaMessiah's doing something like meeting German Chancellor Angela Merkel than when John McCain is at the same time chatting with a couple of shoppers about trivia in aisle 3 of the local Piggly Wiggly.
22. Posted by Herman | August 19, 2008 3:22 PM |
Score: -1 (3 votes cast)
Posted on August 19, 2008 15:22
23. Posted by obvious bias is obvious | August 19, 2008 3:43 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
"b. Jst bcs pll ss t ds nt mk t s."
Rmmbr tht.
n ll hnst, dn't thnk th mnstrm md s fr t thr cnddt. dn't thnk n f th bg ntwrks r dng dcnt jb n bng srs jrnlsts.
Th McCn cmpgn gt pssd t NBC fr tlkng bt spcltn cmng t f th ppstn's cmp nstd f skng S THS TR?
Th nvr sk f t's tr. Ths s McCn's frst rl tst f t, bt bm spprtrs hv bn wtchng ths hppn vr nd vr fr mr thn r nw. Th dn't cr f t's tr...th jst cr tht t's mkng wtch.
Rgrdng th 'bv m p grd'- dd rll nt ndrstnd tht? H s nthr thlgn nr scntst. nn wh thnks th 'hv t ll fgrd t' bt r nt n f ths tw thngs s tlkng t f thr ss.
socky for ugh
23. Posted by obvious bias is obvious | August 19, 2008 3:43 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 19, 2008 15:43
24. Posted by LaMedusa | August 19, 2008 4:31 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
I heard it and understood it loud and clear. Even with his pro-abortion stance in his voting record, he suggests that his viewpoint has a dollar amount attached to it. His decisive answer based on his approval of surviving babies to be unattended by hospital staff, thus allowing them to die, would actually be, "Babies that are aborted have no rights, regardless of why it's done or how it's mishandled."
His voting is based on side-stepping an issue and basing his decision on what he feels is cost effective. The rights of babies would not factor in an answer referring to "pay grade". He prefers not to answer the question that these might actually be human beings that are killed or allowed to die. If you really think I am just making an assumption, stop listening to his words and look at his actions.
24. Posted by LaMedusa | August 19, 2008 4:31 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 19, 2008 16:31
25. Posted by LaMedusa | August 19, 2008 4:39 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
BTW, stating a viewpoint is not the same thing as saying you have it all figured out. It's simply stating a viewpoint based on personal conviction. If McCain says, "At the moment of conception", it means this is his viewpoint and belief.
25. Posted by LaMedusa | August 19, 2008 4:39 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 19, 2008 16:39
26. Posted by Ugh | August 19, 2008 5:26 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
S McCn s nttld t hs pnn, bt bm sn't? Thr s smthng wrng wth bm sng h's nt n xprt n vrthng?
Wll tht dsn't rll jv wll wth r prsmpts nd rrgnt clms, ds t?
nw, t's stpd pnt. nd rgrdng bm's PR BRTN stnc nd dsr t mrdr bbs, sggst ctll rd th lgsltn h vtd N n. thr b fr nd d tht, r m gnn strt tlkng bt hw McCn hts th trps nd s pr-trtr.
sockpuppet
26. Posted by Ugh | August 19, 2008 5:26 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 19, 2008 17:26
27. Posted by LaMedusa | August 19, 2008 5:58 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
I guess you missed his answer that offering an opinion is "above" his pay grade. No one said he wasn't entitled to his opinion, that is the very thing he is side-stepping.
Yep, that's a liberal argument alright.
Maybe not just the legislation on his NO votes, but where his "present" votes went and what they mean:
"Under the rules of the Illinois legislature, a present vote effectively functions as a no vote because only yes votes count toward passage of a bill. Legislators vote "present" rather than "no" for a variety of tactical reasons, including making it more difficult for their political opponents to use their votes against them in campaign advertisements."
It's his lack of public decisiveness(honesty) that is the question here. Call my opinion arrogant if you will, however, it's still an opinion, that he refuses to give. His "default no" votes are a concern to me, along with saying "present" when he knows which way his vote will go.
27. Posted by LaMedusa | August 19, 2008 5:58 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 19, 2008 17:58