Patterico's Pontifications

7/27/2008

The Media and Obama Love

Filed under: 2008 Election — DRJ @ 1:16 pm



[Guest post by DRJ]

There is much talk about the media’s love for Obama, so much so that the McCain campaign has released videos capturing the most extreme examples. (Click on the tab labeled “TV Ad: Love”.)

However, a few journalists like Gabriel Sherman of The New Republic may be having second thoughts about their infatuation with Barack Obama:

“Reporters are grumbling more and more that the campaign is acting like the Prom Queen. They gripe that it is “arrogant” and “control[ling],” and the campaign’s own belief that Obama is poised to make history isn’t endearing, either. The press certainly helped Obama get so far so fast; the question is, how far can he get if his campaign alienates them?”

I bet the media will kiss and make up with the Obama campaign but read the link if you enjoy the complaints of a jilted liberal. If you don’t, here’s an intriguing part of the article:

“Reporters who have covered Obama’s biography or his problems with certain voter blocs have been challenged the most aggressively. “They’re terrified of people poking around Obama’s life,” one reporter says. “The whole Obama narrative is built around this narrative that Obama and David Axelrod built, and, like all stories, it’s not entirely true. So they have to be protective of the crown jewels.” Another reporter notes that, during the last year, Obama’s old friends and Harvard classmates were requested not to talk to the press without permission.

So much for transparency. It’s a different context but this sounds more like “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”

— DRJ

52 Responses to “The Media and Obama Love”

  1. Hope and Change, DRJ. Hope and Change.

    Eric Blair (2708f4)

  2. There were allegations that Kerry and his campaign co-opted his Swiftboat crew to assure that he had cover from anticipated flak from his old nemesis John O’Neill. IIRC, support from his crew along with the Brinkley bio were the primary defenses he raised to the so-called “Swiftboating” attack.

    I wouldn’t be surprised if operatives from both campaigns are hard at work speaking with former classmates of BHO from Columbia and Harvard.

    I also wouldn’t be surprised if a number of McCain’s former POW’s, NA Academy classmates and those serving under him have been contacted by operatives from both campaigns.

    Welcome to politics.

    vnjagvet (d3d48a)

  3. People don’t have to talk to the media if they don’t want to but isn’t it good to have input from character witnesses? I want to know about politicians’ policies but I also want to know about their background and character. I learn that by getting input from people who knew them at different times in their lives.

    DRJ (de3993)

  4. DRJ

    I almost went into diabetic coma this morning scanning the Dowd and Rich pieces in Obama’s NYTimes.

    This is Rich’s headline:

    How Obama Became Acting President

    A sample of Dowd:

    After 200,000 people thronged to see Obama at the Victory Column in Berlin, christening him “Redeemer” and “Savior,” it turned out Sarko was also Obamarized, as the Germans were calling the mesmerizing effect.

    “You must want a cigarette after that,” I teased the candidate after the amorous joint press conference, as he flew from Paris to London for the finale of his grand tour.

    “I think we could work well together,” he said of Sarko, smiling broadly.

    eww.

    Darleen (187edc)

  5. The attempt to control stories about the candidate shows a sense of vulnerability.

    Obama is wrong if he thinks that a fawning media will get him elected.

    SPQR (26be8b)

  6. Darleen,

    You’re right. I bet people gain weight just reading it.

    DRJ (de3993)

  7. I just posted a response at Arianna’s Sunday roundup, if it gets approved and posted.

    The log time would be 5:29 pm. Feel free to surf over and add anything that the ‘Bots might read before their eyes glaze over. A couple people here have said it’s hard to pass censorship. I haven’t tried before today.

    Vermont Neighbor (31ccb6)

  8. Wow, Patterico. You allow many, many dissenting opinions over here.

    Someone had accused Drumwaster of not posting anywhere but at like-minded blogs. Well, Hey there, MS. ARIANNA HUFFINGTON! Looks like my first and only members post was deleted TWICE. That’s really saying a lot.

    You know what? You Obots who come over here and share your views really owe a debt of thanks to the host. MORE importantly, do you see what the media is doing by stacking only pro- Obama fan letters? I had admired Huffington’s moxie for starting up her own blog several years back. Seeing how she filters and plays mini-Hitler over the content (to her liking or not) . . . wow! Just wow.

    Vermont Neighbor (31ccb6)

  9. ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø¤º°`°º¤ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø¤º°`°
    ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø¤º°`°º¤ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø¤º°`°

    The following is dedicated to Arianna Huffington and her staff of Censors.
    In re to her Sunday Roundup, a kool-aid flavored review of Obama’s fantasy trip and Tiger Beat media coverage. (Insert dreamy sigh here).

    DEAR ARIANNA:
    ‘Waiting’ to make a misstep? Barack Hobama is one large walking misstep – one who’s eternally protected by his pals in the Newsroom, those who are always TWO STEPS ahead of this neophyte’s latest mistake or self-serving move. The whole ‘trip’ was a propaganda-based image-bending PHOTO-OP. Capiche? Like when a nobody stands next to a somebody to try and look important. Get those photos out for the mini man-puppet who has no experience… just a far left voting record, a racist wife, a racist church and an ego that makes the Presidential Seal* simply a campaign PROP (*priceless). And BTW. O!bama has the mob back home appointing him leader: Leader of the world, the UN, the galaxy and, oh yeah, the US. – – Arianna omits that the Pentagon informed Obama he was free to visit the wounded as a Senator, but without his Tiger Beat media team. Had the audacity to take credit with some pre-written plan shoved in his hand, one that shamelessly attempted to take credit for the work done by soldiers and this administration overseas. Had we followed BHO’s ever-changing SUGGESTIONS, he would’ve been visiting a hostile country, infiltrated by Iran. Bill Clinton NAILED it when he said this fool’s war-record is a complete fantasy. I would like to close by saying most of you are ill-read, close minded, ignorant, race-based AA voters. A pretty picture is worth a thousand words. That DOESN’T make it worth your VOTE.

    ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø¤º°`°º¤ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø¤º°`°
    ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø¤º°`°º¤ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø¤º°`°

    Vermont Neighbor (31ccb6)

  10. You’re right, Vermont Neighbor. At your suggestion, I checked out the Huffington Post thread and as far as I could tell it’s all good comments about Obama and bad comments about McCain. In addition, there have been several comments posted with time-stamps after you said you left yours.

    DRJ (de3993)

  11. Just WHAT is he afraid of that might be revealed?

    Another Drew (8018ee)

  12. “campaign’s own belief that Obama is poised to make history isn’t endearing”

    It already has. And will do so again if he becomes the first black president — deliciously defeating someone that voted against MLK day.

    afall (4daa88)

  13. Thanks for replying, DRJ. I’ll admit my tone was worthy of deletion, except that the same tone appears on virtually every thread at Huffpo.

    Again… you folks who post here in favor of Obama… you’re being treated with respect and decency at a CONSERVATIVE blog. Keep that in mind in a few months when Michelle and Barry try to take their act to the capitol.

    Vermont Neighbor (31ccb6)

  14. A good example would be afall’s comment at #12. No one is not voting for BHO because of his race, whereas many people are voting for him strictly with blinders on; and a color-bias agenda.

    Experience-wise, “it’s like asking the paperboy to manage the newspaper.

    Vermont Neighbor (31ccb6)

  15. “It already has.”

    Now repeat after me, Mr. Obama – Bot: “Redroom, redroom, redroom…”

    Dmac (416471)

  16. afall #12,

    There are a lot of reasons I’m voting against Obama but the main reason is this:

    “This is the moment when we must build on the wealth that open markets have created, and share its benefits more equitably.

    DRJ (de3993)

  17. Like the skanky girlfriend who returns to her tormentor boyfriend after each new outrage, the MSM will never forsake Obama.

    Cicero (520f56)

  18. Though there may be things to find out about Obama, there is a definite about McCain. He was in a POW camp for 5 years. The media doesn’t say or even admit it but there is no way he does not have PTSD. Years of therapy since will never change that. One of his former best friend said he is unfit to lead the country.

    Also, McCain’s race should not be a guarantee that he can govern us correctly. Obama’s race, which so many like to cover with the term “inexperienced”, should not be a guarantee that he will not be able to govern us. McCain’s double-talk that we are winning in Iraq when he and everyone else knows we should not have been there in the first place, is crystal clear. Money and lives were lost when we should have been engaged more effectively elsewhere.

    Johanna (f893f9)

  19. Though there may be things to find out about Obama, there is a definite about McCain. He was in a POW camp for 5 years. The media doesn’t say or even admit it but there is no way he does not have PTSD. Years of therapy since will never change that. One of his former best friends said he is unfit to lead the country.

    Also, McCain’s race should not be a guarantee that he can govern us correctly. Obama’s race, which so many like to cover with the term “inexperienced”, should not be a guarantee that he will not be able to govern us. McCain’s double-talk that we are winning in Iraq when he and everyone else knows we should not have been there in the first place, is crystal clear. Money and lives were lost when we should have been engaged more effectively elsewhere.

    Johanna (f893f9)

  20. Even though you might have engaged an enterprise for the wrong reasons is no justification for not attempting to assure the best outcome.
    There is no substitute for victory!

    Another Drew (8018ee)

  21. The hate being shown toward Obama under the disguise of inexperience is obvious to the rest of the world and that is sooo very sad. I guess America really hasn’t changed all that much as it would like the world to think. So sad.

    claver (2db346)

  22. It is sad when people let race trump every consideration.

    DRJ (de3993)

  23. I wonder if double posting two minutes apart at a blog correlates with PTSD?

    Bel Aire (e59286)

  24. The Obamaspammers are out tonight.

    DRJ (de3993)

  25. I don’t get the whole “media frenzy issue” with Obama. I haven’t seen it. I see stories about McCain just as much as Obama, so I don’t see the problem. If Obama is getting more coverage, it is because he came out of no where to beat Hilary Clinton, who the entire country thought would be the nominee – he is the new guy and the new guy always gets more coverage. It is the way of elections, always has been, always will be. Get over it.

    Diane (16788f)

  26. If Obama is to win, let it be wire to wire. When/if Obama should fall behind McCain, the MSM will try to make claver’s comment above the conventional wisdom. For Obama the MSM will overlook his long time association with a ‘hate whitey’ church and instead accuse O’s political opponents of racism. And if not for alt-media they’d get away with it.

    Bel Aire (e59286)

  27. More embarrassing love to Obama from the media, article entitled, …

    ‘I worked out with Obama!’

    …a shamefully embarrassing gush by a woman who was in the gym with Obama. Watching him workout. And sweat.

    Richard Miniter comments,

    “And it is not just the MSM that has been sucked in. Wonkette and others in the gyno-blogo-sphere simply link to this laughable piece without comment or, worse, with approving squeals. Before quoting the Bild exclusive, Wonkette writes: “Let’s enjoy her sexytime memories, together.”

    Embarrassing for all concerned.

    And doesn’t it make you wonder about the quality of their other coverage?”

    Why yes, yes it does.

    http://www.bild.de/BILD/news/bild-english/world-news/2008/07/24/Bild-was-in-fitness-studio/with-barack-obama-before-his-speech-in-berlin.html

    Dana (1cc5ab)

  28. Diane, wow, you don’t see what even the media see of themselves and we are supposed to “get over it” ?

    Uh, no.

    SPQR (26be8b)

  29. #19 and #21 – for your smug assertion that Obama’s detractors are motivated primarily by racism, a big, hearty, sincere go F yourselves. You deserve no better engagement with your alleged “ideas.”

    Jack Klompus (b796b4)

  30. Dana, given that originator of Wonkette was quite obsessed with a particular form of sexual activity, those postings are not terribly surprising.

    Dmac (416471)

  31. The seminar posters are out today. They are probably the same people who call talk radio and describe themselves as “lifelong Republicans.”

    #18 above is the most obvious one. She has no more knowledge about PTSD than she has about Obama.

    Mike K (586583)

  32. Yes, Johanna in #18 shows us the Obama cults answer to his inexperience – call people racist to distract.

    SPQR (26be8b)

  33. #19, 21

    The Socialist of the Senate has puppet strings on his back, yanked by the Chicago mob. BHO does not suffer from discrimination problems of ANY kind. Race works to his advantage, and methinks you know that.

    When it doesnt? You know what happens. He plays the race card.

    Vermont Neighbor (31ccb6)

  34. #31 The utter vapidity of #18 is what’s most striking. It’s like the 1,000 monkeys at the typewriters scenario – elementary probability theory indicates that their typing would eventually produce equally mind numbing paint-by-numbers tracts of Obama-theology. There’s never any wit, never any clever turn of phrase, never any reference to anything from history to back their point of view. And nothing ever of substance to indicate that their worldview would even be remotely close to the level of brilliance that they act as if it would be. Just give Obama the job, if you don’t agree you’re a racist standing in the way of your betters. They are so insufferable.

    Jack Klompus (b796b4)

  35. #33 VT – I can’t even deign to engage someone who smugly and obnoxiously plays the race card the way sanctimonious jerks like those posters did, especially how they couch it in this “oh how precious the world would be but for racists like you” BS superiority. People like that who get into positions of power take that attitude and then feel like they have been graced with the right to “change the behavior” of those who are not “with the program.”

    Jack Klompus (b796b4)

  36. One of the best reasons to vote against Obama is to avoid hearing “Oh, you are a racist” every time we disagree with the messiah for 4 years.

    SPQR (26be8b)

  37. My lord–Now that we know that Obama is KING can we move on. This person does not and will not speak for me ever!!!!! He has an ego bigger than Texas. How come he can go all over the globe and speak for the USA. What a JERK !!!

    James (d45a39)

  38. Jack, well said. Just sums it up:

    especially how they couch it in this “oh how precious the world would be but for racists like you” BS superiority.

    #37 James: That’s what fascinates me. The Bushitlers finally have their chance to vote in November, but they’re happy to have someone bypass the system and take the throne!

    Vermont Neighbor (31ccb6)

  39. After Obama’s whirlwind overseas trip … he said:

    “In terms of me governing, being an effective president, that that trip was helpful, because I think I’ve established relationships and a certain bond of trust with key leaders around the world who have taken measure of my positions and how I operate and I think can come away with some confidence that this is somebody I can deal with.”

    And … here is what he actually did on his trip … you decide if these 9 days of photo ops were enough to establish Obama as a trusted world leader …

    http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,390741,00.html

    Gina (6261e4)

  40. And no matter what, I can never be reminded often enough of the words of Michelle:
    “Barack Obama will require you to work. He is going to demand that you shed your cynicism … that you come out of your isolation. … Barack will never allow you to go back to your lives as usual, uninvolved, uninformed.”
    How anyone in their right mind can support a campaign which expresses this type of repulsive rhetoric is beyond me.

    Jack Klompus (b796b4)

  41. Jack-
    As much as I loathe the Clintons, I would take sHrillary now if it means no a-hole Urkel Obamalamadingdong His legion of sycophants who get sexually aroused at his sight and voice are amazingly naive and zombie-like. I wonder how many of nor s’luap paultards have switched over to Obamanus? I don’t know what it about drinking the kool-aid and being totally oblivious to facts and assocaitions. But then look at all the adulation Hitler garnred or that maroon at Jonestown in French Guyana or a David Koresh.
    It is rightening how people actually do base so much on race, even so-called Republicans like Condi Rice, Powell and JC Watts are showing sympathy for the “Great Black Hope” or actually high yellow mongrel breed pathological liar Lightworker.

    madmax333 (0c6cfc)

  42. “Reporters who have covered [FOR] Obama’s biography or his problems with certain voter blocs…”

    Fixed it.

    18 (and 19!):

    “Money and lives were lost when we should have been engaged more effectively elsewhere.”

    Let’s pretend you were serious. If you haven’t taken your poo-flinging show on the road, would you enlighten me as to where you think we should have been engaged more effectively?

    fat tony (34c931)

  43. Poor fool. As though he’s being prepped in the green room by his handlers.

    “In terms of me governing, being an effective president, that that trip was helpful, because I think I’ve established relationships and a certain bond of trust with key leaders around the world who have taken measure of my positions and how I operate and I think can come away with some confidence that this is somebody I can deal with.”

    blah blah blahma

    Vermont Neighbor (31ccb6)

  44. Yet the Bushitlers want this (??).

    Absolute arrogance from this woman. Well beyond what her comrade spits out.

    Barack Obama will require you to work. He is going to demand that you shed your cynicism … that you come out of your isolation. … Barack will never allow you to go back to your lives as usual, uninvolved, uninformed.”

    Vermont Neighbor (31ccb6)

  45. TOO funny. Now he’s speaking for WORLD LEADERS!

    I’ve established relationships and a certain bond of trust with key leaders around the world who have taken measure of my positions and how I operate and I think can come away with some confidence that this is somebody I can deal with.”

    Vermont Neighbor (31ccb6)

  46. What would the staffers be afraid of?

    IMHO, something that could be seen upon observation over long periods of time (staff access in other words).

    To me, that screams a substance use/abuse issue, or some sort of medical problem.

    whiskey (e09923)

  47. I have recently read articles about McCain vs Obama and the media.

    I think that the reason Obama receives more media attention is because he is today and tomorrow. McCain is yesterday and no new news for now and tomarrow attention. We as a country need to think about tomorrow and today. Yesterday was a disaster in politics. Old World politicians threw us to the dogs of big profits for donors.

    Obama offers us hope for the future. McCain offers us old news from yesterday that I and the youth of America have to pay for.

    We need to do something to change what the good old boys club have created. We need a President dedicated to serving “we the people”. The current administion caters to the Big Bucks, Big Corp mentality. We the People do not exist in their eys. Even Bush is making sure he will obtain millions of dollars when he retires from Washington. This is to ensure that Texas (him) and Florida (Brother) will reap big dollars in the oil drilling offshore from our USA area. The big old boys oil club own many areas of drilling now yet we allowed them to sit on the areas and not drill to make sure they control the price of oil stocks.

    I am fully aware that we probably will end up drilling but let us not do that now when our current administration will reap many dollars of profit with this plus payback the big donors. We need to go into this with a safeguard to protect our people’s tax dollars and not give the big bucks to billionares profits who care more about their excessive profits at the expense of the workers here in America. We need a President who is not beholden to big donors with self-agenda for them.

    Remember that Obama turned down PAC money. This is historical. This says that “we the people have as much power as big corps. This is what Demcracy is all about. This is what says our vote can count. Tell that to your Republican friends. Plant the seed to them in a gentle tread lighty manner that might give them pause to

    Grandma Pat (c0600c)

  48. ^ Obama has the Teamsters. That’s not good support. I believe that (at least for an hour or two) Obama declared there would be no federal oversight of Teamster activity. Corrections welcome.

    Obama offers us hope for the future. McCain offers us old news from yesterday that I and the youth of America have to pay for.

    You and your grandchildren will be paying for an Obama agenda. In blood or money – or both.

    Vermont Neighbor (31ccb6)

  49. Grandma Pat #47 – (Neither a Grandma nor named Pat) Remember that Obama turned down PAC money. This is historical. This says that “we the people have as much power as big corps.

    Which is why he rejected public financing.

    Apogee (366e8b)

  50. Tomorrow is the future, while yesterday is the past. This is historical. But today is now. Now is not yesterday, but the seed of the future, tomorrow.
    Now in the past the future was today, the present; what was new is old, but the new news is what’s ahead (in the future). Now I love you, tomorrow, though, sadly, you are always a day away. However Sen Obama makes us forget the past that I am happy to repeat today and in the future tomorrow.

    See, “Grandma Pat”, it’s easy to pass the Turing test with a little effort.

    fat tony (34c931)

  51. Ooh ooh let me try! —
    (mild populist):”With politicians beholden to big corporations especially cronies in Big _____, we need a grassroots, progressive movement to hold them accountable. This historic moment for change brings hope for a future, a real future. A future sensitive to our planet, to our allies, that they may have hope for the change and may change into hope. Senator Obama hopes you hope for the change which will tear down walls of injustice and offer new change for hope.”

    Jack Klompus (cf3660)

  52. I have recently read articles about McCain vs Obama and the media.

    Yup, that’s about how the two sides add up.

    McCain on one side, Obama and the media on the other.

    Little truths can slip through if you know what to look for…

    Drumwaster (5ccf59)


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