The last week was the perfect storm for exposing the duplicity of the media and the Republicans. In media news, the "liberal" bias ruse was again debunked by a another study. In the midst of that, the media was busy piling on Barack Obama for some sort of faux "arrogance" when the guy was just making a simple speech.
The GOP did its part by disingenuously promoting oil drilling legislation while at the same styming any sort of progress on energy bills in the house.
Pretty much a normal week for both of these entities, actually.
Given that we are in the midst of a relatively slow news week, I don't have a full length piece just yet. However, I did want to chime in on some other developments on politics in the last few days:
1. So much for the Liberal Bias in the Media, eh? As the Los Angeles Times reported yesterday, the mainstream media has continued their love affair with John McCain throughout the 2008 campaign. As the report detailed, McCain has gotten away with a series of gaffes that have gone essentially ignored by the mainstream press. From his sordid marital past to his inability to understand foreign affairs (Iraq-Pakistan border???), McCain has run what can only be called an abysmal campaign. And yet, he continues to get away with those mistakes with the voters because most media outlets simply choose to ignore them.
Starting with the 2000 GOP primary, McCain made a concerted effort to buddy up to the press and they have reciprocated with soft coverage ever since. The prevalent narrative that depicts McCain as a charismatic, independent, reform minded politician is rooted in that campaign, and no matter what facts emerge to the contrary, the media does not want to stray from their original thesis.
In a year where Republican prospects are fair at best, and dismal at worst, the main stream media is doing John McCain an enormous favor by blithely glossing over the litany of critical mistakes the presumptive Republican nominee has hitherto made. What makes this oversight even more pernicious is that while they look at McCain through rose colored glasses, Obama is scrutinized for every single thing he does.
Obama, as befitting a newcomer, has undergone a thorough analysis of his life by the media, from his relationship to his pastor, to his supposed affiliation with Jim Ayers. The biographical aspect of the spotlight makes sense for a man a few years removed from the Illinois State Senate. What truly does not, however, is the media's stubborn insistence on holding Obama's feet to the fire on every single issue while at the same time completely ignoring many of the litany of faux pas made by his opponent, Sen. McCain.
Hopefully these results illustrate vividly just what a canard the notion of liberal bias in the media is, and eliminate that ludicrous notion once and for all.
2. Republicans Care More About Having a Potent Political "Issue" than Alleviating the Energy Crisis: Despite repeated offers of compromise by Harry Reid, the Senate Republicans refuse to take any tangible action to solve the exorbitant gas prices. Though they supposedly have overwhelming support for curbing speculation in the oil market, the GOP will not allow any sort of legislation to gain cloture. These stalling tactics have both stalemated activity in the Senate and allowed the energy prices crises to percolate.
In addition, they also refused to allow a bill to come to the floor that would require oil companies to utilize the leased land that is currently uncorrupted.
Now, why would the GOP vitiate legislation that comports with their goals?
The Republicans realize that the oil drilling issue is their only chance to sway the electorate towards their caucus, and they won't dare give it up, even if that means prolonging the problem.
For the last few months, all one hears out of the GOP camp are solutions that have no prospect for immediate results e.g. a gas tax holiday, and offshore drilling. The Republicans know this, but as the party has proven time and time again historically, they will exploit any issue for political gain, irrespective of the detriment that causes the electorate as a whole. From the pointless Terri Schiavo fiasco under the Frist led majority, to the grandstanding on ineffectual oil drilling, the GOP has proven yet again that they care little for helping the average person's suffering. Instead, at the taxpayers expense, they will push red herrings as a means to mobilize what little public opinion remains behind their party platforms.
3. Apparently, giving a speech abroad makes you "arrogant": The GOP media cabal was out in full force to criticize Barack Obama's recent trip to the Middle East and Europe.
Unsurprisingly, they hardly dealt with any substantive issues that were raised by Obama's sojourn, but instead turned to their favorite method of attack; petty, unquantifiable, and fictitious "personality based" attacks.
Howard Fineman of Newsweek and MSNBC informs us that Obama "has a little bit of an arrogant streak in him, he does." Media Research Center fulminates that he "is an arrogant pretender to a throne he has not earned." The sagacious David Brooks criticizes Obama's speeches as naive and slightly ignorant by informing us that Obama's vision is "just Disney."
Wow, what could the presumptive Democratic nominee do to draw so much ire? Did he forget the timeline of the surge? Did he confuse the difference between Sunni and Shia while claiming to be a foreign policy expert? Did he flip flop on tax cuts, the housing bill and Social Security reform?
In actuality, all of the above refer to the imprimatur John McCain has thus far left on his fledgling campaign. Barack Obama offended the right wing hordes in the media simply by travelling out of the United States and giving speeches. David Brooks specifically calls out Obama because he "fed the illusion that we could solve our problems only if we united."
Ignoring the fact that all of the calamities he referred to in the column happened under the catastrophic watch of George W. Bush, Brooks totally misunderstands the purpose of that speech. I'm not sure why, but Brooks incorrectly assumes that Obama should offer a wonkish speech, laden with policy proposals. In front of 200,000 non-citizens, why would Obama talk about things that the audience cares little about, like health care or reforming the American legal system? It wouldn't make any sense.
On the other hand, speaking broadly about goals that are likely of interest and to be shared by the world community would likely be more relevant to that audience. Multilateralism didn't start the Iraq War, worsen global warming or instigate the calamitous developments in Darfur.
Rather, behind the pernicious mantle of acting unilaterally, the Bush Administration either started or exacerbated all of the aforementioned problems. Given that, what's wrong with a little cooperation?
John McCain has traveled out of the country recently, to Canada, Mexico and Columbia. And yet nowhere do I hear the caterwauls from the media about McCain being arrogant like I do when Obama does the exact same thing? Well, as point 1 illustrated, the media does not exactly look upon McCain as negatively as they do Obama. Hence,it's unsurprising that another double standard between the two candidates coverage would arise.
Ultimately, the personality based, subjective attacks have become a hallmark of the conservative media. After all, they cannot really criticize Barack Obama on anything else policy wise. With their policy proposals do deeply unpopular, Republicans, as per the norm, must resort in spewing invective that has little to do with the fundamental issues that confront politicians in 2008. Time and time again, the media serves as a convenient mouthpiece for this salacious, counterproductive dreck.