Posted by
Mike Bates on Sunday, May 03, 2009 5:46:23 PM
Today's Washington Post Web site carries the Associated Press story
"Who's Watching News Scorecards on Obama?" Written by David Bauder, the piece begins by reporting:
As President Barack Obama passed his 100th day in
office last week, two studies judged that the news media has given him
more coverage, and more positive coverage, than his two predecessors at
the same point in their terms.
Paragraphs later comes one explanation of the fawning mainstream media coverage:
The newscasts reflect reality, said Rick Kaplan,
executive producer of the "CBS Evening News." He said he believed that
the president has done extraordinarily well. "Everybody, including
Republicans, would have to say that his first 100 days have been
great," he said.
No doubt Kaplan would be astounded to learn that not everyone agrees
that Obama's first 100 days have been so terrific. Today's Rasmussen
Reports daily tracking poll, for example, finds that 43 percent of voters disapprove of Obama's performance. Moreover, 32 percent of the nation's voters strongly disapprove.
Kaplan went on in the article to explain:
"You cover what's out there," Kaplan said. "Everybody
gets upset. If you cover somebody too hard, his supporters think you're
being unfair. If you cover somebody too soft, his opponents think
you're too soft. Across his four years, or eight years, whatever it is,
there will be plenty for people on all sides to not like or love. It
will balance itself out inevitably."
I find it interesting that Kaplan speaks of covering "somebody too
hard" or "too soft." Factually reporting news would seem to leave
little room for such subjectivity. Of course, factually reporting news
doesn't appeal to much of the mainstream media. They have a dog in
this fight and don't care if their audiences know it.
The incredibly favorable coverage of Obama has again demonstrated
the blatant bias that permeates much of the press. Yet, somehow,
magically, we're expected to accept that eventually "it will balance
itself out."
Sure. I believe that.