The treatment of Bridget McCain by the media continues to be shameful

[oberliner]

This video from ABC News being a prime example:

Link to tweet

They do not mention Bridget in the caption and cut the clip when she approaches the casket. She is every bit the daughter of John McCain that Meghan is.

[JuJuYoshida]

1. Yeah that's messed up six ways till next Sunday

[Srkdqltr]

2. Why

Why ?? Would they do that?

[MoonRiver]

3. They adopted her from Bangladesh, I believe.

She's brown. Plus, bush, the dumber, smeared McCain about her in the 2000 Repuke primary. Rove painted her a love child between McCain and a foreigner, all untrue.

[oberliner]

5. That is correct

The media treatment of her at this time is making me ill. In many cases, the networks are acting like Meghan is his only daughter and that Bridget does not exist and is not grieving similarly.

[MoonRiver]

6. I know, wtf!

[SCantiGOP]

8. It was Bangladesh

In the 2000 SC primary, which was supposed to propel McCain to a big lead but which Bush won, the Bush camp sent anonymous emailings and had phone calls suggesting that she was McCain’s black illigetimate child. McCain said afterwards that he would never forgive Bush, but apparently Bush convinced him that not was Rove’s doing, as evidenced by Bush’s inclusion in the funeral tomorrow.

[oberliner]

4. You'd think the folks at the networks would know better

I honestly don't get it.

[Hekate]

24. Have you written to them via their comments lines? You've been on this, and possibly they need...

...to have it brought to their attention more directly than by venting on an anonymous message board. Perhaps what they all need is to be told you (and others) have noticed.

I have heard several MSNBC talking heads list the names of all of John McCain's children, both from his first marriage and from his marriage to Cindy. They include Bridget, and don't mention she was adopted, either.

Bridget McCain is not the only one who has chosen a life out of the limelight. In fact, I don't know of another aside from Meghan. We know almost nothing about Bridget, and it very well may be because she is shy and/or values her privacy.

You could ask.

[oberliner]

25. I've tried on twitter

Comment lines are a good idea - thanks!

With respect to MSNBC, there was a moment where Kornacki seemed to forget Bridget was part of the family.

[HipChick]

7. Reflection of a nation?

some segments at least...

[oberliner]

10. Sad, but true

Though mainstream news outlets should know better.

[underpants]

32. Rove tactic in South Carolina in 2000

One of the whisper campaigns he started was that McCain's daughter didn't seem to "look" like the rest of them. There was an obvious and simple explanation but he was playing the Southern ern Strategy within the Repub party.

[asiliveandbreathe]

9. I see this another way..perhaps the McCains or Bridget herself requested to

remain out of the spotlight...not exploited by the media or the haters...we went down that road long ago when Bridget was very young...

[obamanut2012]

11. I was thinking that, too

[oberliner]

12. How does that explain not even identifying Bridget as John McCain's daughter in the caption?

Or cutting the video just as she is reaching the casket to pay her respects?

It seems to give the impression, to someone who does not follow politics or know much about McCain, that Meghan was his only daughter.

[grantcart]

22. I believe this is the case

I understand that she suffered from a terrible cleft palate and may be insecure about being in the limelight.

[BannonsLiver]

37. She's a private person, near as I can tell

Not a lot out there about her. It's weird the OP would care after they spent all day yesterday shitting all over her father and shouting down anyone who offered a differing viewpoint.

[GoCubsGo]

52. Yes, from everything I have read, she shies away from the spotlight.

I don't think she likes the attention. He also has a third daughter, Sidney, from his first marriage. There is even less media attention on her.

[Tess49]

13. Not sure what channel I was watching, but I saw Bridget approach the casket, touch it, etc. n/t

[oberliner]

14. Be curious to know which channel if you remember

[Totally Tunsie]

31. CNN, MSNBC

See #29 below.

[Tess49]

48. Probably MSNBC, if not it was CNN n/t

[Bengus81]

50. I saw it on CNN

[MerryBlooms]

15. Our local CBS affiliate showed what you describe. n/t

[True Blue American]

44. I saw Bridget several times. She was right there

With the family.

[JPK]

16. Was the coverage from a pool feed?

It would seem to me that there would be just one set of tv cameras there giving all the nets a feed. There would be too many cameras if they didn't do that but that is just a guess on my part.

[oberliner]

19. Maybe the case here

But in general it seems like they have neglected to mention her at times.

[oasis]

17. The caption does not mention Sen. McCain's sons. Dammit!

[oberliner]

18. Agreed

It seems like they only focus on Meghan for some reason out of all the children.

[Hekate]

27. Meghan has made a very public life for herself. Visually, blondes stand out & command attention.

This is really a thing for you -- but how much does "the media" ever talk about McCain's first family? Sometimes people background themselves on purpose, because they value their privacy.

[oberliner]

34. I'm willing to accept that I am totally off base on this

That's why I am sharing my observations with fellow DUers to get their thoughts and insights.

I very much appreciate yours.

(You are right to note that it is clearly bugging me)

[Hekate]

40. Thank you

[elfin]

20. Yes, and every commentator mentioned her name LAST after all her siblings

As I recall, Cindy met her as either an infant or toddler in an orphanage and called John to tell him they had a new daughter.

Always liked Cindy.

[Hekate]

28. Perhaps she is the youngest

[elfin]

49. That is a good thought. nt

[GoCubsGo]

53. Yes. She is the youngest.

The youngest of McCain's biological children was 3 years old the year she was born.

[nolabear]

21. They keep calling her his adopted daughter. My son has a son he is not the birth father of.

He is my GRANDSON.

[Butterflylady]

46. My heart felt thanks to you

For saying that. So true, I personally know how that feels.

[GoCubsGo]

54. Most likely, that stems from the "McCain fathered a black baby" bullshit

from his first presidential run. I'm guessing that the media is trying to tamp down any chance of that garbage returning. Especially given how Trump has been riling up his flying monkeys over McCain.

[Peacetrain]

23. I am not seeing the problem...

It was just a brief take on the family saying goodbye... they did not include the sons at all.. and there is nothing wrong with the term adopted child, brother, sister.. .. its just another way of being in a family..

[oberliner]

26. Maybe this isn't the best example

It's more of a general sense that I've gotten with the coverage - but I might be off base.

[Peacetrain]

45. I understand.. as the grand offspring of an adopted son

I am thankful as I can be to my great grand parents adopting my grandpa.. otherwise I might not be here at all.. I have a half sister or step sister.. who is my sister make no mistake.. but when HER mother died.. think how awful that would have been if her mother had not been acknowledged and my mother had been as her Mom.. see what I mean.. it makes it a little rough on those of us in blended families who suddenly some think that because we are part of a family in a different route that somehow we are not supposed to acknowledge that.. it really is okay to be adopted.. to be a step sibling or step parent.. they have unique issues I will grant you that, but it is okay..and we do not feel less than.. My sister has two brothers who are her full siblings..and I have two brother who I share both parents with.. It took a lot of people to create this big old wonderful family ..

[Hekate]

30. This seems to really be "a thing" for the OP. I have suggested writing to the comments lines...

...as opposed to anonymous venting here. Sometimes they end up taking notice when they realize their viewers notice.

[B2G]

33. I hate that denotation.

It seems like a caveat.

[Totally Tunsie]

29. CNN and MSNBC fully acknowledged Bridget and even told the story of

Cindy McCain bringing baby Bridget home from Bangladesh without telling John beforehand.

Bridget McCain was born in Bangladesh. Cindy McCain met Bridget as an infant through humanitarian work. According to Town and Country, Cindy was touring an orphanage in that country in 1991 when she noticed Bridget, who “suffered from a severe cleft palette as well as a congenital heart condition.”

Deeply moved, Cindy brought the child back to the United States with her – without telling John McCain – and Bridget was soon adopted and blended into the McCain brood. According to People Magazine, the McCain children are all protective of Bridget, who has had surgeries to repair her birth defects.

To be fair, ABC's video cuts out 6 of the 7 McCain children. Meghan is an ABC employee (The View), and she's also the best known of the "kids", which may be why she was being highlighted.

[miss-nasty]

35. Seems to me they

Only address her as the "adopted daughter." I've been disturbed with that blatant dis-RESPECT! Thank you for posting!

[B2G]

36. Agree. I hate that term.

Thank you.

[John Fante]

38. Agreed. Might as well refer to the others as his "real" kids.

[B2G]

41. This. nt

[Hekate]

42. I have not seen what you are talking about

But I stated my observations upthread

[Blue_true]

39. I don't fully agree with you.

The younger daughter appears to be a very private person, similar to the two sons. Meghan has had a very large public profile for around a decade. Maybe the other three kids want to stay out of the spotlight.

[BannonsLiver]

43. Like you really care

You spent all day yesterday calling her father a racist, among other things.

I'm sure Bridget would appreciate all the venom.

[miss-nasty]

47. Yes, agreed

This same thought crossed my mind but I wasn't 100%.

[sl8]

51. Are they showing and speaking less of Bridget than of Sidney and the boys?

I haven't seen any of today's television coverage.

I don't know if comparing Bridget's coverage to that of Cindy and Meghan is particularly telling, as the latter two are fairly well known personalities.

If they're showing and speaking less of Bridget than her other 5 siblings, I might consider that a little suspicious.