"Soft" Press Sharpens Its Focus on Obama: "Will Teflon coating now be scratched?"

[DeepModem Mom]

WP: 'Soft' Press Sharpens Its Focus on Obama
By Howard Kurtz
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, March 3, 2008; C01

During a campaign stop in Ohio last week, ABC's Jake Tapper asked Barack Obama about what he called "an attempt by conservatives and Republicans to paint you as unpatriotic."

Tapper's litany: "That you didn't put your hand over your heart during the national anthem, that you no longer wear an American flag on your lapel pin, that you met with some former members of the Weather Underground, and now they are questioning your wife's comments when she said she hasn't been proud of the U.S. until just recently."

Obama dismissed the criticism as "nonsense." But did the exchange mark the end of a long period in which the media have gone easy on the man who could all but clinch the Democratic nomination in tomorrow's primaries? Are the media going to change the environment that prompted Kristen Wiig, playing a CNN anchor on "Saturday Night Live," to declare that she and her colleagues "are in the tank for Obama"?

The Illinois senator still hasn't faced the sort of negative onslaught that generally envelops presidential front-runners. But after a year of defying the laws of journalistic gravity, he is being brought back to earth.

Some of this involves recycled reporting that didn't get much traction the first time around. Within the last two weeks, ABC's "World News" has done a story on Obama voting "present" nearly 130 times as an Illinois legislator, two months after that information was on the New York Times front page. "NBC Nightly News" has followed up a two-week-old Times piece about Obama compromising on Senate legislation affecting a nuclear energy company that contributed to his campaign. A "CBS Evening News" segment reviewed a series of negative points -- Obama's controversial pastor, his ties to indicted fundraiser Tony Rezko, voting present, the nuclear contributions and the lack of a flag pin....

***

...after a year in which Obama was hailed as the second coming of JFK, will his Teflon coating now be scratched?...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/02/AR2008030202476_pf.html

[Tom Rinaldo]

1. It was never a matter of "if", only of "when" n/t

[rodeodance]

3. :-)

[rodeodance]

2. The glitter is fading

[bridgit]

7. "Some stars glitter, and some stars twinkle." - Richard Penniman

I've yet to see BO twinkle :(

[zabet]

13. But...

it is the truest stars that
really shine. ;)

I've yet to see BO twinkle or
shine. Glitter tends to dull
and fall off after time, what
will people say after the glitter
fades?

[Lucinda]

18. Oddly enough...Ellen and Hillary had a discussion about glitter recently

Ellen is VERY anti-glitter.
Hillary's reposnse to Ellen's question about her position, re:glitter, was to say she was in favor of limiting glitter the the grade school set.

:)

[zabet]

25. LOL! Excellent response!

'Leave it for the grade schoolers!'

:thumbsup:

[I Vote In Pittsburgh]

4. No. Voters are already vaccinated.

Two words: attitude inoculation.

[rodeodance]

5. REC

[leftofcool]

6. Barak Obama is no JFK

Not even close!

[jmg257]

8. Scratching the surface, sure - and yet still nothing sticks. Wonder why?

[Dogmudgeon]

9. Welcome to the what Hillary, Bill, Jimmy, Michael, and Al have faced for 30 years.

Well, Pres'dent Jimmy's had to take 30 years of it. Bill and Hillary only started being smeared in the 1984 Arkansas gubernatorial race. Michael left politics, and Al's about 8 years into the 'Publican Kangaroo Kourt.

No Teflon will protect you here, Mr. Obama. It's time to learn how to "reach across the aisle" with a club and a can of whoop-ass.

--p!

[DeepModem Mom]

12. Pigwidgeon, I love your way with words! nt

[Dogmudgeon]

24. In the words of The King: "Thank you. Thankyouverymuch."

:hi:

--p!

[Kaylee]

10. We knew this would happen eventually... no one said it wouldn't

The press goes after anyone with a (D) behind their name. Whoever is the democratic nominee, is in for a bumpy ride.

[Radical Activist]

11. Is the bad press recycled or is it happening for the first time?

It can't be both as the article claims. Obama is good at working the press. He's a skilled candidate.

[angie_love]

14. And what about McCain??? WHeres his negative press treatment?

I haven't seen a negative article written about him YET. Except the NYtimes piece which everyone including the media was outraged over. Please the media will take both our candidates out so we can never have a demcrat in the whitehouse again.

[DeepModem Mom]

16. Good point. I'm wondering if the press will be hesitant...

not only because McCain's a Republican, but in deference to his POW experience.

[ProSense]

15. The MSM has been unable to stop Obama's momentum, despite baseless attacks from McCain, Hillary and

Bill, but is now trying to create the perception that they can.

What are they going to do ambush him with distortion?

[rodeodance]

17. stories are driping out---no more kid gloves for him

[anonymous171]

19. I can't wait until Hillary "experience" is actually studied.

That will be funny.

[ProSense]

20. Dripping distortions that are being debunked by the minute!

These cannot save Hillary's campaign.

[rodeodance]

22. your crystal ball has a crack in it

[ProSense]

26. The crystal ball that predicted Hillary's inevitability was defective. n/t

[Mabus]

23. Oh, believe me, they'll find something

and if they don't, they'll make it up.

Here's a partial transcript from this past Saturday's "On the Media"

BROOKE GLADSTONE: So let's say, let's just say that next week we find out that Obama is going to be the Democratic nominee. Does that mean the flop is inevitable and it occurs during the general election?

WILLIAM POWERS: I hate to say “inevitable” because that’s a dangerous word for a media critic. I mean, this could be the first time someone doesn't have a flop, let's say, between now and November.

But I think it is highly likely, because once he’s got the nomination this storyline of Obama’s rise is over. And reporters will be looking for the next storyline. You basically have to do a correction. Like a sailor, you have to tack in the other direction if you’re a political journalist on a campaign.

And the other direction will be to look harder and to scrutinize him with greater toughness. And it will either be one of these in-the-moment mistakes that becomes very huge or it will be something from the past. Things like that could come back in a bigger way once he’s got the nomination locked in.

http://www.onthemedia.org/transcripts/2008/02/29/01

[ProSense]

27. "if they don't, they'll make it up." Right! So is he supposed to be afraid? I

suspect he'll continue debunking them and frustrating the GOP

[Mabus]

28. He is supposed to be afraid

but he isn't. We Dems should be fighting for the truth from the media, not each other. I don't want the media to get away with telling me who is authentic and who isn't.

[MethuenProgressive]

21. He safe untill He, the MSM, and the GOP are done ganging up on Hillary.

After she's defeated by that unholy threesome, the MSM and the GOP will turn on Obama.

[ProgressIn2008]

29. I wonder to what extent the scrutiny by news muppets will happen

because that would cause the media shills to actually reflect on their behavior. I'm not saying it won't happen -- I'm just saying the muppets will go to great lengths not to reflect on the puppeteer hands shoved up their behinds or on what's been coming out of their mouths all along.