Media complicit in making Wright look bad

[babylonsister]

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/361449_bunting02.html

Media complicit in making Wright look bad

By KENNETH F. BUNTING
P-I ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER

snip//

Barack Obama's forceful denunciation and disavowal of his former pastor doesn't change the fact that it is an irrelevant distraction entirely created by cable television pundits using out-of-context and skewed sound bites.

Yes, Wright himself sought the spotlight last weekend, with the Moyers interview followed by the NAACP speech and then the Press Club fiasco. When TV pundits wondered aloud why he would seek the spotlight and opined that bringing attention to himself would hurt Obama, I essentially agreed with them.

But their supposedly innocent analyses and sanctimonious scolding of Wright ignore the salient fact that it was a media obsession, preoccupation and dishonest portrayal that made him a story in the first place.

The same media that vow every four years not to let swift boat-like, dishonest or phony issues dominate campaign coverage is at it again. When the inevitable quadrennial hand wringing again takes place, there's a key difference that media scholars and critics should notice. This wasn't a case in which political operatives with malicious intentions created a phony issue and spread it with campaign dollars and all the viral means at their disposal until the media took notice. In this instance, the media created a phony issue, and remained obsessed until it provided adequate fuel for the swiftboaters.

snip//

It is unfortunate that Wright, no doubt a man of considerable accomplishment, has now helped to write his place in history as that of the crazy preacher who derailed, or significantly affected, Obama's presidential campaign.

He deserves better. Obama deserves better. America deserves better. Here endeth the lesson.

[rocktivity]

1. And now it's coming back to bite them via Mickey Kantor

If they try to ignore it on the grounds that it's a "phony issue," then they'll have to explain why Wright WASN'T a phony issue.

Yum.

:P
rocknation

[Dogmudgeon]

2. Because Obama, Wright, and Team Obama kept it alive?

Just a guess.

I'm surprised it became an issue at all.

Then again, I'm surprised that the Obama netroots campaign would be so vicious.

--p!

[rocktivity]

4. The media did more than keep Wright alive--they concieved it.

Team Obama killed it by having Wright say things that forced Obama to disown him, and the media STILL isn't happy. Let's see if they hold Kantor and Team Hillary to the same standard.

:headbang:
rocknation

[Hissyspit]

3. .

[Doctor_J]

5. Ya think?

The media is a bought-and-paid-for arm of the fascist cabal that runs the country. They are terrified of an Obama presidency under which the young and idealistic Obama voters run the country instead of the brain-dead, sociopathic Hate Radio/Cabal "News"/Daily Fishwrap morons. The elitists, the ignorant, and the hate monger have run the country for a generation. They can feel their grip slipping and are frightened (with good reason). Brian Williams and Wolf Blitzer and their ilk are traitors, and will be treated as such if we take the country back. They have a very high stake in having Hillary nominated and her or McSame elected.

[babylonsister]

6. I know, the title was less than compelling to those of us who have

been paying attention. I'm somewhat relieved to see it in print though. More and more people are speaking out about what we're been witnessing. That's got to be good for something.

[Preston120]

8. I agree, Talk about bias in journalism!

Don't forget the "ABC Debate". I love it when the right wing talking heads are commenting on Democratic Candidates. George Will pure bull crap.

[OhioChick]

7. K&R

:kick: