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I think Obama may loose....
And I hate that. I have supported him, I have given to his campaign, but the current tone of the media really making me question things. Two weeks ago they were talking about why Obama has not seen a bounce after the primaries. Now that he is ahead the story is that McCain is poised to make another comeback. Crazy. I don't get it. They are claiming that Obama is loosing his base because Olbermann went after him and Daily Kos. But in the primaries they talked about his center appeal. They don't note that some of the issues he is perceived as flip-flopping on if you read his website or his books seem to be consistent. What is going on?
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Comments (17)
MSM is financially invested in creating the appearance of a horse race.
Nothing more, nothing less.
Ask yourself: How many months is it until the election?
Seems like a long time, eh?
July 3, 2008 9:29 AM | Reply | Permalink
Marie: It is in the media's financial interest to pretend this election is going to be horse race. Obama has the money, the support, and the resources--this his election to lose.
July 3, 2008 9:36 AM | Reply | Permalink
and he has done little except pander to the point of losing
credibility, and make the left wonder if they weren't being
pandered to as well. And who is this guy, anyway?
Was progressive economist Krugman correct when he said
that Obama's health and economic plans were Republican?
July 3, 2008 1:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
Krugman never said anything of the sort. Indeed, he was ever at pains to say that all three democrats were head-and-shoulders better than any of the Republicans. Krugman frequently remarked that Obama's plans were the least progressive of the three, but that is hardly the same thing as to say that his plans were in any wise similar to the Republicans'.
July 3, 2008 2:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
Lute: Let me clue you in... "progressive economist Krugman" is a misnomer from hell. Krugman lost A TON of credibility in the last 7 months. He has no more objectivity, and name-droppign him in your posts carries no weight. Go read some past posts from MJ Rosenberg to see exactly why Krugman's standing has fallen like a rock in the last 182.5 days.
July 3, 2008 3:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
Wait til after i) the conventions, ii) the 3 debates, and iii) McCain's last week kitchen-sink toss to really start paying attention to the polls. But... Feel free to rejoice in his 5 point lead in Montana (Awesome!~), but ignore all bad news. :) That's what I'm trying to do to stay sane until Nov. 4.
July 3, 2008 9:48 AM | Reply | Permalink
You've got to put the MSM in context. And that context is in the past.
They once held sway on the national dialogue in this country. Now, they essentially report political gossip.
More and more people are waking from their slumber and recognizing the shortfalls of watching corporate news networks.
In this last decade alone, more people than ever recognize the idiocy of relying on corporations to inform our opinions. They really have no business reporting world news.
In fact, it should be against the law for corporations with vested interests in politics to provide the public with the news.
Like any judge who has a conflict of interest in certain cases, the corporations should recuse themselves.
July 3, 2008 9:53 AM | Reply | Permalink
I hope Obama stays loose, but I do hope he doesn't lose. Sorry, it's the grammar teacher in me coming out.
July 3, 2008 10:11 AM | Reply | Permalink
Thank you, beamreach. Not only need Obama surmount the GOP disortion machine, he must badovercome the illiteracy of his supporters!
July 3, 2008 4:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
You need to look at state polls and not nationwide. The state by state polls are a better indicator.
Next, looking at polls today as to what may or may not happen in November just may drive you crazy.
July 3, 2008 10:13 AM | Reply | Permalink
beamreach: Thanks...That is funny. My son does the same thing to me all the time...You guys are all right...
July 3, 2008 10:14 AM | Reply | Permalink
Obama will win. he'd have to do something pretty stupid to loose.
July 3, 2008 10:16 AM | Reply | Permalink
Three words rule in the MSM: HYPE IT UP!
July 3, 2008 10:18 AM | Reply | Permalink
As the consequences of the lies, mismanagement and failures of this Republican administration hit home, lets hope enough voters realize that we do not need another 'War President'.
July 3, 2008 11:04 AM | Reply | Permalink
Take a deep breath, Marie. And then, listen to the winds, because something different is blowing out there. As much as the media is making mountains out of molehills, most Americans are much more concerned with the state of the union than they are with the silly games played on the news networks.
Reporters used to be out in front of change, feeling it and then running down the reasons and letting the rest of us in on it.
Now, lazy and bloated from too much hot air, they sit in their studios and manufacture conflict.
July 3, 2008 11:08 AM | Reply | Permalink
Hm, here's a question. If the media is trying to make an impression of a horse race all the time, while one candidate is actually in front the entire time, does that mean that the candidate in front gets all the bad news and the lagging candidate gets mostly good news, to even the field? Well, if this happens from now till November, it worries me, because as we know, people are far from immune to bullshit.
The statistics support this theory. See here (the cause is not mentioned there, but certainly the media are part of it). Should we worry?
July 3, 2008 12:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's more than just trying to make it a horserace. It is a close race right now. The media is cozy with McCain. He is adept at pandering to them. He didn't get the nickname "teflon John" from nowhere. Here is a good article on the phenomenon at The Nation: http://www.thenation.com/doc/20080707/alterman
The media needs to be called on their bias.
July 3, 2008 12:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
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