Does The Media Love Obama?

On Friday, July 18, 2008, Obama left for his much anticipated international trip. With him, an entourage of media and the anchors from all 3 major networks -- CBS, NBC & ABC, respectively. Because of all the attention, the pundits and McCain campaign are taunting media bias. Remember, McCain toured Iraq in March 2008 with Joe Leiberman (I - CT) & Lindsey Graham (R - SC) without massive media. If it wasn't for Leiberman, McCain was oblivious between the difference between the Al-Qaeda and the Iran extremists.



The media did not capitalize on his gaffe because of the hype with the Democratic primary at the time. Interestingly enough, if Obama had made this verbal blunder, the media would still be playing it and the Right would say that he knows nothing about international policy or how to handle the war.

McCain did an interview on Monday with Good Morning America mentioning the "Iraq - Pakistan border."



Again, he gets away with it. If he doesn't know the geographic territory, then how command what happens in those areas if president? He comes off not having a clue.

Remember Michelle Obama's statement, "For the first time in my adult life, I'm proud of my country." I find it odd that McCain has made similar comments in the past, "I really didn't love America until I was deprived of her company."



Because of Michelle Obama's statement she was protrayed as unpatriotic, but McCain gets away with it without a scratch.

After McCain returned from his trip to Iraq, he taunted Obama because he had not been there in over 2 years. He even suggested that they take the trip together. Of course, if Obama would have agreed to a collaborative trip, it would have been perceived that McCain is showing Obama the territory as an inexperience Senator. So, Obama did what he had to do -- take the trip on his own terms.

I don't think McCain's camp could have predicted how big this trip would be for Obama, otherwise, I think they would have left it alone. Now, he has major mud on his face. McCain is definitely trying to figure out how to get some publicity, by visiting with the first President Bush, going to a baseball game with Rudy Guilani and toying with picking his VP this week. Regardless, it is not working.

Although Obama has planned interviews with each network anchor, of course, reporters like Andrea Mitchell of MSNBC is not happy because Obama has controlled the images released of him on this trip by only allowing the military to ask questions and take photos. When looking at the video of him shooting a basketball at one of the military bases and the troops flocking to him, it is noticably apparent that there are a number of African-American people in service. Chris Matthews of MSNBC's Hardball pointed it out during one of his episodes. With that noted, the media has brought an important fact to surface......that black military officers are rare -- just 10 have attained 4 star rank in 60 years.



With this being one of many stories that could be told about this trip thus far, what we are mostly getting is that Obama is being presumptuous in his actions and McCain is upset by all the attention his opponent is receiving.

Obama is a big story. He's the first African-American Democratic nominee for President. He's young. He's fresh. I've heard Chris Matthews refer to him as "exotic" (code word: Black). The media is fascinated, but don't get it twisted. He's only a big story because the media wants to be there if he makes a gaffe, blunder or totally falls on his face.

As far as, benefiting from the media, McCain is winning by a landslide. After viewing the clips above, you have to admit that if Obama made any those statements it would have a different result and spin from the media. Obama does not have the luxury of making gaffes, misstatements or blunders. On the political playing field, there are different rules for the two remaining players. McCain should be thankful that he is not judged in the same realm. If so, he would already be down for the count. ONE, TWO, THREE.......