Quote of the day

posted at 10:40 pm on October 28, 2008 by Allahpundit

“Responsible editors would be foolish not to ask themselves the bias question, especially in the closing days of an election.

But, having asked it, our sincere answer is that of the factors driving coverage of this election — and making it less enjoyable for McCain to read his daily clip file than for Obama — ideological favoritism ranks virtually nil…

If that causes skeptics to scoff, perhaps they would find it more satisfying to hear that the reason ideological bias matters so little is that other biases matter so much more.”

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Comment pages: 1 2

I’m not biased, you’re just stupid.
So there.

redshirt on October 28, 2008 at 10:43 PM

As it happens, McCain’s campaign is going quite poorly and Obama’s is going well.
A two point race can be described as “one quite poorly & one well”?

jgapinoy on October 28, 2008 at 10:45 PM

oops–I hit the strike instead of the quote

jgapinoy on October 28, 2008 at 10:45 PM

Blah, blah, blah…we know we’re biased…blah, blah, blah…we don’t care…blah, blah, blah…

m064404 on October 28, 2008 at 10:45 PM

Writing posts about Politico articles is much like getting freaked out about AP/CBS or Pew polls.

A complete waste of pixels.

Dorvillian on October 28, 2008 at 10:46 PM

I am officially saturated. I am going to vote and encourage other like-minded individuals to vote and stock up the liquor for election night.

HawaiiLwyr on October 28, 2008 at 10:46 PM

I went there knowing it was going to be self-serving tripe. But I have to admit being blown away. Wow…that was almost painfully stupid. A new low has been reached for BS.

TCJ on October 28, 2008 at 10:47 PM

The fatal error of this piece is the assumption that most Americans give a rat’s ass what most editors think because we are not reading their papers and we are not watching their TV news programs.

They can soothe themselves however they wish because I know their way of life professionally is coming to an end.

Elizabetty on October 28, 2008 at 10:47 PM

F Politico.

SouthernGent on October 28, 2008 at 10:47 PM

My nominee for quote o’ the day:

The Axis of Bias.

Terrie on October 28, 2008 at 10:47 PM

Keep rolling and dont look back.Lets plow through this last week and take this thing!!! Obama is back to Pa. becuase its slipping away. Keep ‘em on the ropes people.

johnnyU on October 28, 2008 at 10:48 PM

In a socialist/communist society the free press is the second thing rienged in. The journalists in this country don’t seem to understand this.

Tommy_G on October 28, 2008 at 10:48 PM

I will be in Kauai on election night, sipping an umbrella drink and watching the waves. The results should be in by the time I eat dinner.

Bishop on October 28, 2008 at 10:48 PM

And just to prove how level headed they can be, they submit the following:

A good example were stories suggesting Palin held her own or even won her debate against Joe Biden when it seemed obvious she was simply invoking whatever talking points she had at hand, hanging on for dear life.

Please. She was so good in that debate she charmed Biden himself.

The Politico has been worse then ABC, but better then MSNBC. About par with CBS, I’d say. Congrats new-media hacks, you aren’t different from old-media hacks.

Spirit of 1776 on October 28, 2008 at 10:51 PM

Oh, God! I would love to see McCain win, just to see the stupid MSM choke on their own tongues! That would be so sweet!

ErinF on October 28, 2008 at 10:51 PM

There you go; not much to add. They are basically ideological leftists in complete and total denial about their own incompetance and deception.

And stupid.

Jaibones on October 28, 2008 at 10:52 PM

As for these Obarky media whores, I hope you enjoyed your time in the sun because it’s just about over.

The entire nation realizes just how badly you sold yourself and pissed-away whatever integrity you had to begin with; liberals alone can’t keep you afloat, you need us.

So buh bye, have fun working for the tabloids or reporting hog futures from from Sioux City, because the old days are over for you.

Bishop on October 28, 2008 at 10:52 PM

Politico doesn’t speak for the MSM.

WisCon on October 28, 2008 at 10:53 PM

This is old and has been posted here before. You couldn’t have run out of negative articles about McCain/Palin, could you? You’ re so talented in finding and linking them while ignoring the ones that are pro McCain/Palin.

Blake on October 28, 2008 at 10:56 PM

Politico doesn’t speak for has joined the MSM.

WisCon on October 28, 2008 at 10:53 PM

There. FIFY

BacaDog on October 28, 2008 at 10:56 PM

It is the media bias that has created the conditions that this clown is justifying.

It’s OK to attack JTP and Sarah’s tanning bed, but it isn’t important to look into Obama’s associations with terrorists, black supremests, and crooks.

Good God these elitist media types are so stuck in their own echo chamber they cannot see the truth.

csdeven on October 28, 2008 at 10:56 PM

POLITICO is garbage.

jencab on October 28, 2008 at 10:57 PM

Oh, God! I would love to see McCain win, just to see the stupid MSM choke on their own tongues! That would be so sweet!

ErinF on October 28, 2008 at 10:51 PM

Ah, yes, the lovely “cotton-tongued” *aaack, aaaack*! heh

Wouldn’t that be grand?

MsUnderestimated on October 28, 2008 at 10:59 PM

I think early voting needs to be stopped.
They are calling the states already and its a week away still.

Its disinformation to the voters. Yahoo is the biggest culprit. Talk about biased.

johnnyU on October 28, 2008 at 11:00 PM

OK, let’s just get this over with: Yes, in the closing weeks of this election, John McCain and Sarah Palin are getting hosed in the press, and at Politico.

So what?

So I stopped reading that hack of a site over a month ago.

Except, of course, to read the above…

but I ain’t going back again anytime soon.

dugan on October 28, 2008 at 11:01 PM

It really s true though, about most journalists being motivated by momentum and process rather than issues or personal politics. If McCain was polling better right now (And not just getting an occasional “Tight” outlier) his coverage would be far kinder.

Typhonsentra on October 28, 2008 at 11:02 PM

You have to just love this crap. ‘A Study conducted by such and such revealed that umpteen percentage of this happened and we studied the data and came up with this….’

Here’s an idea…look what’s going on, use some goddamned common sense, and own up to what’s going on here!!!!

It’s so blatantly OBVIOUS to average Joe (HEH!) on the street, that the media in this country is PATHETIC!! Self important assholes so completely in the tank for the ONE and so convinced that they are untouchable and that they can just spew whatever crap the ONE’s people tell them to.

Just you watch, these pricks are so convinced that the ONE is a shoo in, they’re gonna start trying to appear ‘balanced’…

Sorry sons of bitches…..I mean really…

Good God….

BigWyo on October 28, 2008 at 11:02 PM

Oh, so McCain is biased by not outperforming your bias. Thanks. That clears things up.

I guess I’ll scan those candidate-biased articles and count references to Bill Ayers, Rev. Wright and Karl Marx. Now let’s see if there are a balanced number of articles about the Palin children, her wardrobe and Joe the plumber’s license.

Ohhh, but it’s all about how well the campaigns are doing. Forget it. You’re biased.

Ronnie on October 28, 2008 at 11:02 PM

POLITICO

Why McCain is getting hosed in the press.

Ok,Let’s just get this over with:Yes,in the closing weeks of
this election,John McCain and Sarah Palin are getting hosed iin the press,and at Politico.
———————————————————–

No kidding,Team Hopey/Gaffbiden and the MSM have both been
in political bed this election in a torrid orgasmic media
debauchery!!!

It really would be nice if Team McCain/SarahCuda had at least 20 per cent of the MSM time!!!

canopfor on October 28, 2008 at 11:04 PM

If McCain was polling better right now (And not just getting an occasional “Tight” outlier) his coverage would be far kinder.

Typhonsentra on October 28, 2008 at 11:02 PM

No chance it’s the other way around? Even The One said he wouldn’t vote for himself if he watched the truth on Fox News.

Ronnie on October 28, 2008 at 11:04 PM

Same reply as the LA TIMES (witholding the Obama video):

“You don’t like our crooked work, screw you!”

My reply:

Sucking eggs will eventually stain your brain..

profitsbeard on October 28, 2008 at 11:05 PM

Wow! A friend just sent me this video link.

“Hail Hitler. Hail Obama.”

ErinF on October 28, 2008 at 11:06 PM

Ok everyone, say this out loud using your best Tom Hanks voice…Bias?!?!? There ain’t no bias in media.

Gohawgs on October 28, 2008 at 11:08 PM

Politico is for stories the National Enquirer won’t take because there are no pictures or videos.

faraway on October 28, 2008 at 11:09 PM

The arrogance of those in the media is staggering. I listened in disbelief tonite as the FOX “All Stars” (Barnes, Kondracke, Krauthammer) all agreed that the media had been “unfair”, but that it didn’t really matter and that the media would not pay a price for that unfairness.

Uh, no. They will pay a huge price. There are far more ways to get your news than to reward the MSM with your business. I will NOT support any establishment or service that purposly misleads, or offers out and out propaganda instead of actual reporting, and that pretty much cuts out everything on TV, and almost all newspapers. I so resent the superior attitude of the elite media- do they want the world to go to hell in a hand basket just so they’ll have something to talk about?!

anniekc on October 28, 2008 at 11:09 PM

In a socialist/communist society the free press is the second thing rienged in. The journalists in this country don’t seem to understand this.

Tommy_G on October 28, 2008 at 10:48 PM

Maybe they are looking forward to government checks following the party line. Now they do it for nothing.

zmdavid on October 28, 2008 at 11:09 PM

My God. That was the most self serving piece of bullshit I think I have ever read.

I’m speechless.

BacaDog on October 28, 2008 at 11:10 PM

Most political reporters (investigative journalists tend to have a different psychological makeup) are temperamentally inclined to see multiple sides of a story, and being detached from their own opinions comes relatively easy.

I’m a politio reporter, and I approve this tripe.

/look ma, i’m so detached I can even write a detached analysis of my own detachedness! While still remaining detached!!111!!!!

Why don’t you love me, ma?

TexasDan on October 28, 2008 at 11:11 PM

For a so-called serious journalistic organization, that is the biggest pile of self serving crap that I have ever read. I won’t make the mistake of reading anything from that site again. How about that bias? Bias of not reading BS!

d1carter on October 28, 2008 at 11:11 PM

Sucking eggs will eventually stain your brain..

profitsbeard on Oct 28,2008 at 11:05PM.

profitsbeard:And thats why cavior should be approached
with extreme caution!

or,

Now we know what has happened to Liberal
Democrats that have chased it down with
Liberal Kool-Aid!Haha:)

canopfor on October 28, 2008 at 11:13 PM

The media loved McCain when he was a maverick Republican who criticized his own party. They hate him now that he is a threat to their chosen Messiah. It is that simple. If he loses they will go back to loving him when he criticizes Republicans again. If he wins he will be the Third Coming of Hitler to them.

zmdavid on October 28, 2008 at 11:14 PM

ErinF on October 28, 2008 at 11:06 PM

It’s horrible that he would resort to using his middle name like that. Yes, we know it’s Fitzgerald. Let him rest.

Ronnie on October 28, 2008 at 11:15 PM

This kind of thing works perfectly for the media if McCain wins. They fill up their papers and TV shows with premature, fill-in-the-quote “McCain What Went Wrong?” and “How Awesome is the O-Team” stories, then can publish all their fill-in-the-quote “McCain How They Did it” stories alongside their “Obama What Went Wrong?” pieces. Wins for all (except for the O-Team, but you can’t please everyone).

CK MacLeod on October 28, 2008 at 11:17 PM

It has always amazed me how the people in media are able to turn themselves into pretzels.

Like a little kid it’s one excuse after another. They are never wrong, there is no flaw in their character and it is impossible for the little people to understand how difficult their job is.

Everyone is biased about many things but not everyone lies about it. Those who choose this occupation are just ordinary people. Nothing special about them and nothing better about them than you or me.

Vince on October 28, 2008 at 11:19 PM

PS. The quote of the day does not apply to Chris Matthews, Keith Olberman, the libs of the View, Charlie Gibson, Katie Couric, and many others in the liberaly biased media. Obviously the ideological bias does matter to them. Its importance is second only to their collective and obsessive crush on Obama.

Tim Pancoast on October 28, 2008 at 11:19 PM

And, yes, based on a combined 35 years in the news business we’d take an educated guess — nothing so scientific as a Pew study — that Obama will win the votes of probably 80 percent or more of journalists covering the 2008 election. Most political journalists we know are centrists — instinctually skeptical of ideological zealotry — but with at least a mild liberal tilt to their thinking, particularly on social issues. So what?

Pretty much sums up what we already knew.

ManlyRash on October 28, 2008 at 11:19 PM

It is not our impression that many reporters are rooting for Obama personally.

Just professionally?

Marcus on October 28, 2008 at 11:20 PM

BTW,if the tables were turned,and it was Team McCain/Palin
recieving all the attention,

you can bet your bibby(Rowan and Martin’s Laugh In),

that Hopey/GaffeBiden ‘Community Organizers’ would be
boycotting the MSM,and protesting in front of every
MSM offices,trying to get ‘Justice’!!

ME thinks!:)

canopfor on October 28, 2008 at 11:22 PM

The Politico article was hooey. Byron York published a very good article yesterday in the National Review Online entitled “Against the Wind” that discusses quite ably all the obstacles that McCain has been overcoming in what is a tough political year for Republicans. McCain has been running a good campaign overall. Media bias and anti-Bush, anti-Republican sentiment have been the problems. To criticize the McCain campaign is just a disingenuous way of avoiding discussing the gross media bias. Only because of media bias would the American people seriously consider a wuss socialist appeaser in Obama for President. When McCain wins, people will talk about the great campaign he ran.

Phil Byler on October 28, 2008 at 11:23 PM

Oops,I forget the ‘sweet’in front of bibby!Ugh.

canopfor on October 28, 2008 at 11:24 PM

They are basically ideological leftists in complete and total denial about their own incompetance and deception.

Jaibones on October 28, 2008 at 10:52 PM

They have what I call Baghdad Bob Syndrome™.

Sigmund on October 28, 2008 at 11:28 PM

MSM:

We’re not biased, because McCain IS BushHitler, and Obama is soooooooooo GREAT!!!

Its not our fault that McCain decided to be a Republican, and so by definition is the DEBIL! I mean, we’ll give McCain positive press as soon as he joins in the Revolution!

Romeo13 on October 28, 2008 at 11:32 PM

They admit they are biased:

A couple weeks back, Politico managing editor Bill Nichols sent out a note to the campaign team urging people to cough up more story ideas that took a skeptical look at the campaign tactics and policy proposals of the Democrat, who is likely to be president three months from now. As it happened, the response was a trickle (though Nichols and Mahtesian came up with some ideas of their own).
emphasis added

I can think of a whole list of stories they could do, and I’m not even a journalist.

Then they pretend that they didn’t admit they are biased:

Responsible editors would be foolish not to ask themselves the bias question, especially in the closing days of an election.

But, having asked it, our sincere answer is that of the factors driving coverage of this election — and making it less enjoyable for McCain to read his daily clip file than for Obama — ideological favoritism ranks virtually nil.
emphasis added

John F. Harris and Jim VandeHei don’t seem very smart. Nor do they seem like very good journalists.

Troy Rasmussen on October 28, 2008 at 11:33 PM

Smug & superior. These must be the attributes most prized in journalism school.

MCPO Airdale on October 28, 2008 at 11:33 PM

CK MacLeod on October 28, 2008 at 11:17 PM

That’s fine. The riots will push those stories to at least page 9.

Ronnie on October 28, 2008 at 11:42 PM

Mike Allen should be proud his rag has joined the other rags. Mission Accomplished. I’m sure the Times would hire you if they wern’t laying off half their staff.

Exit ? : If the grey lady has been regulated to JUNK status, where do you think this puts Politico? (hint: it’s not lack of advertising, Allen, it’s the content.)

Rovin on October 28, 2008 at 11:43 PM

Before answering the question, indulge us in noting that the subject of ideological bias in the news media is a drag. The people who care about it typically come at the issue with scalding biases of their own. Any statement journalists make on the subject can and will be used against them. So the incentive is to make bland and guarded statements. Even honest ones, meanwhile, will tend to strike partisans as evasive or self-delusional.

Wow, they truly believe their own BS. People that call them on the bias rarely have the ability to reach the same number of readers that were reached by the biased article. In other words, the damage has already been done

Rick on October 28, 2008 at 11:45 PM

Okay. Now African Press International says it has a deal with Fox to release the alleged Michelle Obama tapes.

CanadianGuy on October 28, 2008 at 11:49 PM

As it happens, McCain’s campaign is going quite poorly and Obama’s is going well. Imposing artificial balance on this reality would be a bias of its own.

“Artificial Balance”? Is that the new spin!?

In other words, We are much smarter than you and we are telling you how stupid you are for not being the lemmings we expected.”
Damn that new media stuff and especially those BLOGS. What a bunch of intellectual dunces….

Nelsa on October 28, 2008 at 11:56 PM

It’s not their fault. You can’t call it bias when it is the truth.

I’m sure the MSM will investigate immediately after the inauguration coronation.

Laura in Maryland on October 28, 2008 at 11:58 PM

Hello all,

Maybe a little OT, but I wanted to share a great post from the PUMA’s: Hillbuzz

They’re reaching out to us (although I don’t normally condone this kind of behavior) I think it might be nice to send them a few words of encouragement.

If you’ve got an extra couple of minutes.

Dorvillian on October 28, 2008 at 11:59 PM

I’m not bigoted, I hate everyone equally.

jukin on October 28, 2008 at 11:59 PM

Did you wear your frock today? Did you notice the fancy lattice work and short padded pew with the sliding wooden door?

A visit to the confessional should mean all is forgiven, after the ensuing damage from an Obama administration, right?

Finally, one of the biases of journalists is the same one that is potent for almost all people: the one in favor of self-defensiveness. That’s why, even though we think ideological bias is pretty low on the list of journalistic maladies in this election, it is not viable for reporters to dismiss criticism out of hand.

So there you go, Ma: We’ll look into it.

Well, Ma ain’t gonna go for it.

Speakup on October 29, 2008 at 12:15 AM

Dorvillian on October 28, 2008 at 11:59 PM

Can’t get your link to work, but I found it by just going to their front page.
http://hillbuzz.wordpress.com/

Ronnie on October 29, 2008 at 12:18 AM

Typhonsentra on October 28, 2008 at 11:02 PM

Have you ever had an original thought in your putrid existence?

hillbillyjim on October 29, 2008 at 12:35 AM

CanadianGuy on October 28, 2008 at 11:49 PM

Not credible. Who would stop fox from airing it on their own network.

The day and time schedules of the broadcast will only be announced 15 minutes before the Show begins in order to avoid attempts to block the Show from airing the tapes.

lorien1973 on October 29, 2008 at 12:40 AM

Maybe a little note to their advertisers……….

Kinda hard to make payroll when there is no money coming in.

……… just sayin’.

Seven Percent Solution on October 29, 2008 at 12:43 AM

It’s official confirmed now…Politico has nothing but f**king idiots and hacks writing for them. Where we suppose to take this line of reasoning

(that Obama will win the votes of probably 80 percent or more of journalists covering the 2008 election. Most political journalists we know are centrists — instinctually skeptical of ideological zealotry — but with at least a mild liberal tilt to their thinking, particularly on social issues.

So what?

with anything but derision and laughter?

CENTRISTS – (instinctually skeptical of ideological zealotry )! LOL!!! You guys sure have been showing that skeptism. And the reason U guys loved McCain was that he was ripping Republicans; end of story.

Dritanian on October 29, 2008 at 12:46 AM

McCain’s decision to limit media access and align himself with the GOP conservative base…

Who pours their Kool-Aid? What’s in that stuff?

Feedie on October 29, 2008 at 12:47 AM

Journalists’ hair-trigger racial sensitivity may have been misplaced, but it was not driven by an ideological tilt.

No, just a self loathing spineless project-my-guilt-and-shame-on-people-who-make-money-and-don’t-care-about-my-journalistic-greater-purpose tilt.

peski on October 29, 2008 at 1:20 AM

Let’s see:
McCain announces he’s going to do something…does it.

Gov. Palin announces she’s going to do something…does it.

“Celebrities” prattle on and on about how they could do something better…but they never do.

MSM prattles on endlessly, recycling last week’s recycled news…and never do or say anything substantive.

Obama announces through his fake “big voice” microphone with the fake electronic echo that he’s for this or against that…then doesn’t show up to vote. Then repeats his state senate performance in the US Senate.

Biden opens his mouth repeatedly, but nothing sensible comes out…and he never accomplishes anything.

Pelosi and Reid told us over and over all they were going to do when they got control of Congress two years ago…and they’ve done absolutely nothing of any importance or worth.

Guess which of the above people will be listen to in the future.

PS: “Responsible Editors” is an oxymoron.

landlines on October 29, 2008 at 1:21 AM

If voters do what I hope they will, sending McCain and Palin to the WH, nothing would please me more than to see most of the MSM self-immolate.

I have this fantasy where I’m walking down the street and, oh, there’s KO sitting on the sidewalk with a bunch of his cohorts, with their little cups in their trembling hands, and I pass them by with a jaunty “see ya, wouldn’t want to be ya, suckas!”

TeeDee on October 29, 2008 at 1:25 AM

Every word in that column was Crap

I’ve heard this same Crap–almost word for word in some sections–since the 1970s. It was Crap then and it’s still Crap now. As it was Crap so shall it forever be Crap

95 percent libtards, many of them hard-core fanatics, makes for a biased media. The fact that most of them are uneducated and stupid only adds to the Pile of Crap they serve up each and every day

—this is one of the most worthless threads ever

Janos Hunyadi on October 29, 2008 at 1:25 AM

I am officially saturated. I am going to vote and encourage other like-minded individuals to vote and stock up the liquor for election night.

HawaiiLwyr on October 28, 2008 at 10:46 PM

I’ve stocked up on the three basic food groups.
Beer, Wine and Grains.

Kini on October 29, 2008 at 1:31 AM

America’s Obama’s Chickenssssssss….. Terrorists Friendsssssssssss……..


Coming Home, To Roost.

Kini on October 29, 2008 at 1:36 AM

Hey, Chris Matthews decided to discuss Politico tonight – I was scanning, and he was laughing about how the wheels on the McCain campaign were coming off. He quoted Jim VandeHei about a senior McCain handler saying that Palin had “gone round the bend.” And by God, if Jim says it, it’s true. He is a great reporter, etc. He doesn’t make stuff up.
So you see, my racist brethren, Chris says that it doesn’t matter how the press is lining up – because the sky is falling at the McCain campaign – and the McCain campaign says so. And a great reporter in Chris’ opinion has the quote! Case closed!
Little off the subject but I have been wondering about something. If there are a million Obama supporters showing up for a party in Chicago and The One loses…… what happens to Chicago?

JeffinOrlando on October 29, 2008 at 1:51 AM

‘hosed’ in the title?

That’s professional. Maybe someone needs to buy the folks at politico a thesaurus for their birthday.

But, at least the content was good:

“Most political journalists we know are centrists — instinctually skeptical of ideological zealotry — but with at least a mild liberal tilt to their thinking, particularly on social issues.”

ROFLMAO! “mild liberal thinking” …

Do these people even listen to themselves?

progressoverpeace on October 29, 2008 at 1:58 AM

Any statement journalists make on the subject can and will be used against them. So the incentive is to make bland and guarded statements. Even honest ones, meanwhile, will tend to strike partisans as evasive or self-delusional.

Translation: If you don’t believe what I’m saying you’re just a partisan hack.

Isn’t it awesome that he starts off his proposal that journalists are able to look past their biases by stating that many of his readers aren’t?

McCain’s decision to limit media access and align himself with the GOP conservative base was an entirely routine, strategic move for a presidential candidate. But much of the coverage has portrayed this as though it were an unconscionable sellout.

Huh? I’m not sure what he’s trying to say here. Is he saying that the media doesn’t trust McCain because he’s limiting access and aligning himself with his base?

Obama hasn’t given a press conference in a month and during the primaries he was notorious for not talking to the press, at the same time that he was aligning himself with his base. Yet the press would drool all over themselves every time he went to the gym.

29Victor on October 29, 2008 at 2:04 AM

Mr. McCain should have asked some simple questions — pertinent, educational and easily understood by ordinary voters. Such as:

- If the rise in the price of oil from $70 to $140 was due to “greed” (the all-purpose explanation of the other side for every economic problem), was the fall from $140 to $70 due to a sudden outbreak of altruism?

- If a bank is guilty both for rejecting a mortgage (“redlining”) and for approving it (“greed” — see above), how might a bank president keep his business out of trouble with the law?

- If the financial turmoil of the last year or so was caused by inadequate regulation, which party has controlled both Houses of Congress and all of its financial committees and subcommittees (where such regulation would originate) in the last two years?

- If we bemoan the sending of $750 billion a year to our enemies for imported oil, which party has prevented domestic drilling for decades that would have made us more self-sufficient?

- You were unhappy with Congress, and in 2006 you cast your lot with those who, like Mr. Obama now, promised “change.” Are you happy with the changes that have taken place in the last two years?

None of these questions have been asked loudly or often enough, while the other message — everything is bad, it’s all Bush’s fault, and McCain=Bush — has sunk in.
- George Newman

MB4 on October 29, 2008 at 2:10 AM

This column makes me wonder if there’s a Pulitzer for intellectual dishonesty.

snaggletoothie on October 29, 2008 at 2:12 AM

This column makes me wonder if there’s a Pulitzer for intellectual dishonesty.

snaggletoothie on October 29, 2008 at 2:12 AM

There might be an Ig Nobel for Illiterature.

progressoverpeace on October 29, 2008 at 2:18 AM

Oh, God! I would love to see McCain win, just to see the stupid MSM choke on their own tongues! That would be so sweet!

Frankly, it’s the only reason I want McCain to win.

Other than Palin giving the media scoffers her middle finger, nothing would be sweeter than seeing the look of horror on the faces of the media worms as McCain gets the nod.

mylegsareswollen on October 29, 2008 at 2:42 AM

Did Politico just accidentally make an argument against the Fairness Doctrine?

Ronnie on October 29, 2008 at 3:36 AM

Politico is tripe and I won’t touch it. But remember, even tripe has it’s place…circling the drain with that odd growling noise (I think it’s some kind of animal stuck under the house, Mr. Obvious).

SKYFOX on October 29, 2008 at 5:46 AM

I know I should probably link this but… this is good. I feels true. Especially the part about manipulating the polling. I’m not sure how they do that but it really feels like something is wrong with the polling….Any way it is the middle of the night…

A Confession From A Former Obama Supporter
Posted on October 28, 2008 by renaissancelady48
I received an e-mail via a friend concerning an former Obama supporter’s confession. She is a former Obama believer but realizes if he is elected president, the government will control everything and she can’t bear it. Although I can’t speak to the confessor’s veracity some of it does ring true. Here is the e-mail:

Comment by DAVE FROM NAWLINS
October 27th, 2008 at 11:19 pm
I copied this off of teamsarah.org tonight.

They are making a big impact and are growing very fast.

Hi Greta,
A confession from an Obama supporter
sarah p Says:
October 27, 2008 at 5:04 am
Okay, I want to clear my conscious a little. Hopefully you could make a blog post to help some fellow Clinton supporters out. I work for a campaign and can’t wait for this week to be over. I was doing it for a job. I was not a fan of any candidate but over time grew to love HRC.

The internal campaign idea is to twist, distort, humiliate and finally dispirit you.

We pay people and organize people to go to all the online sites and “play the part of a Clinton or McCain supporter who just switched our support for Obama”.

We do this to stifle your motivation and to destroy your confidence. We did this the whole primary and it worked.

Sprinkle in mass vote confusion and it becomes bewildering. Most people lose patience and just give up on their support of a candidate and decide to just block out tv, news, websites, etc.

This surprisingly has had a huge suppressing movement and vote turnout issues.

Next, we infiltrate all the blogs and all the youtube videos and overwhelm the voting, the comments, etc. All to continue this appearance of overwhelming world support. People make posts to the affect that the world has “gone mad”. That’s the intention. To make you feel stressed and crazy and feel like the world is ending.

We have also had quite a hand in skewing many many polls, some we couldn’t control as much as we would have liked. But many we have spoiled over. Just enough to make Real Clear Politics look scary to a McCain supporter. Its worked, although the goal was to appear 13-15 points ahead.
see, the results have been working.

People tend to support a winner, go with the flow, become “sheeple”. The polls are roughly 3-5 points in favor of Barack. Thats due to our inflation of the polls and pulling in the sheeple.

Our donors, are the same people who finance the MSM. Their interests are tied, Barack then tends to come across as teflon. Nothing sticks. And trust, there were meetings with Fox news. The goal was to blunt them as much as possible. Watch Bill O’Reilly he has become much more diplomatic and “fair and balanced” and soft. Its because he wants to retain the #1 spot on cable news and to do that he has to have access to the Obama campaign and we worked hard at stringing him a long and keeping him soft for an interview swap. It worked and now he is anticipating more access. So he is playing it still soft.

This is why nothing sticks.

The operation is massive, the goal is to paint a picture that is that of a winner, regardless of the results.

There is no true inauguration draft or true Grant Park construction going on. There will be a party, but we are boasting beyond the truth to make it seem like the election is wrapped up.

Our goal is to continue to make you lose your moral. We worked hard at persuasion and paying off and timing and playing the right political numbers to get key republican endorsements to make it seem even more like it was over and the world was coming to an end for you all.

There is a huge staff of people working around the clock, watching every site, blogs, etc. We flood these sites. We have had a goal to overwhelm.

The truth is here. I could go on and on, but you get the picture.

I am saying this because I know HRC was better for the country, and now realize this. I was too late by the time I connected to her.

To me Barack was just a cool young dude that seemed like a star. I didn’t know him or his policies, but now I understand more than I care to and I realize his interests are more for him, and the DNC and all working like puppets with Dean. I always thought a president wanted the better good for the country. The end result I see is everyone dependent on the government, this means more and more people voting for the DNC.

This means the future is forever altered. I don’t see this as America, so I am now supporting John Mccain.

Sarah Palin is a huge threat, and our campaign has feared her like you can’t imagine. If it seems unfair how she has been treated, well its because she has had a team working round the clock to make her look like a fool. This is a big conspiracy and I am so shocked that its not realized.

We released a little blurb the other day that the Obama campaign was already working on reelection and now putting our efforts towards 2012. This was to make it seem like it was above us to continue caring about 2008. Trust me, its a lie. David is very smart, but its a sticky ugly not very truthful kind of intelligence.

Its not over yet, but I think the machine is working. And its a hill to climb.

I will be quitting my post on Nov 5th and my vote will be for John Mccain. Fortunately, my position has been a marketing position and I don’t feel I had any part of anything I would feel guilty for. But I look forward to getting out of this as the negativity and environment upsets me.
I wish you all well, and goodluck.

PS my name is not really sarah. but I am a female and I understand your plight.

I absolutely have no idea who this former Obama supporter is but some of things she has written ring so true. I have had no faith in the polls. I haven’t believed their truthfulness for more than three weeks now. It even occurred to me that Scott Rasmussen was in the tank for Obama in the primaries, he never said one thing favorable towards Hillary. That is the explanation for his polls. I’m not certain about Gallup but those polls have been bizarre as well. I have been fairly certain that they are overpolling Democrats supportive of Obama. I have no idea how they are doing it, but they are.

I was listening to Bill O’Reilly tonight when it dawned on me that he was really in the tank for Obama. He has been for quite some time now. My friends and I have been discussing this for several weeks. As for Fox News, they have been particularly nasty towards the McCain/Palin ticket lately. Their polls have been skewed as well. And I must say I wondered who paid Fox off to be “less balanced”.

I said it in an earlier post…ignore the polls. I have some good news on them I will post soon. Just get out and vote. Talk Talk Talk. Reach out to the undecideds. When you do speak to indies and undecideds, speak up for McCain. Palin has her supporters and the star quality. It is time to give John McCain a hand up. Get excited about him.

Recently we bombed Syria. Iran and Syria had strong words for our actions. They even accused us of bombing a “factory” or something. McCain needs to be running this country. He will not be tested. He will know exactly what to do if we need to respond to these two countries.

Vote Country First. We are on the precipice of dangerous times with Syria and Iran. McCain is the only answer.

petunia on October 29, 2008 at 6:28 AM

Glenn Reynolds posted a link to a questionnaire that somebody at UTK is doing to study the shift of users from old to new media for political news:

http://survey.utk.edu/mrIweb/mrIWeb.dll?I.Project=POLITICS08

It’s a little long, but worth the effort to fill it out, if only to help demonstrate to these tools in terms they understand that their glory days are over.

Lurking Vet on October 29, 2008 at 6:35 AM

“Not I,” said Politico pig.

Lamer than lame.

maverick muse on October 29, 2008 at 6:58 AM

I do not read papers like the NYT anymore. I do not watch very much TV news at all. I think that most of them are sell outs. It is a waste of my time to pay any attention to these people.

Terrye on October 29, 2008 at 7:06 AM

I will be in Kauai on election night, sipping an umbrella drink and watching the waves. The results should be in by the time I eat dinner.

Bishop on October 28, 2008 at 10:48 PM

Are you trying to make me hate you?

MarkTheGreat on October 29, 2008 at 7:32 AM

They are laughing there asses off…I can just see them “Oh, put this in…Ha ha ah”

tomas on October 29, 2008 at 7:43 AM

These so-called “journalists”, work in a bubble.

It’s entertaining to witness the open use of the word “bias”, a term more appropriately applied to the media of 15 years ago. Today, most of the “stories”, with rare exception, are standard run-of-the-mill PR pieces.

That they believe that their agenda driven propaganda is so sophisticated that it flies over the heads of average Americans is a miscalculation, however; they have succeeded beyond their wildest dreams of evading campaign finance laws.

Saltysam on October 29, 2008 at 7:45 AM

The assh*le who wrote the article is on Fox and Friends right now trying to “explain” himself. Says conservatives were who started it by writing Politico to complain about McCain(?) He’s babbling on trying to justify whatever reporters see “fit” to do.

anniekc on October 29, 2008 at 7:57 AM

MB4 on October 29, 2008 at 2:10 A

Great bullets. That would have been great either at a rally or blasted out one by one during the last debate.

hawkdriver on October 29, 2008 at 8:00 AM

I think that the very idea of “objective reporting” is a myth. I don’t think it ever existed and is only a claim made by those in an attempt to gain credibility for their own brand of agenda driven media medicine. I am suspicious of anyone who makes the claim and respect more those who admit their bias up front and don’t try to hide behind a claim of objectivity. It sounds like they are admitting that The Politico is biased in favor of Obama and the democrats but that their bias isn’t based on ideology but rather all these other excuses This might be the closest they will get to admitting they are just another cog in the liberal media machine.

Dollayo on October 29, 2008 at 8:21 AM

Good God these elitist media types are so stuck in their own echo chamber they cannot see the truth.

csdeven on October 28, 2008 at 10:56 PM

exactly. blah blah blah yada yada yada

scalleywag on October 29, 2008 at 8:43 AM

Politico has become a big disappointment, pretty much just more of the same ole MSM. Silly me for expecting more in the first place.

petefrt on October 29, 2008 at 9:09 AM

They are going to keep telling themselves that until they believe it. If tehy lie to themselves why would we expect them to be honest with us. Good for a chuckle though.

hawkeye on October 29, 2008 at 9:28 AM

As it happens, McCain’s campaign is going quite poorly and Obama’s is going well. Imposing artificial balance on this reality would be a bias of its own.

Daggers in my eyes!

Can the press just report the truth about Hussein? Can the press just play Books on Tape of Obama’s racist comments in his own voice from his insipid books? Can the press just report him in his own voice in the NPR interview whining about the “tragedy” of the SCOTUS not being able to spread the wealth enough? Howsabout in the same interview declaring that the US resembles Nazi Germany?

Howsabout the LA Times not releasing the tape of Hussein lauding Khalidi at a shindig attended by Ayres and Dhorn? Has his association with the New Party been used to illustrate that the epithet Socialist is not just a political cussword in his case, but an apt description?

Has the press done ANY investigative reporting on the Chicago Annenberg Challenge (or Woods or Joyce Funds) and the fact that Ayres hired Hussein to head it up? Howsabout the entities it funded? In fact, has there been ANYTHING resembling investigative reporting by the MSM that wasn’t merely an attempt not to be outflanked by the New Media – which of course, Hussein and the Dems want to squelch if possible.

Has the MSM tied Hussein to the Dem movement in congress to confiscate 401(k)s? Has this been reported at all at ABC, CBS, NBC, NYT, LAT, WAPO?

It isn’t just bias or spin in reporting that is the problem, it’s suppression of the truth. And if this cabal of MSM and Dems can suppress the truth passively and still sleep at night, they can supress it actively to the same effect. If elected, they will attempt to destroy -DESTROY- their political and religious enemies starting day one, and it couldn’t have been done without the smiling faces on your TV set that bring you the evening news.

Akzed on October 29, 2008 at 9:34 AM

It is not our impression that many reporters are rooting for Obama personally.

Wow, impressions are so hard to find -sort of like trying to find a self-absorbed liberal writer.

Oh wait, that is way easy to find, just hard to stomach.

kybowexar on October 29, 2008 at 9:39 AM

Blah, blah, blah…we know we’re biased…blah, blah, blah…we don’t care…blah, blah, blah…

m064404 on October 28, 2008 at 10:45 PM

I wish I had read your comment instead of the article – though I admit I was predisposed to believe that was what it was going to say.

Self-fulfilling prophecy or educated conservative reader? You decide. (laugh)

kybowexar on October 29, 2008 at 9:41 AM

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