GOP 'Love' Ad Furthers the Pot-Kettle Dialectic

Senator John McCain is running a pair of ads that say -- get this -- that the media is "in love" with Barack Obama. I know, I know...take a moment to cradle your poor head tenderly in your hands and note the attendant irony of the candidate best known for courting the press, straight up, as his "base," complaining bitterly about this. The press' great affinity for John McCain is well-known. There's a book about it. Even an RSS feed.

So let's not pretend that McCain hasn't been the blessed recipient of the press' ardent devotion. At the same time, let's not kid ourselves! Obama's won a sizable measure of the press' favor for himself as well. Chris Matthews really did feel that tingle up his leg, y'all!

Still, timing is everything, and McCain would have looked like a fool if he had run these ads two weeks ago, when the press was engaged in jumping up and down on Obama's head for an Iraq withdrawal flip-flop that he hadn't even made. And, so, these ads are running now, while Obama is off on his overseas adventure, and when McCain could safely gamble that the eye of the press would be following him everywhere.

And so, I read the headline currently running on the top of our site, "McCain Camp 'Frustrated' With Obama's Trip," and I have to laugh. After all, wasn't this the overseas trip that McCain insisted Obama make, certain that the overall effect, at the very least, would be to burnish McCain's own commander-in-chief credentials, perhaps even giving the candidate an Obama mistake to exploit? Instead, Obama's overseas foray has been a success. Iraqi officials are in alignment with his plans for military extrication and the worst, it seems, that McCain can do is spin a good reception by Europeans as a bad thing.

The whole thing is like an Ian McEwen novel. Oh, well, John. Be careful what you wish for.

Comments

[Snowball]

McCain himself doesn't have to spin Obama's success and popularity overseas as a bad thing. The Corporate Media is doing it for him. It's almost as if the beltway pundit class has gotten their talking points straight from Karl Rove himself, trying to turn a candidate's strong points against him. How uniform are the talking heads on this point? Just take a look up at Arianna's latest blog post.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arianna-huffington/tell-me-again-why-is-obam_b_114154.html

Or take a look and see how miffed Alan Greenspan's wife, reporter Andrea Mitchell is:
http://www.crooksandliars.com/2008/07/22/lets-ask-andrea/#comments

Or just wander over to http://mediamatters.org/ to keep up on how differently our Corporate Media treats Obama and McCain.

The Corporate Media loves them some Republicans, Democrats not so much.

[ebanks84]

....Democr­ats NOT AT ALL!

[4wehttam]

Give me a freaking break. The press is following the ratings...­...they're not "in-love" with O. They've been giving McBush a free ride from the get go. If they had reported fairly all of his gaffes, misspeaks or whatever he wouldn't be in this race anymore. All the personal stuff about McBush's wife, his ex-wife, his actual military record and all his dumba$$ mistakes would have sunk O, if the shoe were on the other foot.

[WarOnWar]

I am tired of those people saying that Obama is getting more media coverage. The truth is the media is actually responding to one truth; Counted by hours, Mccain has gotten ten times more coverage in the national media than Obama, after all, Mccain ran for the white house before, so the media is just responding to the need of people to get to see Obama more. Mccain is old news, why cover him when everyone knows where he stands.

So you see, it may seem biased, while in the minds need to know and assess a candidate, its not!
And the media knows this because that what people want to see.

[eesmm]

After watching the proposed ad again, I realized that it will never go to air for one simple reason: one you add McCain's voice to the end of the commercial saying "I'm John McCain and I approve this message" the whole context of the piece changes.

...Love... They are in Love... Can you feel the Love?... Love is in the air.... All you need is love... Loving Obama... I'm John McCain and I approve this message...­.

...and Bingo, McCain has just spent three minutes promoting his opponent.

It's just not going to happen. Shame really.

[Chillinout]

The MSM is whining because O'bama is not giving them full access to O'bama, so here is a suggestion for them.

If you actually reported the news, all the news, (which means reporting on Mcclone's many flip flops gaffes and such), and were actually fair and balanced without all of your spin, you might get more access to him.

[Chillinout]

That should have been because the O'bama campaign is not giving them full access to O'bama.

[ebanks84]

And if I were Obama, I wouldn't either.

[Laserbeam]

RIGHT ON!

[karela]

The media research study kept track only of the minutes of press coverage given to each candidate. It didn't track the minutes of negative or positive coverage. If the press gave McCain's screw ups the scrutiny that they give Obama, he'd have equal airtime and that would be a good thing for everybody. I hope they start giving him his full share! Anybody remember the main stream media covering the story last week when McCain knowingly went against Secret Service and State Department directives and told the world which days Obama would be in Iraq and Afghanistan-----And said it while Obama was actually already in flight on his way into a war zone? No coverage. McCain, as he so often has told us, has made the trip many times under the same strict security demands. He absolutely knew what he was doing. He was endangering a United States Senator and Presidential Candidate for reasons of his own gain. A lot of folks would say that that was a pretty un-American thing to do. But, no coverage. Please MSM, give him his full share of legitimate news coverage. He asked for it and he really deserves it!

[Yvaughn]

So... does McCain want sprinkles on his donut as he's watching this ad, like the AP reporters remembered to get him? Or perhaps a nice plate of barbecue, like at the many press-cookouts he holds? For pity's sake....

[katiec]

I cannot believe Mccain and the pubs have the nerv e to complain about coverage.
That man has gotten a free ride on all his blunders, misstatements, record and
lies.
Obamas trip is a success so how can the media ignore it? they would if they
could. Is amusing how they go into every segment with a question about
how Obama might goof etc.
We will overcome the media, AP and the pubs with intelligence, diplomacy
and common sense.

[sxm342]

It's one thing to court the press; it's completely different to play hard to get.

[shystar]

Yes McCain best be careful what he wishes for, as, should the media objectively turn the spot light on McCain he may find himself appearing less electable to the public.

Hope the media gives him what he wants.

[Woopie]

Perhaps if John had something positive , uplifting, and new to say, there would be some attention. Months of the McCaim campaign saying Obama this, and Obama that, is giving more attention to Obama's policy then his own

[whiteboyblues]

Maybe John McCain should have invited the press along on his tour?

Jealousy sure looks bad on a person hoping to be President.

[AmbroseChapel]

He should think twice before biting the hand that feeds.

[zippywpinhead]

Boo Hoo, BBQ John gets a taste of his own medicine when "his base" starts paying attention to his opponent, so he cries like a little girl. Considering Mc.Cain's campaign has mostly consisted of gaffes, missteps, easily refuted lies and tasteless jokes, he should consider being ignored a blessing in disguise..­.

[bobwalters]

Jealous, rejected (at least feeling so) teenaged lover! Poor baby...