Big News Orgs Fail To Label McCain Attack Ad False

Talking Points Memo:

I've just done a lap through the coverage by the big news orgs of the ad John McCain put out this weekend attacking Barack Obama for canceling his visit to a U.S. Army base in Germany.

CNN has a piece here, The New York Times has one here, The Washington Post has write-ups here and here, and the Associated Press has one here.

The stories did dutifully note the Obama camp's push-back against the ad. But not a single one of these reports told you that the ad is false.

Read the whole story: Talking Points Memo

Comments

[NoSandwiches]

What I saw on CNN last night was McCain getting free air time for his outrageous ad followed by a McCain surrogate explaining why it was appropriate followed by a "no time to discuss further as we go to breaking news--Obama goes to the hospital."
Disgusting.
This morning on MSNBC they STILL gave the ad free run, but at least allowed an Obama surrogate to address it. The "host" of the show still seemed hostile toward OBama in tone and wording of her opinions.
I have NEVER seen an Obama ad play on the news for free, but McCain gets a free ride. Is it because the outrageous attacks are somehow newsworthy? Because that's not how they play it.

[Marlyn]

" Is it because the outrageous attacks are somehow newsworthy? "

NOTHING is "newsworthy" on the MSM. It is 100% right wing propaganda.

[Vige]

Morning Joe was simply disgusting.

[1PALady]

It was, I had to turn it off. Joe makes me throw up in my mouth!

[hydenorhare]

GEEZUZ already.
Enough of this coverup.
Lil Bama messed up. Simple.
He can just say he should have gone.
He can even say it was a misunderstanding.
Like the surge, this clown just can't admit he was wrong.
He really thinks he's some kind of deity.

"...the O-bama campaign later said that it was the military that requested that O-bama not make the trip to the base. "We learned from the P-entagon last night that the visit would be viewed instead as a campaign event," a campaign adviser said."

"But the military is disputing that explanation. A spokesman for the base told N-B-C News that the base was prepared to host Sen. O-bama, as long as some conditions were met.

"[H]e could only bring two or three of his Senate staff member, no campaign officials or workers. O-bama could not bring any media. Only military photographers would be permitted to record O-bama's visit.

We didn't know why [the trip was canceled]. He was more than welcome. We were all ready for him." "

http://news.aol.com/political-machine/2008/07/25/obama-cancels-visit-to-military-hospital/?icid=100214839x1206225282x1200328977

[nerakami]

And still they want to try and convince us the media is in love with Obama. I watched CNN's reports of obama's trip overseas and especially, Kitty Pilgrim and Campbell Brown in relaying the stories laced them with very negative and suggestive adjectives clearly trying to set an unflattering tone for the viewers. The most outrageous aspect is how stupid they think we all are... I shake my head at their assumptions that we are all asleep and readily accepting the "subliminal" brainwashi­ng....

simply disgusting but we are hip to it.

[bosshogg]

i need a ko special comment...­........

[barackobama4prez]

me 2....looks like the press is offering up more assists for the rethuglicans.

[knowhelpnow]

Well of course they are assisting the Repugs they are the Repugs that's who owns them so forget about fair and balanced. They only ones who get to say something different then the hold the line are the ones who bring in the viewers. Money is the only thing that will offset their political views.

[Dave01]

And the special comment shouldn't directly be pointed toward McCain, but directed at the entire MSM that is giving McCain the free ride.

[kissmygrits]

It's completely sickening that the so-called news media will not say the ad is false. Not only is it false because of the mention of bringing cameras in (which never was in the plans), but it's false because of the 'Mac cares about the troops aspect.' Why does no media outlet mention that he opposed the new GI bill???!!

[MaryanneAZ]

It's also notably false in that the "gym" scene was not one of Obama in Germany, but in Afghanistan WITH the troops in the background!!! Repubs also know full well that the main committee, not Obama's subcommittee, is holding all of the hearings on Afghanistan while Obama is busy campaigning. Repubs also know that the requirement quoted is that the "Commander in Chief" has the responsibility to visit the troops. Since, as they so nastily put out, Obama is not yet the CIC, then it was not appropriate for him to visit the troops while on a campaign funded trip to Germany. There really should be some regulations regarding telling the truth in ads. Also, how can McCain use U.S. troops in his ad (who were in the background of Obama's 3-point shot in Afghanistan)? There are regulations against that use of U.S. troops in political ads. The Repubs had this same issue when they used Gen. Pateaus in an ad or flyer several weeks ago. They are just so desperate that they will do anything to malign Obama's character where they have nothing of substance to go after him. Obama '08

[Trittydi]

BAD headline - fix that.
*

[gvc]

Once it became apparent that O. was in the driver's seat for the nomination, he stopped responding to H.'s taunts. While he can't let anything substantive stick, his strategy may be now to let the McC. tantrums speak for themselves, and respond to them in broad strokes and through surrugates rather than allowing tit-for-tat to hijack his message.

[kellygrrrl]

agree!
thus far, O has been smart enough to not be pulled into the muddy gutter of R0vian politics

I do think the MkKain attacks will be seen for what they are
but i thought that about the Swiftboat attacks 4 years ago

since the media will NOT do their job
it is up to US to send massive messages to The People and shoot down the lies

[goodtomeetyou]

I noticed that this morning. On each channel that was reporting Mc'Cain's attack ad not even one reporter mentioned the part the Pentagon played in O'bama's decision. The MSM is extremely corrupt.

[Daly]

Not that the State Department had direct involvement in this specific incident - it is a natural tie in to mention Ms Rice's directive presenting a clear case of double standards.

Talking heads seem not to be able to recall a single decent thing that Obama does while harping on the surge they have again shown their uncanny blood like vampire ways; how far back was it that Obama went to Walter Reed to visit vets? Why is McCain himself did not visit the vets in Germany and at each chance he votes against the vets interest some 25 times vote against or not vote at all on vets benefits/rights while his kid can get $ from Mommy, the average vet is counting on being treated with the honor and respect they have earned.

[Justsaynodeal]

The problem with that is that the 0-team put out an untrue reason why he wasn't going to visit the troops. He said the Pentagon "wouldn't let him," There may be a measure of truth to that, but the Pentagon says it only wouldn't let him take his campaign staff and cameras into the hospital, but he could take several senate aides. That looks bad! If it is the truth, then 0-man has a problem, and the ad is basically true in that respect.

[deeoneakin]

Ok someone needs to set you straight on this. All his senate aides left after the trips to Afghanistan and Iraq where he went as part of a congressional delegation. He visited with wounded troops in those places without press coverage and no controversy. Andrea Mitchell who is no supporter of O reported that he made trips to see wounded soldiers and the press only found out after the fact.
The rest of his tour was paid for by his campaign. In Germany he only had campaign staff with him so unless he was supposed to go alone I don't see what else he could have done.

[terragazelle60]

Obama had no intention of taking cameras and campaign staff...he was taking a retired three star general that is one of his advisors that the pentagon called "staff". He was not allowed to take in that three star..so Obama figured that since he was in the campaign part of the trip it would be better not to take the chance of those wounded troops being seen as being made a part of his campaign.

Now you know that McCain would have made just that accusation­...and so would have the public. Obama is not going to win...why does no one ask McCain if he visited the wounded troops when he was on his speach and fundraising tour over seas in March?

Why does no one bring up his European trip, going to Canada, Columbia..­. to raise funds? Why is the "liberal" media glossing over McCain?

[helonias]

So isn't bearing false witness bad

[kellygrrrl]

links aren't working!!!

[Voltage]

Let's get Katie Couric on it. She'll set the record straight.

[Vige]

Yep she will do another slice and dice for McLiescumbag.

[personalpolitical]

Because they all LOOOVVEEEE McCain. Only MSNBC has the journalistic integrity to call it false. The other news orgs are working overtime in this campaign to give McCain a free pass on everything, it is pathetic.

[PumaAnn]

Do the news orgs ever do that? I sure didn't see them doing it in the primaries. Obama had many false ads about the health care plan, remember?

[Charmed]

The news media is pathetic especially CNN.....

[farii]

you said it best

[kellygrrrl]

sadly, the most accurate "news" source on TV is Comedy Central
with an honorable mention to PBS

[Charmed]

kellygrrrl, you nailed it....come­dy central is the best source these days. Keith does a good job and sometime Dan does to but other than that....th­e rest of them report lies like they are the truth....

[Syco]

well it is quite sad that it has come to that.