Don't Complain About Biased Media Coverage, Do Something About It

After the Friday surprise that John McCain had chosen Sarah Palin as his running mate, the media reacted with shock and awe. Since then, while some media outlets like the New York Times have actually gone back to their core business of reporting by scrutinizing her record, most still continue to be led by the Republican ad campaign that emphasizes folksy accessibility over intellectual content. It worked for George W. Bush. Clearly it could work for Sarah Palin.

A Republican strategist said over the weekend that facts no longer mattered in the closing days of the campaign, image was everything. That approach worked successfully for the 2000 and 2004 campaigns and for the administration's run up to the Iraq War. They're clearly doing it again and hoping the electorate won't notice.

Complaining about the Republicans' strategy isn't an option. Counterattacking is the only appropriate response. In effect they've given Democrats a play-book: listen to what we say and do the opposite. If they maintain that facts don't matter, dig deeper and find more facts that belie their message. And bombard the media with information that will force them to come up with a new narrative.

For instance, Sarah Palin is touted as America's most popular governor. A recent rally of Alaskan women who did not support her was not reported in the media. The fact that this rally was the largest rally in Alaskan history is news. Send this link to everyone you know. Send it to every newspaper and tv news outlet and put it on their desks so they'll have a new story to tell about the Palin candidacy:
"Alaska Women Reject Palin Rally" Is Huge
http://mudflats.wordpress.com/2008/09/14/alaska-women-reject-palin-rally-is-huge/

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Comments

[Herrington]

I have been up against people like Palin before in local politics. What you say is exactly right, facts do trump basesless assertions, every single time. The problem is getting them heard. With an election as spectacle media this is difficult.

The media seems, collectively, to think that the public is not interested in facts. Nothing could be further from the truth about truth. The public, other than Republicans, love it.

[discretionaryincome]

This election is more about race than anyone is saying. Ask around - psst, race is the reason for the way folks say they will vote.

[LongTimeLiberal52]

"A Republican strategist said over the weekend that facts no longer mattered in the closing days of the campaign, image was everything."

My God, it amazes and horrifies me that the Right has ANY supporters left at all, let alone the frighteningly huge percentage that still blindly wave and cheer and promise their votes to this cynical cabal.

You're correct, David, that We The People must demand truth and accountability from the MSM, and do everything we can to steer the political conversation back to things that really matter. Like the truth, for starters.

We also must do everything in our power to get our fellow citizens registered to vote, especially the 16-million plus who have a chance in this election to vote for the first time. Check out this video ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9pqGxnrM1A ) and pass it on - as well as this terrific link ( http://www.voteforchange.com/ ) to help with the registration process.

Vote for peace. Vote for hope. Vote for real change in America.