Are the Allegations of Publishing and Media Bias in the 2008 Presidential Election Fair Or Useful?

In Orange County, California, in San Diego, CA, innights on the David Letterman show and later on
Los Angeles, La Jolla, Del Mar, Pacific Beach,the Daily Show, other news shows, on the
Carlsbad, Oceanside, San Marcos, Mission Beachinternet and in the press. By the time he arrived
and Escondido or the cities of Huntington Beach,the next day in Washington, it had already been
Anaheim Hills, Yorba Linda, Buena Park, Anaheim,announced that there was bipartisan support for
Santa Ana, Costa Mesa, Irvine, Newport Beach,the bailout bill, that just as quickly dissipated upon
Corona del Mar, Laguna Beach, and Laguna Hills,his arrival. It was reported that his campaign had
Buena Park, Temecula, Indian Wells, La Quinta, ornot been suspended and Letterman, among
Palm Springs, unless you haven't turned on theothers joked at his expense why he must have
television or read a newspaper during the 2008felt he could not leave his campaign in the hands
Presidential election, or looked at the internet, youof Sarah Palin, when she was seen incapable of
have seen claims mostly by the Republicananswering simple questions put to her by Katie
campaign that the publishing media is biased.Couric. And after announcing he would not take
For the most part in this Presidential campaign,part in the debate until there was either a bailout
one candidate initially leveled these attacks on thebill or great progress toward one, he had to fly
press with regularity, the Republican candidate,back from Washington for the debate with no
John McCain. While newspapers expect this tobailout bill in hand and Congress much less united
some extent, the public that is not wedded tothan when he had arrived.
one side of the fence or the other seemed toAfter John McCain was later skewered by David
tire of the attacks. And for publishing attorneys inLetterman for days, there was little he could do.
California and CA election lawyers and the rest ofHe could not attack David Letterman as being
the country, this has been the year that suchbiased. David Letterman is not the news, he's a
attacks have all but seemed toothless andcomedian. He has license to make jokes at
inconsequential.candidate's expense. On top of that, McCain had
In the 2008 Presidential Election, John McCainnot only cancelled his appearance, but David
denounced the New York times in the strongestLetterman had shown his audience a live feed
words, following a Times report that McCain'sfrom CBS News of McCain getting make up
campaign manager had been pain nearly $2 millionapplied to his face for an appearance on the CBS
by mortgage entities Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.News with Katie Couric just a short distance
McCain's chief strategist, Steve Schmidt said theaway. When he later made up for his missed
New York Times is no longer a journalisticappearance on David Letterman two weeks later,
organization but is 150 percent in the tank forhe admitted his mistake saying, "I screwed up."
Barack Obama. Schmidt earlier attacked MSNBCAttacking the media has long been a tactic of
as being an organ of the Democratic Nationalnational candidates. In this election, once again, we
Committee, and said the news media are on ahave seen this tactic employed, yet with little of
mission to destroy Sarah Palin.the success it enjoyed in previous Presidential
Unfortunately for John McCain, it has since beencampaigns. The spoofs of John McCain and Sarah
reported in the press that McCain's campaignPalin on Saturday Night Live have been relentless
manager's lobbying firm owned by his campaignand hilarious, and with that popularity, there has
manager has received $15,000/month for nearlybeen little either candidate could do but laugh along
three years and that and that the campaignwith the American public and hope for an invitation
manager was paid $30,000/month for nearly fiveto appear on the show themselves.
years by an advocacy organization that heSurprisingly there have been less allegations of
headed and which was financed by Fannie Maeunfairness than one would suppose against two
and Freddie Mac to fight regulation. It has furthernews channels that are well recognized fervent
been reported that McCain's senior advisor, hissupporters of one candidate over another. Even
campaign's vice chairman, and his Congressionalthe candidates have made jokes how some of
liaison, also made large sums of money fromthe hosts on MSNBC favor Obama and how
Fannie and Freddie lobbying or were in firms thatmany of the hosts on Fox News favor McCain.
did.With these jokes there now seems to be an
In an apparent attempt to deflect attention awayacceptance of bias by news stations and less of
from his mistaken attack on the New York Timesan effort by newscasters to remain unbiased
story, McCain then announced he was suspendingeven on financial channels.
his campaign to immediately fly to WashingtonIn the past, attacking the press has proved
after awaking that morning to find a report in thefruitful for Presidential candidates. This time the
Washington Post that he was behind in the pollsattack has fallen on deaf ears and has either been
by nine points. Soon after attempting to criticizethe exception to the rule that it will help a
that finding, and knowing what the disaster Sarahcandidate, or there is a change taking place in
Palin's interview with Katie Couric would be airedwhat a candidate risks if he is wrong or perceived
that night, McCain chose to dump his appearanceas being thin skinned.
on the David Letterman show, upstage the CouricAs the election winds down and major
interview with his own interview on the CBSnewspapers endorsing candidates, with some
News, and announce the suspension of hisnewspapers such as the Chicago Tribune having
campaign that was in reality, never a suspension.never previously endorsed a Democratic party
In hindsight of course, McCain's actions were acandidate for President, endorsing Obama,
huge error in judgment. His dilly-dallying aroundallegations of media bias takes to the sidelines and
New York after ditching Letterman were pickedthe electorate will decide whether they press has
up on and hammered at him unmercifully for twobeen fair or not, or simply doing their job.