Comments on: Obama now faces his biggest media challenge

by: peter knopfler

Fri, 16 May 2008 06:12:35 +0000

Very little is said about the USA’s voting pattern, Example, when at war, like now, pick a war hero, we have done this since Washington, Kennedy-PT109, dealing in the Soviet cold war. When the nation suffered from polio, it was, polio victim FDR. Cancer deaths, in the top three killers, McCain also has cancer. 6000 people everyday this turn 60 years old, population getting older and more for comfort zones than change. There is no umbrella effect with the media other than ratings that earn paychecks, which ever way the wind blows so goes the media, follow the money. I like the Japanese news in English, straight forward no frills, no BS, just the facts Man! Much better than O’Really trying to be foxy, or the Lone wolf on CNN, even BBC covers the American Election more fair and balanced, nothing beats the news from Japan for detailed coverage. Col. Powell, or Condi has a better chance than no experience Obama. No one wants to clean up the mess in Iraq, Afghan, or Lebenon, or Gaza. McCain says He will win the war in his first term. American loves winners, McCain is the Historical vote for the office.

by: Frank Espada

Tue, 13 May 2008 04:06:12 +0000

It’s the RACISM stupid! We can jump up and down all we want, trying to ignore the most basic of all hurdles which faces Mr Obama: he happens to be black.

The MSM doesn’t need to be up front about all this, it knows very well what the score is, and that, given our history, Obama’s chances are very long, in spite of the fact that the Republican is a blank wall.

Only if we are ready for a thorough cleansing of our national virus will we ever have a real chance to elect anyone who is not a white male.

The voting booth is a very private space.

by: melba tolliver

Mon, 12 May 2008 23:58:10 +0000

No need for Obama to “dazzle”the media. He only has to keep convincing voters that he can unite our country and overcome decades of stupid, divisive politics and policies. Despite this writer’s contradictory assertions and bloated sense of his own importance–and that of some of his corporate mainstream colleagues–it is voters not the media that elect presidents.

by: Francis Scalzi

Mon, 12 May 2008 23:12:12 +0000

I have severe reservations about MarketWatch’s Jon Friedman’s notion that “the media” ever have been or will be favorable to Obama in the coming months. The incessant “questions” and “doubts” expressed by pundits and editorials in the MSM about Obama’s presumed lack of experience and “electability” are usually phrased as subtle innuendo, but their message definitely comes across loud and clear. And the more recent episode repeatedly connecting Obama with the views of Reverend Wright have reached the level of the all too frequent MSM frenzy over very little of consequence. The Reverend made his controversial comments but it was the MSM that beat their drums and blew their bugles for weeks - - not to speak of the Republican Party noise machine. So the suggestion that the MSM will suddenly favor Obama is nonsense unless we see it actually happen; it’s McCain who is their darling, usually indicated by the journalistic sin of failing to report on McCain’s gaffes, panderings, and flip-flops. Obama’s task is to trump both McCain and the MSM. I do not for one second believe that Friedman has an honest finger on the pulse of the electorate. And he is attempting to mislead us about the intentions of the MSM.

by: Brad

Mon, 12 May 2008 23:11:54 +0000

What a terrible piece of insider garbage. Here is my favorite line:

“Much of Obama’s success stemmed from his uncanny ability to charm the media and, through them, the voters, who often make up their minds based on what they see and read about a candidate”.

In other words, “We at the media tell you what you think based on what we write and what we tell you we are seeing.” Where is George Orwell?

A large part of Obama’s success has come from his ability to reach out to voters directly and appeal to their strong desire for change and fresh leadership. Sure Hillary has been a tough opponent but she is a great candidate who once appeared unstoppable.

McCain, on the other hand, is not a great candidate. The love affair the press has with him will fade with their ratings if they continue to be so out of touch with the people.

by: Allene Swienckowski

Mon, 12 May 2008 22:12:28 +0000

Mr. Obama is going to have to overcome a lot of things to win the American presidency. One of the things that he’s going to have to overcome, sadly, is the fact that he is a black man. Too many whites are still too uncomfortable with the thought of being in close quarters with a black person, especially a black man. It seems as if the very color that covers our bodies makes us ominous to a world where a lot of people still equate being white with being an American and minorities of any race will never achieve that status. It is truly a very sad commentary about just how far our society hasn’t advanced.

by: Kate Madison

Mon, 12 May 2008 20:49:31 +0000

Unfortunately, the media has NO IDEA about the really important qualities of a good leader! What they are: maturity, and the ability to sustain a non-anxious, non-reactive presence in the face of adversity–such as media attacks or hurricanes! In other words, a good leader does not blow with the media wind, but stays with his/her own core values. This signals authenticity to the public, and grace under pressure–two qualities we all respond to and yearn for! Poor Hillary Clinton has been so concerned about her image, and has been taking advice right and left about how to (and how not to) be, that she has completely forgotten HERSELF! McCain used to have a true core of self, but in recent years his pandering to Bush and Co. has all but erased that. Obama, alone among the candidates, has a true voice. It is the same voice whether speaking or writing! People recognize and respond positively to that–whether they know or not what it is that attracts them. This is so much more than charisma, which is quite shallow!

So don’t hold your breath for Obama to pander to the presses’ latest attack or salvo! He is the real deal! And those of you who pay attention know that!!!!

Kate Madison, LCSW
Depoe Bay, Oregon

by: Kathy

Mon, 12 May 2008 20:48:20 +0000

Maureen Dowd? Brilliant? McCain is in the race simply because the GOP put up a bunch of buffoonish characters to run against him not because of any survival skills that you attribute to him. If the media does its job and unmasks the Real McCain, his numbers would plummet faster than the jet that he allowed to be be downed in Vietnam because of his extraordinary incompetence as a pilot.