In an extraordinary spectacle, a number of Barack Obama supporters attack John McCain’s military service. It ranges from Gen. Wesley Clark saying that a pilot locked up in a North Vietnamese cage for five years doesn’t have executive military experinece like generals at their desks to the 1960s peaceniks who revive the “baby-killer” libel against Vietnam Vets. That’s news, right? An example of going negative on an issue that McCain supporters assumed would be one of his strengths?
So the Washington Post covers this controvery in the last few paragraphs of a frontpage story about Obama defending HIS patriotism! Read Obama Fiercely Defends His Patriotism and be astounded at the way professional journalists are doing of campaigners’ job of spin doctoring.
Here is a tip for identifying media bias, one that comes from the study of literature: Notice the POINT OF VIEW of a story; that is, not just the ideas as such, but, as in literature, the character through whose mind everything is presented. Who is the “us” and who is the “them”?
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In