Obama's Chilly Spring - Once-Cordial Press Coverage Turns Decidedly Cool

Washington Post ^ | Monday, May 5, 2008; Page C01 | Howard Kurtz

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

The man who tried to soar above politics has been brought back to earth by the same media organizations that helped fuel his spectacular rise.

After more than a year of mostly glowing coverage, Barack Obama is having to defend his relationship with the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, his temerity in not sporting a flag pin, even his arugula-loving, bad-bowling, let-me-eat-my-waffle persona that fostered what Newsweek has branded "the Bubba Gap."

"The media have decided to get tougher on Obama," says St. Petersburg Times media critic Eric Deggans. "There was so much talk about him getting such an easy ride that some journalists got tired of it."

When the Illinois senator denounced his former pastor last week, it followed days of saturation coverage of Wright's inflammatory, sometimes eccentric remarks. The press, which was slow to recognize the importance of the Wright controversy -- videotapes of his sermons could have been purchased months earlier -- was no longer willing to dismiss the reverend as a sideshow.

Still, says David Greenberg, a Rutgers University professor of journalism and history, the coverage could be far worse. For journalists, he says, "there has been a real infatuation with Obama that has served as almost an unconscious restraint" as many became "taken with the idea of demonstrating their tolerance and America's tolerance by electing a black candidate."

What loosened those restraints, Greenberg says, was the media's conclusion that Obama had virtually wrapped up his nomination fight against Hillary Clinton. "It's backwards -- the toughest scrutiny should come while it's still a real fight," he says.

[Verginius Rufus]

The guys who should be mad at the press for their failure to scrutinize Obama are the other candidates—Dodd, Biden, Kucinich, Richardson, Edwards, and any other forgettable nonentity I may have left out. If not for all the attention given to Obama, maybe one of them could have been the non-Hillary candidate and could still be in the race.

[Jeff Head]

"I, like, already answered three of your questions. Can't I just eat my waffle?

THE AUDACITY OF TRUTH - BLACK LIBERATION THEOLOGY AND OBAMA'S CHURCH

THE AUDACITY OF TRUTH - OBAMA'S CIRCLE OF FRIENDS AND SUPPORT

THE AUDACITY OF TRUTH - BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA

[bill1952]

says St. Petersburg Times media critic Eric Deggans. “There was so much talk about him getting such an easy ride that some journalists got tired of it.”

LOL! the SPT is just to the left of Pravda.

[Nick Danger]

The guys who should be mad at the press for their failure to scrutinize Obama are the other candidates—Dodd, Biden, Kucinich...

No kidding. When it comes to "God damn America," no one takes a back seat to Kucinich.

[eastcobb]

The liberal media’s sudden scrutiny of Obama is simple CYA.

[Verginius Rufus]

What’s more, the Democrats always claim to be the party of the little guy, but when they get a chance to nominate one of them for President, they fail to seize the opportunity. Hypocrites.

[Blood of Tyrants]

The press, which was slow to recognize the importance of the Wright controversy

They weren't "slow to recognize the importance" of it. They were DELIBERATELY ignoring it and providing cover for Obama.

[Blood of Tyrants]

For journalists, he says, "there has been a real infatuation with Obama that has served as almost an unconscious restraint"

Unconscious my foot! When it comes to the problems with Rats, the media has operated with their blinders on for decades!

as many became "taken with the idea of demonstrating their tolerance and America's tolerance by electing a black candidate."

Translation: they wanted a black candidate so bad they were going to ignore ANYTHING that came along as long s they could and hope it went away on its own.

[hinckley buzzard]

What loosened those restraints, Greenberg says, was the media's conclusion that Obama had virtually wrapped up his nomination fight against Hillary Clinton. "It's backwards -- the toughest scrutiny should come while it's still a real fight," he says.

Dumb perfesser. The media just love a good political food fight more than they love a given candidate. They want this to drag out through the convention so they can have something substantive and maybe exciting to report about in Denver. They are the unwitting allies of Operation Chaos.