Sometimes the media is blatant in its bias, sometimes subtle, sometimes both. Case in point, poll numbers.
Certainly, there has not been equal treatment by the media when comparing the poll numbers of George W. Bush and Barack Obama. Obama’s numbers are plunging faster than the economy itself, faster than W’s and faster than anybody could’ve ever imagined at this point. The activist old media is building up Obama, while his public numbers are takin’ a terrific tumble. It’s blatant. We all see it, we all know it.
It’s also subtle.
The line in the title of this column was used often in stories about George W. Bush. “With his poll numbers dropping….” You could add just about anything you want after that, and usually the media did:
- “With his poll numbers dropping President Bush addressed the media today.”
- “With his poll numbers dropping President Bush welcomed the Prime Minister of Great Britain today.”
- “With his poll numbers dropping President Bush participated in the annual Easter Egg Roll at the White House today.”
I remember that line well because I removed it many times from scripts when it was not relevant. I left it in when it was. Just because the AP put something in a script didn’t mean that I had to read it.
I’m still waiting to hear that line used relative to the Cold Hearted Social Engineer in the White House.
Could you imagine the TV networks beginning story about Obama with the line, “With his poll numbers dropping, President Obama today planned his next vacation…..” Not gonna happen, probably never gonna happen.
I found this gem from the Associated Press in 2006. Now, remember, the AP provides national stories to local stations all across the nation. These scripts are cut-and-pasted into evening newscasts everywhere:
| Bush says troops will still be in Iraq when he leaves office
Author: TERENCE HUNT AP White House Correspondent |
| President Bush stepped before television cameras Tuesday for only the second White House news conference of the year. Question No. 1, 2, 3, 4 and beyond were about the war in Iraq — the single issue likely to define his legacy.
With his poll numbers dropping and no end to the war in sight, Bush used the nationally broadcast appearance to try, once again, to address Americans’ doubts and explain why he believes Iraq is so important in the war against terror. |
Oh there are plenty of great points to be made just in the first two paragraphs of this story. Bush did only two news conferences as of March 21 2006. Only? Wow, if only Obama would do two news conferences every three months.
The war in Iraq is the single issue to define his legacy? Haven’t Bush’s policies already won the war in Iraq? Bush will be happy to know that according to the AP his legacy is in great shape.
Then we have the line, “With his poll numbers dropping…” Ahhhhh, there it is, right on cue.
The line was used mercilessly with Bush. It was there for a reason and it is the subtle version of media manipulation. Was the line accurate? Absolutely. His poll numbers were dropping and the activist old media was working hard to shove those numbers down. The poll numbers were also irrelevant many times and had nothing to do with the story being reported on. We all know it was being done to remind Americans about the direction of Bush’s poll numbers—remember, this was six years into his presidency.
Okay then activist old media, let’s see some consistency. I’ll help you out here and write some lines for you and you are free to use them as if you wrote them yourselves (don’t worry about attribution).
- “With his poll numbers dropping, President Obama defended Muslims for wanting to build a mosque a stone’s throw from the worst Islamic terrorist attack in American history.”
- “With his poll numbers dropping, President Obama shot a 48 today on the back 9 at Congressional Country Club while 30,000 more American lost their jobs.”
- “With his poll numbers dropping, President Obama blamed George W. Bush for his poll numbers dropping.”
These headlines might be a way for the activist old media to keep its numbers from dropping even further.