Rev. Wright dominated media’s presidential primary coverage.
By on Jun 6th, 2008 at 11:28 am
Rev. Wright dominated media’s presidential primary coverage.
The Project for Excellence in Journalism has officially crowned Sen. Barack Obama’s (D-IL) relationship with his former pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, “the dominant media story of the entire” presidential campaign, “by far.” Wright’s comments “received four times more coverage than any other theme or event throughout the campaign.” Reports of the superdelegate role and Obama’s so-called “bitter” comments were the second and third most covered stories, respectively. However, “[n]o other story line came close to attracting as much coverage as the Wright-Obama association, and most of it was negative.”
View Most Popular
Advertisement
What We're About
What We're Fighting For
What We're Fighting Against
Featured
Subscribe to the Progress Report
Topic CloudView topics sorted by popularity
Afghanistan
Bachmann
Beck
Boehner
Bush
Cheney
Civil Rights
Congress
Corporate Ethics
Dobbs
Economy
Education
Election
Energy
Environment
Ethics
Fox News
Gingrich
Global Warming
Guantanamo
Health Care
Immigration
International Relations
Iraq
Justice
LGBT
Lieberman
Limbaugh
Media
Military
O'Reilly
Obama
Palin
Pelosi
Politics
Race
Radical Right
Religion
Steele
Stimulus
Tea Parties
Technology
Terrorism
Veterans
Women's Rights
Visit Our Affiliated Sites
Reports
In-depth studies on select topics
Got a hot tip?
Have a hot news tip? We'd love to hear from you. Use the form below to send us the latest.
ArchivesBlog Roll
While McCain had four times as many religious whackos. Sheesh!
June 6th, 2008 at 11:32 amThe lib’rul media strikes again
June 6th, 2008 at 11:32 amYour Corporate Media at work — bringing you as little real information as possible.
June 6th, 2008 at 11:33 amWell, I’m glad the media focused on important issues.
/snark
June 6th, 2008 at 11:33 amWithout the internet, we’d really be screwed.
June 6th, 2008 at 11:37 amThis is a sad commentary that journalists report as if they are writing for the Exquirer. It is also insulting to all of us who are actually interested on where the candidates stand on major issues. If they had turned even a portion of this scrutiny towards McCain; the general public would be aware of how much he flip-flops in any given day.
The only way to correct this problem is to inundate them with complaint emails til they stop. The ABC debate was a great example of over 11,000 emails got their attention. I think in the future after that debacle they will think twice before insulting all the viewers with that kind of display ever again. Now we just need to do that with all the media news sources.
June 6th, 2008 at 11:39 amWright’s comments “received four times more coverage than any other theme or event throughout the campaign.”
Meanwhile McCain seeks the endorsment of a real bigot, flip-flops on telecom amnesty and warrantless sying on Americans. It’s almost as if the media thinks trivial matters like bowling scores are more important than actual issues.
http://progressiveworldreview.com
June 6th, 2008 at 11:40 amwhat’s cool about this is that most people recognize it for what it is. a blatant attempt to discredit someone who is trying to fight washington corruption.
it won’t work.
Obama 08.
June 6th, 2008 at 11:41 amRev. Wright dominated media’s presidential primary coverage.
– - And yet there are still plenty of twits who claim Obama is a Muslim. Can’t have it both ways, peoples.
June 6th, 2008 at 11:42 amWe cannot be responsible for everything that someone we know says. It is sad, that the focus was on Reverend Wright instead of the issues. The Repugs will do this, and other dirty things to Obama and his wife because they have no platform to run on.
I would like to focus on the changes that I think the country needs. Obama is my candidate, and I prefer to listen to what he says, not his friends or his enemies.
June 6th, 2008 at 11:43 ammy goodness, did rogers say something almost sane just now?
June 6th, 2008 at 11:43 amABC got some e-mails? Wow! Didn’t stop Charlie Gibson from flapping his yap the second Obama started to turn his fire on John McCain during Tuesday night’s speech.
June 6th, 2008 at 11:44 amThis “honor” hardly qualifies as an award. It should, instead, be regarded as an indictment of the media in this country. It is yet another example of how they continue to swallow the camel and strain out the gnats. It happens all too frequently and results in a dumbed-down electorate that still believes the disinformation that the GDumbya/Darth Cheney cabal peddles through FoxSnooze and radio rant-jockeys.
Sad. Very sad. Just look at how it has destroyed rogers’ intellect (that is, if he had any to begin with).
June 6th, 2008 at 11:45 amMaybe the so-called media will write about the real issues in about a year or two.
Perhaps they have a book deal in the works.
Who knows, who cares?
June 6th, 2008 at 11:45 amI know a guy from high school who threw around the N-word like it was f’ing candy. Does that make me a racist?
I know a guy currently, who until he made this comment was a pretty chill dude in my book, who said he would never vote for Obama because he’s black. Does that make me a racist?
I was forced to go to church by my parents for nigh on 15 years before I finally “came out” about my atheism and told them to shove it. During those 15 years the priest I listened to, more than once, railed against homosexuality. Does that make me a homophobe?
I have been listening to a man go on and on, for almost 8 years now, about how Iraq is the central front in the war on terror, that Democrats are appeasers, cowards, and want America to lose, etc etc. Does that make me a Republican?
June 6th, 2008 at 11:47 amrogers @ 15
And there you go, you just had to ruin it by putting words in my mouth.
June 6th, 2008 at 11:47 amIt’s not ok for Rev. Wright to speak the truth that so many refuse to hear, but it’s ok the Pat Robertson and Hagee state that Katrina and 9/11 were caused due to a homosexual agenda?
June 6th, 2008 at 11:50 amI find it fascinating that media coverage has been less and less about actual issues and more and more about whatever can be spun into a scandal for ratings.
If most people considered the following aspects of a candidate (presented here in completely random order), and put them in order of importance, would the ravings of a candidate’s pastor make the top spot on most people’s lists?
– Candidate’s pastor
– Candidate’s position on homeland security
– Candidate’s auto mechanic
– Candidate’s position on health care
– Candidate’s wardrobe
– Candidate’s position on Iraq
– Candidate’s hairstyle
– Candidate’s political experience
– Candidate’s position on Social Security
– Candidate’s speaking style
– Candidate’s relationship with lobbyists
– Candidate’s grammar usage
– Candidate’s voting record
– Candidate’s political party
– Candidate’s medical records
– Candidate’s position on tax cuts
– Candidate’s race
– Candidate’s position on gay marriage
– Candidate’s military experience
– Candidate’s ability to raise money
– Candidate’s position on torture
– Candidate’s family
– Candidate’s position on immigration
– Candidate’s sex
– Candidate’s position on Israel
– Candidate’s gaffe record
– Candidate’s ability to give a speech
– Candidate’s “electability”
I would be willing to bet that more people are going to care about the experience of a candidate and his/her positions on the issues than they will about the fluff that the MSM has been gleefully reporting.
June 6th, 2008 at 11:52 am20. Nice try with the talking points there johnboy.
He has maybe a non-existent record in WASHINGTON. However he has a record in LIFE that includes many accomplishments that you are simply too lazy to look up yourself.
June 6th, 2008 at 11:55 amActually, I take back #24. He has a pretty stellar record in Washington thus far. All you have to do is look it up. http://www.thomas.gov. It’s pretty easy. There are a few glaring exceptions (Patriot Act vote for one), but no politician is perfect.
June 6th, 2008 at 11:57 amAnd let’s remember how this story got started: ABC news went to the Trinity Church with the INTENT of finding something to use against Obama. Thus, they bought, bought, all the existing videos that were on sale of Wright’s sermons and lecturs. And then went thru every single one of them and found those snippets that had all those words in them .. not taken out of context of the entire sermon/lecture in which they took place. And then they did what they did to them which became the basis of the CORPORATE MEDIA MASTURBATING ALL OVER THEMSELVES WITH THEM .. 24/7 ……….
June 6th, 2008 at 11:58 ammisshusseinmolly, you left out ‘Candidate’s shoulders’.
June 6th, 2008 at 11:59 amJane and MHM:
Not to mention “Candidate’s Bowling Score” and “Candidate’s ability to take shots” and “Candidate’s ability to make people ignore how rich they ALL are and make themselves appear to be one with the little people”
June 6th, 2008 at 12:02 pmWell said misshusseinmolly. The list will most surely be added to on this thread but you brought it up so well. Content is what I want to hear and seek out. FOX News has a vested interest in the powerbrokers behind this administration and decided long ago to do their best to keep the blinders on all who watch the all powerful FOX.
And every other major station feels obliged to run something on the Rev. because another channel does so that means it has to be important without spending some time and do a little research on your own before believing FOX News, Glenn Beck, Rush and the other flingers of fecal fear.
June 6th, 2008 at 12:09 pmHey rogers,
Personally I’d prefer it if all religious ‘leaders’ and pontificators would just STAY THE HELL OUT OF MY GOVERNMENT. That goes for Democrats and Republicans, and everyone else in between.
Was Obama right to denounce Wright’s comments? Which ones? The “America’s chickens are coming home to roost” I have to say I can’t find much fault with. Was he right to denounce some of the comments because some people were offended, and as President he has to represent everyone? Sure, you could make that case. Personally, I don’t give a flying fu(k. McCain’s pastors are FAR worse than Obama’s, and if Obama has to reject Wright in order to get people to just MOVE ON then fine.
There, satisfied?
Now stfu and be meek.
June 6th, 2008 at 12:12 pmLike any other statistic out of context–next to meaningless–for example: Clintonses and race: how many pieces was that broken up into and counted in separate pots? How much coverage of Hillary’s tears, jokes, and clothing was counted separately instead of as all in a “sexist” bucket?
June 6th, 2008 at 12:16 pmQuantity does not equate into quality here. The number of times that the Rev. has been shown doesn’t equal the significance of the last few days. A Black American is marching for change, the pressure is mounting on the architects of the Iraq invasion, Phase II has been released and evidence is shown that we were in deed “misslead”.
All they’ve got is hoping people will be scared of his former pastor.
Sad, but not being fully exposed. March on.
June 6th, 2008 at 12:25 pmrogers Says:
Your just side-stepping and refusing to just say wether or not it was wrong and political, nevermind…
If you want a response, try starting with a real question. Specify which comments were made and which were denounced. Otherwise, your request is meaningless.
June 6th, 2008 at 12:26 pmrogers, take a time out. practice your spelling lessons.
*
June 6th, 2008 at 12:29 pmAll that time spent to bring down Obama…and it failed. The American people are not stupid. MSM has lost all respect to provide the news that means something in our lives.
Keep going Obama, we are behind you in every way. What a contrast between the two parties within the last 24 hours.
1. No Lobbist Money to DNC (Obama) Positive
2. Continue illegal wire taps (McCain) In direct conflict with the constitution.
And this is only the begining !!
June 6th, 2008 at 12:38 pmYou are such a child michael. If we wanted this type of argument we’d be doing daycare for 2 year olds.
June 6th, 2008 at 12:48 pmhellinabucket Says
June 6th, 2008 at 12:25 pm
All they’ve got is hoping people will be scared of his former pastor.
_______________________________________________
I suspect that one of the reasons Wright has received so much of the spotlight is because the right hasn’t been able to paint Obama himself as a “scary black preacher” — which they had previously been able to do with Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton.
The “scary black preacher” has been a caricature that has been trotted out to make white people afraid for decades now (and if white people aren’t afraid, they’re TOLD they have to be afraid).
But what to do when Obama doesn’t fit that mold? Why, find Obama’s actual pastor and make HIM the “scary black preacher”! Go through as much video as you can, find anything that can be spun into something “scary”, post it on YouTube, mention the existence of these snippets on as many blogs as you can, then sit back and wait. Sure enough, the MSM will pick up the football and run with it. Not only will they play the footage over and over, they will conflate the pastor’s views with Obama’s, in an effort to paint Obama as the equivalent of a “scary black preacher”.
Unfortunately, nobody seems to be scared of white preachers, even though the things some of them say make Wright’s utterances look quite bland in comparison.
June 6th, 2008 at 12:50 pmOh and rogers, did you read this post at all. He had to denounce him so we could move on to real issues even if what Wright said was understandable when taken in context. This country has too many problems that need to be solved. mostly caused by your boy Bush, to waste time discussing 24/7 the sermon of one’s pastor.
June 6th, 2008 at 12:51 pmInteresting that Hillary’s supporters are still complaining that the media was unfair to her.
June 6th, 2008 at 12:52 pmWright is obviously important story since almost no one knows anything about Obama. He’s a newcomber and we deserve to know everything about the man we may elect to be our President. That’s the media’s job.
The problem with the Wright media coverage was just that it wasn’t covered sooner. Hillary would have likely won the nomination if this crazy pastor was exposed before Iowa primary, NH, etc. The media was clearly not doing their job vetting Obama.
June 6th, 2008 at 1:34 pmObama and his Pastor made a lot of people feel fear. And these were white people who suddenly felt threatened. There seems to be this absurd thought that if we elect Obama, he’s going to start oppressing whites. Just like the bozos who want to fly that giant Confederate flag, expect to see lots of people who you thought were not racist at all start to get nervous.
June 6th, 2008 at 1:35 pmNo, by all means — hold your breath.
Keep holding it. You’ll pass out, but that’s normal.
June 6th, 2008 at 1:39 pmI see some still want to have that utterly stupid conversation – how singularly un-impressive. Hard to believe we produce so many adults with such venial preoccupations and poor judgement.
not savvy, not insightful, just superficial and stupid – like the political version of dancing with the stars.
June 6th, 2008 at 1:40 pmIt’s really pathetic on the media’s part to have focused so tightly on Wright, but hardly at all on McCain’s two (now one? now none?).
June 6th, 2008 at 1:49 pmShayne Says
June 6th, 2008 at 12:52 pm
Interesting that Hillary’s supporters are still complaining that the media was unfair to her.
_____________________________________________
Equally interesting is that their complaints are only vague generalizations. I have yet to hear them put forth a list of specific instances where the media unfairly bashed Hillary. The only times I’m ever heard anything negative from the MSM is when Hillary brought it on herself (such as the Bosnia lie or her “hard working white Americans” remarks) — and even then the coverage paled in comparison to what Obama received for his gaffes.
Then you have people like RHF who are trying to conflate the MSM with internet blog sites such as this one. On blogs, people are going to express their opinions. And there have been plenty of opinions expressed about all the candidates — not only here at TP, but many other sites as well. The internet is a great place for this activity. But RHF and others need to learn that the candidates themselves aren’t necessarily responsible for opinions that get posted.
I can honestly say that nobody’s campaign staff tells me what to write.
June 6th, 2008 at 2:07 pmThe thing with Wright is that he’s seriously nuts. The media coverage was excessive but it was a legit story and it made for good TV. Honestly, asserting that the US government infected blacks with AIDS, huh? He’s crazy. We do need to know what sort of folks Obama associates with just like we need to know about McCain. Let’s not just swallow down KoolAid here; Obama is not a perfect candidate and we should be looking closely.
June 6th, 2008 at 2:07 pmObama was not wise to hang with that nut job for so long and I was glad that he finally distanced himself from Wright. Its too bad Obama didn’t have the foresight to dump this crazy pastor 10,15,20 years ago and save himself a lot of grief.
rogers Says:
So you agree obama was wrong?.
June 6th, 2008 at 11:45 am
_______
No. Obama’s decision was politically right. His campaign was being derailed by Reverend Wright, and he needed to denounce and disassociate. Reverend Wright understands this and holds no grudge against Obama for doing so.
That having been said, I find nothing offensive in any of the sermon snippets I heard from Wright. I recognize that even the ones some people think were “hateful” and “racist” were taken completely out of context and twisted by spin doctors.
Personally, I think the church needs far more Reverend Wrights and a lot fewer Reverend Hagees.
June 6th, 2008 at 4:28 pmgunclinger Says:
The thing with Wright is that he’s seriously nuts. The media coverage was excessive but it was a legit story and it made for good TV. Honestly, asserting that the US government infected blacks with AIDS, huh? He’s crazy.
June 6th, 2008 at 2:07 pm
_______
What’s so crazy about that? The U.S. government allowed black men to die of untreated syphilis for the purpose of a scientific experiment. It’s not much of a stretch for a black pastor to find sinister motives in HIV, too.
June 6th, 2008 at 4:31 pmIt looks more and more like the Rev. Wright and Michael Pfleger (priest)were on the mark. It’s hard for some to realize the truth. But it doesn’t mean I have to hold-up until they catch up.
June 6th, 2008 at 5:30 pmHow much play time did Hagee get? of the lame brain McSame and Parsley? The MSM is prejudiced.
June 6th, 2008 at 6:29 pm