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Washington Post admits Obama bias


Image Credit : Newhouse News Service

Now that the election is over the Deborah Howell, the Washington Post Ombudsman, admits that the Post's election coverage was biased toward Obama.

Howell reports readers complained consistently criticized the Post's "lack of probing issues coverage and what they saw as a tilt toward Democrat Barack Obama." She conducted a survey of the Post's election coverage since November 11, 2007 on issues, voters, fundraising, the candidates' backgrounds, horse-race stories on tactics, strategy and consultants, and photos and Page 1 stories since Obama captured the nomination June 4.

The survey, which conveniently ended on Election Day, found that the readers' criticisms are "right on both counts:"

The op-ed page ran far more laudatory opinion pieces on Obama, 32, than on Sen. John McCain, 13. There were far more negative pieces (58) about McCain than there were about Obama (32), and Obama got the editorial board's endorsement.

[. . .]

Stories and photos about Obama in the news pages outnumbered those devoted to McCain. Post reporters, photographers and editors -- like most of the national news media -- found the candidacy of Obama, the first African American major-party nominee, more newsworthy and historic.

Howell also admits, now that it is too late to make a difference, that Obama and Biden should have been scrutinized more:

But Obama deserved tougher scrutiny than he got, especially of his undergraduate years, his start in Chicago and his relationship with Antoin "Tony" Rezko, who was convicted this year of influence-peddling in Chicago. The Post did nothing on Obama's acknowledged drug use as a teenager.

[. . .]

One gaping hole in coverage involved Joe Biden, Obama's running mate. When Gov. Sarah Palin was nominated for vice president, reporters were booking the next flight to Alaska. Some readers thought The Post went over Palin with a fine-tooth comb and neglected Biden. They are right; it was a serious omission.

It doesn't make me feel any better that the Post admits its election coverage was biased toward Obama. Like Bill Ayers, the Post remains unrepentant about the fact the coverage was biased. I'm sure we can look forward to a continued biased coverage of President-elect Obama.


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, Right Side Politics Examiner

Dan Spencer has been blogging at, and as, California Yankee since 2003. He lives in Connecticut and practices law in New York. Here he will discuss the politics of the Right.

Comments

  • Clarissa 3 years ago

    Your media coverage was reprehensible and unforgivable. You, and all other media that gave biased reports. It's beyond imagination the damage you could cause by this kind of reporting. You have built him up to a "messiah" like image. Not just to American, but to the world. If you turn on the news, around the world they think Obama is going to save them. Do you realize the position you have placed Obama, and therefore Americans, if he fails. The worlds expectations, thanks to your biased reporting, is astronomical. You owed it to us and to the world an objective report on all candidates. Lets hope this doesn't come back to bite you in the butt!

  • bin yee 3 years ago

    the Wash is runned by old hags like Deb Howell, is it any wonder Obama didn't get the respect like he should have as a Prezz elect.

  • DRH 3 years ago

    With the pro-Obama bias we've seen from the MSM, talking about how "qualified" he is, what a great "leader" he is, and how he is the "Chosen one", the "Messiah", "The One", we should expect great things the moment he takes office. In fact, based on all of the accolades, we should not expect nor allow him ANY mistakes.

  • Gail 3 years ago

    The mainstream media most certainly does NOT refer to Obama as the "chosen one, messiah and the one."

    Go back to your cave.

  • Kay 3 years ago

    And when are the other news media outlets going to admit their Obama bias too?

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