Hello Everyone:

Howard Kurtz of CNN Reliable Sources is asking the right kind of questions when he asked on his program yesterday:

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0802/03/rs.01.html

CNN RELIABLE SOURCES

Are Journalists Hyping Obama's Candidacy?; Conservative Talk Show Hosts Savage John McCain

Aired February 3, 2008 - 10:00 ET

HOWARD KURTZ, HOST (voice over): "Conjuring Camelot. The media gets swept away over Ted Kennedy's endorsement of Barack Obama. Are journalists promoting the rookie senator as the next JFK?"

Right below is the transcript of this interesting dialogue where this question is discussed in detail.

I am not a huge fan of Chris Cillizza from the Washington Post but I do appreciate him giving this honest answer to Howard Kurtz and even admitting about Obama "And the truth is, is you talk to most reporters, they don't get a lot of access to him:"

KURTZ: "Chris Cillizza, you know, Robert Kennedy, Jr. endorsed Hillary, Kathleen Kennedy Townsend. No one cared. And Obama, by the way, doesn't court reporters the way that JFK did both when he was running and when he was president.

CHRIS CILLIZZA, WASHINGTONPOST.COM: Well, you know, Howie, I think one of the fascinating things is -- to your second point, is the Obama campaign, he has gotten, I believe, very favorable coverage. Now, I think there are any number of reasons behind that. And again, I tend to fall back on the fact that I think Illinois state senator, a couple years in the Senate, he gives a speech at the Democratic National Convention, and all of a sudden he's this national figure, I think it's a very compelling storyline, but he's gotten good coverage.

And the truth is, is you talk to most reporters, they don't get a lot of access to him. Even Senator Clinton has opened it up a bit. Now, it's a little bit. I want to caution it's not like John McCain -- we don't have hours with Senator Clinton on her plane.

KURTZ: Sure..."

I like this good question from Howard Jurtz while I definitely do NOT agree with Chris Cillizza trying to spin what I believe is obvious media bias as being just "a very interesting, fascinating storyline:"

KURTZ: "Why have the media gone haywire over this Kennedy endorsement? Are they favoring Obama and McCain? And how will journalists measure who wins and loses on Tuesday?

Chris Cillizza, you could argue about whether this Kennedy endorsement was a big deal, but what a collective swoon by the media -- ask not why this was such a big story. Are they totally buying into Obama as the new JFK?

CHRIS CILLIZZA, WASHINGTONPOST.COM: Well, you know, I do think, Howie, that in the Democratic Party, people have been waiting for the next JFK. A lot of people thought or maybe believed it was Bill Clinton. And I think Barack Obama is the next obvious heir to that legacy.

It's a powerful story, and I think as much as the media gets accused of bias, in the decade I've spent in it, I don't think it's bias as much as it is good storylines. And I will be frank -- this is a very interesting, fascinating storyline.

You see John F. Kennedy's daughter and his brother get up and say this person sounds, feels and looks like my brother or my father. It's a very powerful story. Ted Kennedy is more symbolic. He's not just a senator from Massachusetts, he's also the last one of the Kennedy brothers. So...

KURTZ: So you believe basically it deserves all this blowout coverage because of the symbolism involve? Brief answer.

CILLIZZA: You know, I don't know if it deserved it, Howie, but I do think it was an important story as it related to Ted Kennedy saying, yes, this person resembles my brother.

KURTZ: OK.

CILLIZZA: If you are looking for the next John F. Kennedy, I believe he is it..."

I also appreciate Howard Kurtz pointing out this important fact which has received very little media coverage that I am aware of:

KURTZ: "There's a front page story in "The New York Times" this morning about Barack Obama watering down his own bill to crack down on nuclear leaks. This, after there were leaks in a plant in Illinois run by the Exelon company which contributed $227,000 to his campaign.

I bet you that gets 1,000th of the media attention that the Kennedy endorsements have provided..."

Finally, I was very glad to hear Howard Kurtz admit to this and also hear Chris Cillizza agree to it about Super Tuesday media coverage:

KURTZ: "My take, Chris Cillizza, would be the winner on Super Tuesday is whoever the media says it is.

CILLIZZA: As always..."

My conclusion is that much of the mainstream media is very clearly unprofessional when it comes to the goal of being truly objective journalists and that the current state of the media is definitely a broken system right now in my opinion. It is nice to see that at least a few of these media pundits are being honest about the role that they are playing in this election right now as I have documented:

http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/13942

Media Pundit Admits: "We talk about polls... We're creating the inevitability"

Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on November 19, 2007 - 11:52pm.

Please forward this information on to the undecided voters and to the soft supporters of Obama who you are talking with in the field in order to help expose the obvious media bias that is going on toward Hillary's campaign along with Barack Obama's free ride and lack of scrutiny that he is getting from many pundits in the media right now!

Mitch Dworkin

http://www.securingamerica.com/

http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/10756
StopIranWar.com: "War is not the answer"
Submitted by Wes Clark on February 21, 2007 - 11:40am.

http://www.securingamerica.com/ccn/node/7191
Listen to Gen. Wes Clark fight for Dems on Sean Hannity's radio program: An excellent example for all of us to follow and what we all need to be doing to help fight back against extreme right wing Neocon smear propaganda!

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http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0802/03/rs.01.html

CNN RELIABLE SOURCES

Are Journalists Hyping Obama's Candidacy?; Conservative Talk Show Hosts Savage John McCain

Aired February 3, 2008 - 10:00 ET

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HOWARD KURTZ, HOST (voice over): Conjuring Camelot. The media gets swept away over Ted Kennedy's endorsement of Barack Obama. Are journalists promoting the rookie senator as the next JFK? And did they hype his supposed Senate snub of Hillary Clinton?

Hillary Clinton claimed victory in Florida, a beauty contest where no Democrats campaigned because of the a dispute within the party, but the press wasn't buying her spin.

And Barack Obama, well, the pundits have been comparing him to JFK since he first started flirting with running. And when Ted Kennedy and Carolina Kennedy endorsed him this week, the media somehow magically transported us to this moment in 1961.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN F. KENNEDY, FMR. PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Let the word go forth from this time and place -- to friend and foe alike -- that the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans. (END VIDEO CLIP)

KURTZ: Every anchor and correspondent, it seemed, picked up that metaphor and ran with it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRIAN WILLIAMS, NBC NEWS: On the broadcast tonight from Washington, passing the torch.

KATIE COURIC, CBS NEWS: Tonight, passing the torch.

CHRIS MATTHEWS, MSNBC: The torch gets passed, the Clintons get passed by.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Barack Obama touched by the legacy of Camelot.

HARRY SMITH, CBS NEWS: Ted and Caroline set to hit the campaign trail after they announced the heir to Camelot.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KURTZ: Why have the media gone haywire over this Kennedy endorsement? Are they favoring Obama and McCain? And how will journalists measure who wins and loses on Tuesday?

Joining us now to talk about the McCain coverage in Bridgeton, Missouri, CNN senior political correspondent, Candy Crowley; in New York, Chris Cillizza, who writes "The Fix" blog on washingtonpost.com; and here in Washington, Karen Tumulty, national political correspondent for "TIME" magazine who interviewed Ted Kennedy in this week's issue.

Chris Cillizza, you could argue about whether this Kennedy endorsement was a big deal, but what a collective swoon by the media -- ask not why this was such a big story. Are they totally buying into Obama as the new JFK?

CHRIS CILLIZZA, WASHINGTONPOST.COM: Well, you know, I do think, Howie, that in the Democratic Party, people have been waiting for the next JFK. A lot of people thought or maybe believed it was Bill Clinton. And I think Barack Obama is the next obvious heir to that legacy.

It's a powerful story, and I think as much as the media gets accused of bias, in the decade I've spent in it, I don't think it's bias as much as it is good storylines. And I will be frank -- this is a very interesting, fascinating storyline.

You see John F. Kennedy's daughter and his brother get up and say this person sounds, feels and looks like my brother or my father. It's a very powerful story. Ted Kennedy is more symbolic. He's not just a senator from Massachusetts, he's also the last one of the Kennedy brothers. So...

KURTZ: So you believe basically it deserves all this blowout coverage because of the symbolism involve? Brief answer.

CILLIZZA: You know, I don't know if it deserved it, Howie, but I do think it was an important story as it related to Ted Kennedy saying, yes, this person resembles my brother.

KURTZ: OK.

CILLIZZA: If you are looking for the next John F. Kennedy, I believe he is it.

KURTZ: Let me turn to Karen Tumulty, because you talked to Ted Kennedy moments after that endorsement at American University. You asked him about Bill Clinton's role and his decision, and he said, I have enormous respect for Bill Clinton, he's a fine American.

That wasn't the whole story, was it?

KAREN TUMULTY, "TIME": Oh, not at all. And of course, you know, word had gotten out weeks before that Ted Kennedy was quite angry with the Clintons on a number of fronts. You know, one...

KURTZ: How did the word get out? Was it carefully leaked? Every media account seemed to have an account of this phone call between Ted Kennedy and the former president.

TUMULTY: You know -- yes. Do I tell you my sources? No. But, yes, I think that the Kennedy operation, which again is very savvy, very clear in what its place in this process is, wanted the word to get out. And it was almost, you know, a warning to the Clinton that the lion was going to stir.

KURTZ: Candy Crowley, can anybody seriously argue that if Senator Kennedy had decided to endorse Hillary Clinton instead, there would have been live cable coverage, it would have led all the network newscasts that night, it would have been all over page one the next day?

CANDY CROWLEY, CNN SR. POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: I have to tell you that I agree with Chris on this, that the storyline was so good. I don't think it was so much that we fell in love with the story, but the fact of the matter is both Caroline Kennedy and Ted Kennedy invoked their father, brother's -- I mean, I'm sorry, their brother and their father's name. So, you know, did we go with that? Absolutely.

But I have to also say that one of the reasons this story was so big, Howie, was that this is an establishment Democrat. Obama has had trouble sort of collecting those endorsements.

So, it became big for that, because the natural flow of things might have had Kennedy going to Clinton. So it was a surprise, it was a nod from an established Democrat, and there was that whole Camelot feature. So, on many levels it was a good story.

To directly answer your question, I don't think it would have been as big a story with Clinton.

KURTZ: All right. I was going to answer my own question, but obviously you agree.

Chris Cillizza, you know, Robert Kennedy, Jr. endorsed Hillary, Kathleen Kennedy Townsend. No one cared. And Obama, by the way, doesn't court reporters the way that JFK did both when he was running and when he was president.

CILLIZZA: Well, you know, Howie, I think one of the fascinating things is -- to your second point, is the Obama campaign, he has gotten, I believe, very favorable coverage. Now, I think there are any number of reasons behind that. And again, I tend to fall back on the fact that I think Illinois state senator, a couple years in the Senate, he gives a speech at the Democratic National Convention, and all of a sudden he's this national figure, I think it's a very compelling storyline, but he's gotten good coverage.

And the truth is, is you talk to most reporters, they don't get a lot of access to him. Even Senator Clinton has opened it up a bit. Now, it's a little bit. I want to caution it's not like John McCain -- we don't have hours with Senator Clinton on her plane.

KURTZ: Sure.

CILLIZZA: But she's opened it up a bit. Barack Obama has largely not done that. And, you know...

(CROSSTALK)

KURTZ: And why hasn't he paid a price for that? You know, reporters get very ticked off when they can't get near a candidate.

CILLIZZA: You know, I don't know the answer to that. I know his campaign, though, is clearly comfortable with the coverage they are getting, because, look, all campaigns know that if reporters start grousing and grumbling, the best way to placate them is to give them a little candidate time. That's what we all want. We want access.

We want to be able to ask the candidate our special question. Forget whether he's been asked it 500 times before. But the point is, if they would need to do that, I don't think they even feel compelled to do that at this point, because the coverage in a vein that they are happy with. They don't feel like they need to change anything.

KURTZ: Interesting.

There's a front page story in "The New York Times" this morning about Barack Obama watering down his own bill to crack down on nuclear leaks. This, after there were leaks in a plant in Illinois run by the Exelon company which contributed $227,000 to his campaign.

I bet you that gets 1,000th of the media attention that the Kennedy endorsements have provided.

Let me make -- talk briefly about John Edwards, who dropped out of the race. And Joe Trippi, his rather colorful campaign adviser, had this to say -- if we can put it on the screen -- "When the press wants to cover a two-person race" -- meaning Hillary and Obama -- "it's very tough for the third candidate to break through in that situation. You have to get edgy, get harsher, be more strident -- and we did it and it would work for a few days and then the media would turn their heads the other way. What were we supposed to do, set ourselves on fire?"

Does he have a point, Karen Tumulty?

TUMULTY: He does have a point. I mean, John Edwards was running against history on two fronts -- the potential of the first woman president, the potential for the first African-American president --- and yes, the publicity matter.

But you know what? John Edwards spent a lot of time with voters in Iowa and within New Hampshire. And I think if he were getting traction with his new message, his new retooled persona, I think he would have gotten more coverage.

And the fact is, I don't think that John Edwards turning angry, as Joe Trippi suggests, was just to get the media attention. They were telling us this was the genuine John Edwards.

KURTZ: Right -- absolutely...

KURTZ: All right. We've got a half a minute from each of you.

Candy Crowley, Tuesday, 21, 22 states voting. Let's take the Democrats, for example. If Hillary Clinton wins the key big states, but Barack Obama comes close or even matches her in the number of delegates, who gets the headline? How does the press play who wins and who loses?

CROWLEY: I think the press plays the race goes on. I think that's where it goes from here. If they split the delegates -- it looks likely that they may -- the storyline is going to be, on to the next place.

KURTZ: Delegates, is it all about delegates?

TUMULTY: Well, it certainly hasn't been. When Hillary Clinton won Nevada, she won the most votes. And everybody played it as a win for her, and yet, Barack Obama got the most delegates. So I don't know how the spin coming out of Tuesday is going to be.

KURTZ: My take, Chris Cillizza, would be the winner on Super Tuesday is whoever the media says it is.

CILLIZZA: As always.

You know, I think, Howie, one thing to look at, I do think McCain is likely to roll up a significant delegate lead over Romney. That will be at least half of the story, because that will be something definitive we can say in the stories.

I do, I agree with Candy and Karen. I think in the end we're going to be looking at a very small delegate differential between Clinton and Obama, and we'll be looking for the next February 5th.

KURTZ: All right. And here we all said it's going to be over February 5th. And maybe not.

Let me get a break.

When we come back, the cold shoulder debated around the world. Were the media reading way too much into a supposed State of the Union snub?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)