The liberal media

vs.





About a year ago, I purchased a magazine subscription from some program. I forget who it was for and what it was for. The choices of magazines were pretty slim and since I am not an avid hunter, fisherman, machinist or carpenter, the best of the remaining choices was "Time" magazine. So, I signed up for I think the two year selection and soon the familiar red bordered magazine cover showed up in my mailbox.

I have been dealing with some personal issues, so I was behind on my magazine reading for the last few weeks. However, I finally had the chance to read The 9/1/08 and 9/8/08 magazines, which dealt with the two major political parties and their candidates.

If you ever wanted to see an example of media bias, you simply need to read these two selections and compare them. The Democratic party issue and discussion of Barack Obama is full of the same tired stories of Obama. His upbringing and unique family unit, his community activism, and his political ascent. His wife and family are also discussed. The various articles deal with typical Democrat issues and they gloss over any real controversy.

Now compare it to the second in the series. The Republican party issue is full of the same, tired, information the liberal media spews out. McCain, the rowdy young man. McCain, the graduate near the bottom of his class. McCain, the womanizer. McCain, the terrible husband who has a failed marriage. McCain ,the maverick in politics who is mean and grumpy and cannot get along with anyone. McCain, who is like George Bush despite the issue actually pointing out all the differences between them. Oh, and let's not forget, McCain, the POW (which does not actually mean anything to anyone). The rest of the articles deal with Republican issues and how screwed up America is right now (strongly hinting at it being ALL the fault of the Republican party).

I will a few issues that I would highlight to show some extreme differences that I found, and to make it easier for you, dear reader.

First and foremost, the article about McCain does mention his accomplishments as a public servant, but in a backhanded way. Despite examples of success in the passage of bills and reaching across the isle to work with the Democrats, the magazine constantly goes back again and again to describe McCain as uncompromising, boorish, even downright mean.

Meanwhile, Obama's experience (or lack thereof) is glossed over, focusing on his time as a community organizer and placing a lot of emphasis from the perspective of his wife. What is most amusing is that the article points to his current campaign as evidence of his "experience", and that he is able to run a pretty good campaign. Somehow, this equates to experience to lead an entire country. This argument has been used a few times in recent memory, so I guess I should not be surprised.

Second, Time discusses in detail McCain's wild youth and his family, going so far as to discuss his father and grandfather's personalities and calling his father and alcoholic. McCain is described as a brawler, a womanizer, and a party animal. His prior transgressions are laid out in detail. Meanwhile the Democratic issue says nothing of Obama's young trusts while in college, the parties he likely went to, and most notably, his admissions of drug use and participation. In fact, his past is barely examined at all, while McCain's was thoroughly explored.

Further, we hear nothing about Obama's family, save for how great his wife and kids are. Nothing about a father who abandoned him. A mother who married multiple men and who also ultimately abandoned him to pursue her career while he lived with loving grandparents. Now, I get that his Mom was a free spirit, and that she decided to pursue a career and dream in largely a man's world. Yet, while we celebrate this idea, I note how current V.P. candidate Sarah Palin is ridiculed for her choice to run for an elected position and how she is obviously "abandoning" her family for her own personal goals. And while I am thinking of this, why has this not been analyzed at all?

These are just a few examples of an obviously slanted viewpoint. And they say there is no media bias!