A Year-Ender — The MSM and Obama’s Fall from Grace

Posted: December 21, 2010 in Columns, Featured, Media Bias

Two years ago, during the presidential campaign, the so-called mainstream media threw out all pretenses of objectivity and slobbered all over the candidate they wanted to win, Barack Obama. This year the bill came due for their corruption. And President Obama got stuck with it.

It wasn’t just Chris Mathews’ embarrassing admission that he “felt this thrill going up my leg” when he heard candidate Obama speak. Chris is entitled to comment. He’s a commentator, after all. But this wasn’t political commentary. This was a man crush.

And it wasn’t just David Gergen’s observation on CNN that Mr. Obama’s acceptance speech at Invesco Field in Denver wasn’t really a speech so much as it was a work of art. “In many ways,” Gergen said, “it was less a speech than a symphony. It moved quickly, it had high tempo, at times inspiring, then it became more intimate, slower. … It was a masterpiece.” I wonder how many Americans got diabetes right there in their living rooms just listening to Gergen’s syrupy analysis.

The corruption went far beyond over-the-top commentary. It was the way so many supposedly objective journalists covered the campaign. The project for Excellence in Journalism looked at more than 2,400 stories from 48 news outlets during a critical six-week period of the campaign – after the political conventions in early September through the final presidential debates in mid-October. The study found that while only 29 percent of the “quotations, assertions and innuendoes” in stories about Mr. Obama were negative, nearly twice as many – 57 percent of the references to John McCain were negative.

Deborah Howell, the ombudsman at the Washington Post said, “Obama deserved tougher scrutiny than he got.”

You get the point. So how could so much fawning coverage be bad for the president? Well, when the sun came up the morning after Election Day, while most of the media were still swooning from the night before, Joe Scarborough, on his MSNBC show Morning Joe, threw a bucket of cold water all over the mainstream media.

“I’ll tell you my biggest fear for Barack Obama: He has been sainted. He is Saint Barack. The same mainstream media that tried so desperately to get him elected has engaged in hyperbole, engaged in exaggeration. They have deified this man while destroying everybody that got in his path.”

He was right about that, of course, and he was right when he went on to say this: “And what they have done for Barack Obama” was that “they have set up such unrealistic expectations, that no politician could meet those expectations. I just hope that all of the people who got involved in this election do not become disillusioned when he doesn’t reach those lofty heights. … Americans will find he doesn’t walk on water and I’m concerned for him when that happens.”

Well, it happened this year. The mid-term election was a referendum on President Obama and the voters concluded that when he tried to walk on water he got wet. They discovered that he wasn’t a messiah, but simply a politician. And that’s when the disillusionment set in – more than it would have if the media had portrayed him in a more down-to-earth, realistic way.

President Obama, of course, wasn’t an innocent victim in all of this. With the help of his Democratic pals in Congress, he spent nearly a trillion dollars on a stimulus bill the voters concluded wasn’t worth it. He shoved ObamaCare down their throats, something else the American people didn’t want. He sued Arizona over it’s anti-illegal immigration law, alienating still more Americans. And he needlessly got involved in the Ground Zero mosque controversy, once again coming down on the opposite side of a majority of the American people.

So president Obama did plenty to hurt himself. But the mainstream media that fell in love with him two years ago were his enablers. The bill for all that slobbering has come due. The president’s approval rating is down to between 40 (Fox poll) and 45 percent (Gallup), the lowest of his presidency. On Inauguration Day it was 79 percent. It could never stay that high, of course, but the president can thank his friends in the media for contributing to his fall from grace.

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TOMMY FREEDOM

BERNIE, DR B OBAMA ADDED A NEW PROVISION IN THE OBAMA CARE PLAN.

IF OVER AGE 65, YOUR DOCTOR WILL GIVE YOU A PRESCRIPTION, YOU GO

TO YOUR LOCAL HARDWARE STORE TO PICK OUT YOUR SHOVEL.
Kathie Ampela

Bernie,

While we are on the subject of media bias, I wonder what your thoughts are on SPJ’s “diversity committee” launching a campaign against the term “illegal immigrant?” What right do journalists have to decide which terms are offensive and which aren’t? Is this not advocating a political point of view?

http://dailycaller.com/2011/01/01/thedc-analysis-why-i%e2%80%99m-not-renewing-my-spj-membership-next-year/
TOMMY FREEDOM

OBA-MAO IS CONSIDERING DEPLOYING TSA TROOPERS TO HOTELS, PORTS
SHOPPING MALLS, AND TRAIN STATIONS. EQUAL OPPORTUNITY FOR AN
INVASIVE EXAMS, ISNT THAT NICE?? I KNEW THE AIRPORT WAS JUST THE
START. A MAN WITH COURAGE IS A MAJORITY, WE NEED THIS STOPPED.
PLEASE SEND CARDS & LETTERS ASAP!!!!
Terry Walbert

I think a good part of the white liberal fawning over Obama was that they had rarely encountered a black person who could speak standard English. See Harry Reid’s comment about Obama not having a “Negro” dialect, or Biden’s observation about his being “clean.”
Konrad Lau

In today’s environment the terms ‘objective’ and ‘journalist’ should be used in the same sentence with great circumspection. All too often their juxtaposition would lead the reader into believing the entire premise to be true.
Bob Hadley

Bernie, I agree that much, perhaps most, of the news media fawned over Obama. But, having said that, while journalists should struggle to remain neutral, we all know that they are susceptible to human emotion. Chris Matthews’ remark was inartful, but the sentiment he conveyed was honest and I’m glad he disclosed it to us viewers. Charles Krauthammer conveyed a similiar sentiment once on Special Report when he said of Obama’s speech on election eve, “…even I felt somewhat giddy.” That may not be an exact quote, but it’s close enough. And, yes, I realize Matthews and Krauthammer (who, admittedly, was making a different point from Matthews) are not reporters.

But shouldn’t reporters especially have the obligation to disclose it when they get caught up in the emotion of an event? I remember one TV reporter who I think was with CNN disclosing being caught up with the emotion of an Obama rally at the moment he was covering it live. I’m glad that he had the integrity to make that disclosure. Should he have kept that to himself? What about reporters who are fighting back emotion at a funeral for a public figure?

And when are you going to turn your guns on FNC’s anti-Obama bias? Or do you think that FNC legitimately balances the so-called LSM’s bias?…..You next book should be entitled “Anit-Bias.”
- http://www.blurb.com/user/store/DanFarfan Dan Farfan
  
  I don’t recall CNN having an episode, but I did happen to see the NBC reporter say something such as, “It’s almost hard to maintain objectivity in the excitement of this event.”
  
  The not so funny rest-of-the-story is that it was Mr. Legend-by-longevity, Tom Brokaw, who twisted his own man’s words to provide himself cover so he could slobber too.
  
  In a fashion typical of 21st century “news” utter lack of respect for Information, “almost hard” became “couldn’t” which became “didn’t” in a very short time and with almost zero fanfare.
  
  Pathetic.
  Pathetic that it happens.
  Pathetic that it happens essentially unnoticed.
  Pathetic that it happens without consequences.
  
  Media bias is a problem (for media and for all), but the real disease is the lack of respect for Information itself, among the transmitters (in all forms and varieties) and among the receivers.
  
  Dan
  - “The Next 10 Amendments”
  - Bob Hadley
    
    I think you’re right. It may well have been a NBC reporter
http://www.eschatonblog.com/ Wil Burns

No other opinions allowed on Bernie’s blog. How sad!
- Bruce A.
  
  Wil, start your own blog! Then you can ban anyone you want. Also have a Merry Christmas.
- http://uplinktruck.livejournal.com/ Uplinktruck
  
  No dissenting views? I don’t think you’ve been reading the comments.
http://berniegoldberg.com David

Obviously much of this piece came right out of “Slobbering” but it’s just as relevant today, and needing reminded of often, so long as the Lamestream Press keeps forgetting objectivity. Bernie is the best in the business at exposing the truth but there needs to be more voices to push the press back to fairness and equality for “both parties”, before our nations freedoms are pulled out from under us, where the morning paper lays!

(personally my newspaper best use has been a floor protector from cat poop)
Kathie Ampela

What happened in the MSM back in 2008…was it a journalistic conspiracy (JourNolist) or media groupthink? More importantly..will it happen again in 2012?

Either way, I think we’ll be ready for them this time.

Happy New Year to you, Bernie.
Ken Besig, Israel

Liberalism is really a religion, and it’s true believers want a savior, a Messiah if you will, and they found him in Barack Obama.
All you have to do is listen to the way they describe how they feel about Obama, it’s much like how deeply committed Christians describe their relationship to Christ.
Look how they relate to his speeches, it’s almost like they are describing the Gospels of Jesus.
I almost expected Chris Mathews to start speaking in tongues.
But in the end, Obama has ended up looking and acting more and more like Elmer Gantry.
JDO

Obama’s entire run up to and eventual election as President was nothing more and nothing less than (in the Left’s minds) reparation for the slavery/racism our country had and has gone through. Even Republicans (and most so-called Independents) succumbed to the (false) guilt that the Left have been cultivating and nuturing all of these years. This is not something I say lightly or with great pleasure. I’ve always felt that the biggest travesty perpetuated on the American people (in recent History) is the Left’s going from MLK Jr’s encouragement of minorities to rise and do something for themselves (as, indeed, we are more than capable of doing) to the “they are owed and cannot do anything for themselves” crap that constantly spews forth from their mouths. It’s disgusting and insulting.

I have never understood the love affair with Obama who, without his teleprompters (and sometimes WITH them), betrays himself as someone way out of his “pay grade.” He wasn’t even experienced/smart enough to surround himself with competent advisors/cabinent members, which might’ve helped him, a little, to grow into the role. Even with the mainstream media fawning all over him, this should have been more than obvious, even for the most casual of political observers leading up to his election.

So, why elect a man like this as President? You cannot say he was the overwhelming choice. Even WITH all of America’s problems running up to the election, problems completely created (so they say) by George W. Bush, the “evil” Republican, McCain (no great choice himself) still acquited himself quite well in the election, especially considering the circumstances (most would say that’s more than partially due to his choice of Palin as running mate, and I wouldn’t argue against that). So, what put Obama over the top? He was the “Historic” choice, which is just the PC way of saying “we owed them.” I’ll never understand why minorities (Blacks, Hispanics, Asians) didn’t and don’t get insulted over that. I do. I am. Voting FOR someone because of the color of their skin is exactly the same as voting AGAINST someone because of the color of their skin. Racism is racism. Circumstances do not make it “noble” or “Historic.” When will we throw out the Political Correctness and wake up?
- Paul Courtney
  
  Good insight here JDO, agree with one and disagree with another. Obama won only partly due to his race and guilt of swing voters motivated by it (ie, I disagree w/ “nothing more”, agree with all the rest). Financial collapse was a part, too (notice the MSM never questions the dem refrain about it being caused by “Bush” or “8 years of Republican rule”-fabrications easily punctured). Finally, big part was McCain’s weakness, but we can only guess how many of the best conservatives will not run for fear CBS, NBC or the Times will not rest ’til they find an aqua budda in the closet of a distant relation. PC won’t get thrown out until seismic shift in MSM, and this web site is a start.
- EddieD_Boston
  
  Geez JDO, aren’t you a racist if you’re critical of Obama?
  - JDO
    
    Oh no, Caught! I’m a racist!
    
    Paul, I don’t disagree that the financial collapse was a part of it, and I don’t disagree about McCain’s weakness (heck, out of the original bunch of Republicans, he was the LAST guy I wanted to win the primary). Those things just made my point for me, really as, even WITH that going “against” the Republican candidate, Obama still had to fight for the election, right about up to the end, and so there had to be something else that put him over the top. Believe me, there are fewer things I dislike more than people pullin’ out the ol’ race card, since most of the time it’s a bunch of baloney, but in this case I really believe that was the kicker.
Ron Kean

The most ignored aspect of the election was this. Even with all the bias in favor of Obama, McCain was up in the polls by a couple of points in the middle of September and seemed to be getting a little momentum.

Then SOMEBODY started the disastrous sell off that gave Obama a second wind in the race. It was ammunition for the anti-Bush/Republican forces and Obama used it.
Bruce A.

Nice article. More proof that liberals eat their own.
TOMMY FREEDOM

BERNIE, HERES MY END OF YEAR GRADE FOR OBAMA.

I RECOMMEND A ” G ” FOR ” GITMO “.
Carolyn Beachley

I knew he was a nothing the first time I heard him. Anyone with common sense (which I know is in small numbers these days in DC) just had to look & listen. It was all about him being black period. I hate political correctness & I am not shy about how I feel. Sarah Palin is an extremely smart woman & HAS experience 10 times the commie bambam does. Read her books educate yourself on her abilities. She took down the “good ol’ boys & therefore the Republicans don’t like her. The elite in both parties must go , it is time for them to remember “We The People” not the politicians are what make this country & Sarah understands that. Give me common sense any day of the week vs do as I say not as I do crap that we get fed to us by the lamestream media & DC. I was extremely angry when I heard what Barbara Bush said about Sarah on Larry King I don’t watch him or ANY of the major so called networks. by the way, I lost all respect for her with that one line “I hope she stays in Alaska” well I hope the Bushes STAY the hell out of politics!Two were plenty I voted for both & both were a BIG disappointment Babs! The rich elite unlike Sarah don’t have a clue what the real world is like so I am a BIG Sarah Palin fan & would LOVE to see her KICK ASS in 2012 & get this country straight! The rest of the crew that may run such as Romney from MASS. just remember he signed on to socialized med before bambam & I personally NEVER trust ANYONE from CA or MASS..Love your articles Bernie!
- http://www.eschatonblog.com/ Wil Burns
  
  Calolyn, It’s good to know you people listen to Bernie for solutions, just remember you don’t make his money.
begbie

If anyone ever thought that this man would govern successfully, even with no managerial experience, they were simply kidding themselves and living in fantasyland.

I would also submit, and warn, that if anyone thinks Sarah Palin is any different, they are also kidding themselves. By quitting as governor and her limited experience therein, yes she’s in the same catagory. We simply cannot afford to make the same mistake again.

It’s time to restore legitimacy to the office of President. You do that by finding truly qualified candidates, not badly prepared, speech blathering, politicians….no matter if you agree with them or not. The media won’t change, at least until the ratings get bad enough.
Mike Chumbley

I have yet to figure out why the MSM seem to embrace such overtly Marxist and Socialist policies. This is not name calling but rather an honest appraisal of anyone who is watching. If you just blinked you missed Obama’s most recent first steps to take control of the Internet and our food supply. Now his regulatory machine will pit the pedal down on further control. That is now the financial markets the auto industry the EPA regulations on the environment health care executive salaries water with new regulations on Clean Water Act the Internet food and by regulatio transportation all with increased government control. I believe go ern contro of the means and distribution of goods and services is the textbook definition of Socialism.
- Mike Chumbley
  
  Sorry for the typos. Fat thumbs and small keys on my iPhone. Should be government control of goods and services.
- stmichrick
  
  Mike; the MSM types embrace these policies because they feel morally superior AND they have a false sense of history. Coming of age in a generation that screamed for more ‘freedom,’ these baby boomers primarily want freedom to get an abortion and to regulate ‘fairness.’ Any recognition of where socialism has led in the past or how it might ultimately degrade their own lifestyles is ignored.
EddieD_Boston

You’d think the Ivy League grads in the media would understand that an elected official that votes present 75% of the time is a spineless empty suit. I sure did.
- Bigbee
  
  This was simply a love affair with making history on the part of the media. And it turned into a “you’re racist if you don’t vote for Obama” everywhere else. Considering his lack of any experience, the real reason he was voted President becomes clear.
John Farthgum

C-O-N…Obama is nothing more then a first rate CON-ARTIST, Flim-Flam-Man.
The Fall From Grace will accelerate in 2011 when previously unknown facts come out about this man.
Bernie…I wish there were 10,000 more like you….keep poking your finger in Obama’s eye!
http://www.bigbureaucracy.com/ Ellie Velinska

MSM made fun of Hillary Clinton when she said:

“Now I could stand up here and say: let’s get everybody together, let’s get unified, the sky will open, the light will come down, celestial choirs will be singing, and everyone will know we should do the right thing, and the world will be perfect.
But I have no illusions about how hard this is going to be. You are not going to wave a magic wand and make the special interests disappear.”

Guess what: Obama did not have a magic wand. Bummer! OBummer!
http://lillian-davis.blogspot.com/ Lily

There were a handful of people in the real world, who saw that the emperor had no clothes, but we were shushed, investigated or castigated by the lame stream media. (No, I am not talking about myself, think, Joe the Plumber).

I cannot help but question who is behind the puppet media. This puppet master pulled the puppet media one-way and now that the truth is out (the emperor really is not wearing anything or to use your metaphor, the “messiah” cannot walk on water) the puppet master is pulling the lame stream media puppet in another direction.

Keep up the good work Bernie!