The Media Should be Ashamed

The presidential debate was quite one sided due to the fact that Mitt Romney was able to point out so many inconsistencies and broken promises by the President.  What was truly fascinating was how unprepared Mr. Obama was in terms of dealing with these questions.  This is further evidence that the mainstream media has never confronted the President on what he has been saying on the campaign trail.  Unchallenged false claims and unfulfilled promises never spoken of, have done a disservice to the electorate.  This has left a tremendous void that was filled by Mr. Romney in the debate, and the media should be ashamed.

Obama and his surrogates have been throwing around this claim for months about how Romney’s plan would increase taxes on the middle class by $2,000 per family.  This charge has even been repeated by the media, and there is almost no basis for divining what Romney would do to make sure his proposed tax cuts did not add to the deficit.  Mr. Romney had to repeatedly tell the President, in the debate, that he was misstating what the former Governor would do under these circumstances.  After the debate, someone said this was akin to the President saying for months that Romney planned to invade Canada.  Maybe a Pentagon reporter might have asked a question about this severe a charge…?

The President repeated a line, in the debate, that he likes to use about record drilling of oil and Natural gas under his presidency.  Mitt Romney challenged this and made the point that this expansion has taken place on private lands, which the President can’t stop.  He went on to say that the President has cut in half the number of permits that have been given to drillers during his presidency.  Maybe this fact might stir some curiosity in some DC newsroom…?

The President said that companies get a tax deduction for shipping jobs overseas, and that he would close that loophole.  Mr. Romney responded by saying that despite being in business for 25 years, he is not aware of this tax break.  In fact, he suggested that if it were true he might have to get a new accountant.  What the President might be referring to is that fact that we have the highest corporate tax rates in the world.  That is not a loophole to send jobs overseas, that’s The USA losing its competitive edge in attracting businesses.  Perhaps a cub reporter for a financial network perks up…?

The president was challenged on his 2008 campaign promises to…

1. Cut the deficit in half in his first term
2. Reduce insurance premiums by $2,500 per family
3. Keep unemployment under 8%

The likely media explanation for not confronting the President on these issues…

1. I can’t remember that far back
2. He didn’t want to answer
3. I was sick that day

If these challenges were incorrect, we will be hearing the media fact-check machine kick into high gear over the next week.  If, however, this does not happen, then there has been a major lack of reporting on the issues which Mr. Romney confronted the President.

The press has often been called the 4^th branch of government, which is a reference to their importance in keeping the 3 branches honest.  The reason we had such a startling, and one sided debate for the Presidency is due to the failing of that branch.  The members of the press who have had an opportunity to challenge this president, and haven’t, should be ashamed today.  The truth is they’re probably not.