The
Media 101 How the Media Makes or Breaks a Candidate
Media spin - whether by the media or the candidates
themselves - is an increasingly important but subtle influence nudging
voters this way one day, the other way tomorrow.
While media endorsements are the public tip of the
iceberg, more hidden aspects lie in the ownership of that particular
media, its own private interests and agenda, its somewhat-related record
of contributions (not from the media corporation itself, but from the
individual owners, various spin-offs and the "527" groups),
and the various interests and ideologies of the top corporate
executives.
While the basic media endorsements for 2000 and 2004 are
pretty easy to find (on Wikipedia.org), the 2008 endorsements are
somewhat lacking. Both Clinton and McCain have posted their
endorsements, but Obama has not. McCain's website separates the media
endorsements from others, but the Clinton site has personal and media
endorsements all lumped together.
I have submitted a request to the Obama campaign's press
office for a list of his media endorsements and will post it when (if?)
I receive it. Of course, these lists will not be complete because they
change with each approaching primary and will likely change again with
the general election. Lists are taken from the candidates' websites.
Clinton Media
Endorsements
Also contains a few notable political
endorsements;
much of her list pertains to committees she has created,
not endorsements
"[W]e believe Arizona Sen. John McCain is the candidate
who is best qualified to lead the nation. ... McCain's
longtime presidential ambitions are at last aligned with the
needs of the nation." "
"... none can offer the tested leadership, in matters
foreign and domestic, of Sen. John McCain of Arizona. McCain
is most ready to lead America in a complex and dangerous world
and to rebuild trust at home and abroad by inspiring
confidence in his leadership."
The
Keene Sentinel: "Perhaps Most Important, He Campaigns With
Decency." "Where McCain most distinguishes himself from the
rest of this year's Republican pack is in the areas of life experience and
force of character. He is not a single-issue candidate off on a frantic
ideological jag. Although his political ideology has evolved through
experience over the years, he has not changed his previous political positions
en masse to appeal to the presumed prejudices and preferences of voters. Nor
has he tried to craft a candidacy around an artificial persona who promises to
save us all from terrorists, or from the devil. And, perhaps most important,
he campaigns with decency." (Editorial, "John McCain," The
Keene Sentinel, 12/21/07)
Salmon
Press: "John McCain Has The Right Stuff ... To Become Among Our
Greatest Presidents ... His Experience In Foreign Affairs And In Military
Issues Is Unmatched In The Field." U.S. Sen. John McCain has the
right stuff to become a statesman, indeed to become among our greatest
presidents, but standing in his way is the prickly business of having to get
elected. Once considered the presumptive nominee of the Republican Party, his
presidential campaign stumbled in the early going -- in part because he
refused to bend his principles -- but is now gaining some momentum. We hope
that momentum continues, for in our judgment John McCain towers over his
political rivals and is our unwavering choice in New Hampshire's Republican
presidential primary next month. Sen. McCain is a man of great depth and
character. He has demonstrated an enormous capacity for growth over his
political career and his military record is truly heroic -- in stark contrast
to those of his opponents. As a congressman and senator from Arizona he has
exhibited the ability to attract both sides of the political aisle. And yet he
is a conservative in the best sense of the word: principled, unwilling to cave
for political gain and an unbowed enemy of wasteful spending. His experience
in foreign affairs and in military issues is unmatched in the field."
(Editorial, "New Hampshire's Salmon
Press: Endorses Sen. John McCain," Salmon
Press, 12/13/07)
Portsmouth
Herald/Seacoast Media Group: "Principled."
"U.S. Sen. John McCain will tell you the truth, even if it costs him the
election. He has a very clear-eyed view of the truth having spent his life
fighting for our country and leading the U.S. Senate for the past 20 years on
virtually every critical issue facing our nation. In our view, John McCain
stands head and shoulders above the rest of the Republican field and deserves
the support of those voting in the New Hampshire Republican presidential
primary Jan. 8. ... McCain is pro-life, but his views are broad in this area.
He also believes in federal funding of embryonic stem cell research because in
his view life is also sacred after you have left the womb. This kindness and
pragmatism also guided his thinking on immigration. McCain's state of Arizona
borders Mexico and is on the front line of America's struggle with illegal
immigration. His position is that we need to tighten our borders and enforce
the laws already on the books, but we also need to create a path to
citizenship for good, honest, hardworking families who make a real
contribution to this country. His principled stance on immigration has made
enemies in his own party and has hurt him in Iowa where this is a major
issue." (Editorial, "Vote Sen. McCain In GOP Primary," Portsmouth
Herald/Seacoast Media Group, 12/16/07)
New
Hampshire Union Leader: "His Record, His Character, And His
Courage Show Him To Be The Most Trustworthy, Competent, And Conservative Of
All Those Seeking The Nomination." "What is most compelling
about McCain, however, is that his record, his character, and his courage show
him to be the most trustworthy, competent, and conservative of all those
seeking the nomination. Simply put, McCain can be trusted to make informed
decisions based on the best interests of his country, come hell or high
water." (Joseph W. McQuaid, "John McCain Is The Man To Lead
America," New
Hampshire Union Leader, 12/2/07)
Portsmouth
Herald/Seacoast Media Group: "He Is A Man Of Integrity And Honor
... He Is A Strong Military Man Prepared From Day One To Defend Our Nation
Against Its Enemies. Of All The Republicans Running, He Is By Far The Best
Qualified To Lead Our Country." "John McCain has been
leading the country from his seat in the U.S. Senate for 20 years. He is a man
of integrity and honor who would help the Republicans rid themselves of the
stench of Jack Abramoff and other lobbyists and allow the GOP to reclaim its
status as the party of fiscal restraint. He is a strong military man prepared
from day one to defend our nation against its enemies. Of all the Republicans
running, he is by far the best qualified to lead our country."
(Editorial, "Vote Sen. McCain In GOP Primary," Portsmouth
Herald/Seacoast Media Group, 12/16/07)
The
Valley News (NH): "His Case Is Plausible, And His Credentials In
National Security Matters Impeccable." "And although we do
not agree with McCain's thesis that prompt withdrawal of American troops from
Iraq would necessarily have dire consequences throughout the Middle East and
the world, we do not dismiss it lightly, either. His case is plausible, and
his credentials in national security matters impeccable." (Editorial,
"The Case For McCain: An Honorable Primary Choice," The
Valley News (NH), 12/19/07)
The
Boston Globe: "McCain Has Done More Than His Share To Transcend
Partisanship And Promote An Honest Discussion Of The Problems Facing The
United States." "As a lawmaker and as a candidate, McCain
has done more than his share to transcend partisanship and promote an honest
discussion of the problems facing the United States. He deserves the
opportunity to represent his party in November's election." (Editorial,
"For Republicans: John McCain," The
Boston Globe, 12/16/07)
Boston
Herald: "Choice Is Clear: McCain's The One."
"There are times in this nation's history so perilous that they cry out
for a steady, experienced leader, a person so trusted that we would put the
fate of this country in his hands. This is one of those times, and Sen. John
McCain is that person. He has a brand of courage that is rare in the public
arena these days a courage forged in part by those years spent as a prisoner
of war in Vietnam and in part by more than two decades of fighting for what he
believes in on the floor of the U.S. Senate. In an age when too many
candidates are driven by polls and focus groups, fashioning and re-fashioning
their core' beliefs, McCain is a man of unwavering conviction and integrity.
His values, his beliefs, his goals are what they were when he first entered
public life, what they were in 2000 and what they will be a decade from
now." (Editorial, "Choice Is Clear: McCain's The One," Boston
Herald, 12/20/07)
Detroit
News: "The Detroit News endorses McCain""[W]e
believe Arizona Sen. John McCain is the candidate who is best qualified to
lead the nation. ... McCain's longtime presidential ambitions are at last
aligned with the needs of the nation." (Editorial, "The Detroit News
Endorses McCain," Detroit
News, 1/3/08)
Obama Media
Endorsements
Ron Paul Ignored
by the Media
The Larry King Ron Paul
Interview You Never Saw
Here's the
clip that should have aired last night (Jan. 2, 2008). No
explanation has been issued on why it didn't air.
