Many critics have been appalled by the mainstream media's enchantment with John McCain for years, but that hasn't prevented his putative "base" from continuing to apply a strict double standard to coverage of McCain over Obama. Even the recent (and mild) criticsms of the McCain campaigns lies and distortions have not changed the fact that his history remains largely off limits and even his currently erratic behavior draws little comment.
Media Matter's Jamison Foser's insightful piece "
The media's enduring pro-McCain double standard" (posted 10/10/08) lays the issue out quite clearly. While the mainstream media may not really be McCain's base they have certainly treated him with undue deference and given him a pass on a range of issues that really should have been front-and-center for years.
-DRL
How can the left criticize McCain? In 2004 the left was hoping he would be Kerry’s running mate. If he was good enough to get democrats excited about him in 2004, why is he criticized now?
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure which "left" you are referring to in this case. Speaking for myself, I was never very excited about Kerry and certainly never felt McCain was anything but a center-right party man who liked to pose as a "maverick."
ReplyDeleteReal maverick Republicans died out in the 1970s. One of the best-- Oregon governor Tom McCall --is a hero of mine. McCain has relatively little to show for his years in congress and certainly never appealed to any of the progressives I know.