McCain Should Target Media as Clinton Backers Boil
Howard Wolfson wrote a piece today blaming the media’s cover-up of the Edwards affair for Hillary’s primary loss. See Edwards' Cover-up Cost Clinton the Nomination. He is right. Had Edwards been forced to drop out, most of his vote would have gone to Hillary in the early states. Hillary would have likely pulled out the close states or at least gained enough delegates to overtake Obama’s narrow lead.
McCain should take this opportunity to target the media as hopelessly biased in favor of Obama. It’s not whining when it’s demonstrably true. Obama partisans run the risk of looking out of touch if they deny the media’s support. McCain would pick up some of Hillary’s backers while at the same time securing a conservative base that holds the media in contempt.
The common refrain in opposition to targeting the media is that one risks looking petty and like a whiner. It’s not whining, however, if it’s true. The media has no credibility to criticize McCain as a whiner because they back Obama and voters will dismiss their criticism as biased. For Obama to deny media support for him would not only make him look out of touch with reality, but anger journalists who have risked their reputations for objectivity to support him.
It’s a no brainer, McCain should target the media using the Edwards story as Exhibit A. McCain would kill two birds with one stone by securing his conservative base and picking up Clinton backers who blame the media for Clinton's loss.
The Ref | 8/11/08 | Permalink