Redstate

By paulseale Comments (0) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »

This week has presented us with two cases where the media took the bait from partisan political operatives in an effort to shape the political landscape and effect the elections this year. In both cases the media took talking points from Democrats impuning Republicans and in both cases the charges are being trumped up.

Many wonder why many of us talk about the double standards which the media treats Republicans and Democrats. Both of these stories are prime examples.

Does the media spend the time and energy to correct problems or fact check after they spend building the story? Do they proble or ask questions of sources? No. If it is bad news against a Republican, it seems they like to accept it as fact regardless of the truth. The results, though, are particular damning for Republicans and the effects could very well tip control toward Democrats.

The first instance I mention is the story about how the fee offices were restructured here in Missouri. Democrats screamed bloody murder with Democrat operative Roy Temple driving the story with skewed truths on this blog. The state party made a full court press to many media outlets faxing the line. Unfortunately many media outlets including a friend of mine fell for it and ran a series of malicious stories about the matter.

The result was a tainted political atmosphere toward the beginning of the year which extended into the primary season and put many Republican senators, representatives and the governor him self on the defensive. What ended up being the facts of the case? No one did anything wrong.

In fact, U.S. Attorney Bud Commins said quite plainly that "at no time was Governor Blunt a target, subject, or witness in the investigation, nor was he implicated in any allegation being investigated." This flies in the face of what people like Roy Temple were pushing.

Will we hear an apology or even half of the coverage which made the much to do about nothing from journalist who accepted Democrat talking points? Doubt it. In the mean time the governor and Republicans have to deal with the negative repercussions during the elections this year - all because the media refused to do basic challenging of talking points coming from Democrats.

The second event is this whole Foley mess.

What we are seeing is nothing more than Demcrat talking points regarding the situation in a stream. No one in the media has challenged the sources, mentioned that ABC lied about the age of the page, how they recieved the information, or the nature under which the instant messages were captured in the first place.

Yet we get the media screaming at Hassert and Republicans while spreading one negative thing after another about with little known "facts". None of which advance the actual events of the story. All look to do damage to Republicans during the election process.

In the same breath the media refuses to talk Democrats past indiscretions including Democrat Studds who had sex with a page in the seventies and stayed in office. Democrat leaders did not find out about this matter for ten years. According to Newt Gingrinch today Nancy Pelosi voted for this person to be in some sort of position of authority five times. Where are the questions about this?

In addition to the double standards on background information, many media outlets are removing foriegn related news completely from the front pages of their site. Why is this relevent? Because if people are reminded of the threats from North Korea, Iran or any progress in Iraq, it might taken their focus off of the Foley scandal.

Again, the Democrats get their unchallenged talking points and a run in the polls on gossip and so far legally unproven foundations while Republicans end up holding the bag and take the hit.

I am not against asking hard questions for both sides and proding elected officials for accountability. That is an important halmark for our democracy.

However, when the media refuses to be fair and objective and ask hard questions of both sides it becomes nothing more than a state run media. Our democracy is cheapened and our institutions are severely weakended as a result.

I hope to see in my life time the return of a media who is an honest "watch dog" of our government and who does not let an individual off the hook simply because of a (D) behind their name.

Cross posted at Arena of Ideas