Unless you've been traveling the hinterlands with Borat the last
few months, you probably already know what the Center for Media and Public
Affairs is confirming today: that coverage of Democratic
candidates during this campaign season is overwhelmingly favorable to them. Among the
findings, as reported by USA Today:
Seventy-seven percent of on-air evaluations of
Democratic candidates and members of Congress were positive during
the first seven weeks of the campaign. Only 12 percent were
favorable towards their Republican counterparts.
Coverage has been dominated by two major
themes: the effects of the Foley scandal, and the impact the Bush
presidency is having on the party's congressional
candidates.
Because of the focus on Foley, the re-election
race of House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., was featured in 42
stories. Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., was featured in 10 stories,
even though he's not up for re-election this year. Sen. Hillary
Clinton's possible 2008 presidential run was grist for nine
stories.
The media really has kicked their efforts into higher gear in this
go-round.