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.
