Reply #87: Yes, I agree that they have gotten more media attention because of their gender and race

[EffieBlack]

But much of that additional media attention has been focused on negative aspects of those characteristics - specifically, speculation about whether their gender and race make them unelectable - and has not necessarily been been to their advantage. Media coverage and media scrutiny are two very different things.

Obama and Clinton have gotten an enormous amount scrutiny and lots of coverage. John Edwards has gotten little scrutiny and lots of coverage. Cancelling out the scrutiny, Clinton and Obama have probably still got more - but not substantially more - coverage than Edwards. But that does not automatically translate into the reason for his poor showing in the polls. I agree with some other posters that he and his team have not been effective in developing their ground game, something that has little to do with the amount of national media coverage he has gotten.