Washington Post: Forget Edwards -- The Dem Primary Is Nothing More Than A "Clinton-Obama Rivalry"

[antiimperialist]

November 12, 2007
Talking Points Memo

As all you regulars know, one of this blog's running gripes is the refusal of your political media to acknowledge their own role in creating the narratives that help determine the outcome of campaigns.

Case in point -- this nugget from today's Washington Post report on the sparring between the candidates at the Jefferson-Jackson Dinner this weekend:

Edwards was the first of six presidential candidates to speak, and he tried to elbow his way into the Clinton-Obama rivalry with a populist call for Democrats to stand up against corporate interests and cleanse Washington of the corrupting influence of money and power.

According to WaPo, Edwards' speech was all about trying to "elbow his way" into the Hillary-Obama "rivalry." This makes it sound as if Campaign 2008 were less a political race than some kind of exclusive party that Hillary and Obama are throwing that Edwards is rudely trying to crash. But who decided that this race is little more than a Hillary-Obama rivalry in the first place? Why, WaPo did, of course!

After all, the same WaPo reporters who chose to describe Edwards' speech as an effort to "elbow" his way into the Hillary-Obama rivalry also chose to devote the first eight paragraphs of their piece only to what Hillary and Obama said. They chose to wait until the ninth graf to tell us what Edwards said. This despite the fact that the reporters also acknowledge that polls show that in Iowa the race remains "a competitive three-way contest."
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story

[Botany]

1. Fuck 'em

Let them explain this in after Edwards wins Iowa.

[aquart]

2. Oh, yes. I'm SO inclined to let WaPo make my choices.

Yeah, the "elbow" phrasing is deliberate and NASTY. Stuff it in an orifice, WaPo.

[Jim Sagle]

3. WAPO has spoken. Your only choices are the empty suit or the empty pantsuit.

No REAL Democrats allowed.

[OHdem10]

4. IThe Media are no longer the 4th Estate, looking out for

Americans ---they are now as much a part of the elites
as K Street Lobbyists. The TV Media(most influential)
make the big salaries and their interests are no longer
the common man.

In monitoring Television, you would hardly know Edwards
is running for President. Populists are an abomination to
Corporatists.

They for the most part are corporately owned. Corporate Interests
are corporate interests.

INO this why some in our party are so "me too" trying to appease
the Corporations.

Listen and read, but through a prism of understanding where their
bread is buttered as they read you the news.

I am sure you are aware the WAPO is owned and run by a very historical
family who happen to be Republican. Editorials will have a GOP
frame, naturally. Rest of paper--they try to be in the center.

This explains Edwards treatment.

[depakid]

5. If a buck for every bogus story that pathetic paper published this last year

I'd have enough for a fine European vacation next spring.

[DCKit]

6. Not at the rate the dollar is dropping against the Euro.

You'd have to be paid by the word.