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Bob_Tarlau's Blog

by Bob_Tarlau from West Los Angeles

Last Post 3 days Ago


ANCHORS AWAY

Barack Obama's upcoming swing through Europe and the Middle East is now guaranteed to be a major media event, certified by the presence of the three network anchors.





Katie Couric (I thought she was about to get to get the boot) Brian Williams and Charlie Gibson and will travel overseas next week, lured by the prospect of interviews with the presumed Democratic candidate. That means the NBC, ABC and CBS newscasts will originate from stops on the trip and pump the heck out Obama and his travels. So is this warranted coverage of a big story or just plain media super-circus? I figure it’s a big dollop of both.

At any rate “the big three” (if those once exalted positions at ABC, CBS and NBC can still be called that) will certainly get their “exclusive” interviews with the candidate, probably on successive nights in different countries. So you’ve got the idea: the Obama camp is in a win-win-win situation by dragging the anchor trio half way around the world merely by offering access.

Obama has been quite adept at working the media. He is on the cover of this week's Newsweek, again, after star turns on Us Weekly, "Access Hollywood" (with kids—which he claimed to late regret) and, not so happily, the New Yorker. More about that in a moment.

What a contrast between the media feeding frenzy surrounding Obama… and the real lack of coverage John McCain's campaign has been getting. The difference is striking. For instance, when McCain went to Britain, France and Israel and met with their leaders in March, no network anchors tagged along. It was left to the correspondent on NBC and ABC. CBS couldn’t even be bothered doing that. Again it was NBC and ABC that sent correspondents only to McCain’s Columbia trip two weeks ago. CBS? Absent.

EVERY BIGOT’S POSTER

Most Americans really don’t know much about The New Yorker – other than it exists and perhaps that it is has long employed distinguished cartoonists. The mag’s often high handed liberalism came through in one of those drawings  week… the cover art, shown here. Wow did this ever stir up the blogosphere, talk radio and water cooler talk!

The cover crudely caricatures Barack and Michelle Obama as Osama bin Laden-honoring terrorists bumping fists in the Oval Office as an American Flag burns in the fireplace. It was tasteless and crude and even though The New Yorkers’ editors claimed their readers would “get it,” most everyone was offended. That included McCain. The Obamas had to be both angry and embarrassed.

The cover plays to the ill-gotten views of 12 percent of Americans who erroneously think Obama is a Muslim. And it’s sure to wind up as a poster on every bigot's wall.

CRANKING UP THE CONTRAST


Barack Obama has found something that eluded him during the primary season — contrast. Contrast with John McCain. And Obama is doing a much better job of playing it up. He’s even basking in it.

In McCain, Obama faces an opponent who is the opposite of him in every way — an Iraq war backer who supports free-market economics, opposes abortion rights and is a Republican. Obama delights in pointing out the differences and, so far, is doing a pretty effective job of it.

This isn’t to say that McCain isn’t trying the same tack. But by continuing to link McCain with Bush, Obama is better able to aggressively and enthusiastically go after his foe. This certainly is a turn around from the months when he was squaring off with Hillary Clinton, a fellow Democrat with whom he actually differs little.

These days, Obama assails McCain's position on the issues every chance he gets. He levels his charges with a commonsense tone and lighthearted touch that couches the criticism while making his core argument: McCain and President Bush are the same. And that’s an argument should be making if he is doing to sell himself, especially to Independent and even some moderate Republican voters.

Obama also is taking full advantage of the openings McCain presents. Take his response to McCain ally Senator Phil Gramm’s read that the United States is "a nation of whiners" in a "mental recession," Obama jumped on the Gramm-gram to portray McCain as out of touch.

This audience ate up Obama's criticism of McCain — just like his crowds do every day. McCain and his top people should be learning from that.

I'll blog at you again on Fri Jul 25.



39 Comments |  Add a Comment

Member Comments Total Comments: 39
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DfDeportation read my blog view my photos
Jul 18, 2008 | 8:14 AM

Why is The Dali Bama goin' to Europe anyway? He can't speak the languages. How arrogant and embarrassing! ha ha ha

DfDeportation read my blog view my photos
Jul 18, 2008 | 8:16 AM

And as for the ANCHORS going with him? Oh, you must mean THE APOSTLES following their messiah....ha ha ha The MSM is dying....

sebar read my blog view my photos
Jul 18, 2008 | 7:30 PM

Bob, may I ask you a very honest question? How is FOX different from these three clown organizations when you say "Fair and Balanced" but will not cover all of the Presidential candidates? The way I see it, they aren't that much different from the way FOX is acting towards McCain.

Now if you covered other candidates like Chuck Baldwin of the Constitution Party, the Green Party and others I would have a far greater respect for FOX, but you guys not going on this circus doesn't mean you are completely clean to say you aren't them. So my big question to FOX LA's newshead and others. "When will you fair and balanced cover all of the other Presidential candidates from other parties?

Donspoliticalblog read my blog view my photos
Jul 18, 2008 | 10:34 PM

Could it be that Fox can't get access to Obama? Could it be that his handlers can't control the questions from Fox like they can from the Three Stooges of TV. I have heard many times Hannity offering his show to Obama without a trace of a response. He would even have dopey Alan Combs on his side should he choose. But no Obama for this network.
Don

DfDeportation read my blog view my photos
Jul 18, 2008 | 10:36 PM

How about the L.A. Mayor's Race? Who's this guy making waves, WALTER MOORE??? Isn't he the guy putting Jamiel's Law on the ballot this coming Novemner?

DfDeportation read my blog view my photos
Jul 18, 2008 | 10:37 PM

November...

craftyguy read my blog
Jul 18, 2008 | 10:52 PM

the news media worships Obama like a God ..not one station has even raised a question about him like they have against McCain ..gee can it be the media is liberal??or are they afraid of becoming the next Jesse Jackson?.why are they so afraid of questioning this man??or even asking him how he plans to bring about nirvana in our time..why are they leaving it up to the RNC to bring up the truth about this con man?

DfDeportation read my blog view my photos
Jul 18, 2008 | 11:00 PM

Hey Bob,

How about some of your crack reporting on Chuck Baldwin, Walter Moore, and Cynthia McKinney?

DfDeportation read my blog view my photos
Jul 19, 2008 | 7:46 AM

When you do the ol' Who, What, When, Where, and Why thingy, not difficult to figure out that the TRUE BIGOTS are the writers, editors, news anchors, and Far-Leftists implying it's others who are the bigots. Clever eh? Is it any wonder the MSM apparatus with it's minnions putting this type of so-called news is now circling the drain? Bob, I din't know just how elitist you were, thanks for answering that question for us.

dasvics read my blog view my photos
Jul 19, 2008 | 9:24 AM

Yeah Bob, what is Obama doing abroad? Campaigning?
What a waste of time and money, doesn't he know all Middle Eastern Muslims and extremists adore him? Someone send him an fyi. He should be campaigning in the United States of America instead, explaining his positions to the American voters, trying to prove to them that he’s got THEIR best interest at heart. Oh but wait, that would be flat out lying.
So, what’s his next stop, Mexico?

DfDeportation read my blog view my photos
Jul 19, 2008 | 1:49 PM

When Juan "Z-Visa" McCain went to England, he went to beg for money. Lord knows he sure can't get money or volunteers here at home. Well, at least they spoke the same language. Sort of...

sebar read my blog view my photos
Jul 19, 2008 | 4:44 PM

Hey Bob, others are beginning to ask you and other FOX officials to come clean with us. If FOX is fair and balanced we are asking for you to interview and show us other candidates. You and other FOX people say you are different then the other three networks and all I am asking is ok, let's see other candidates running for offices from other political parties. Inform the masses in a "Fair and Balanced" way as FOX claims it is, nothing more then that. I respect folks who stick by what they say for better or worse. Now I ams asking why can't we hear what others have to say, or is FOX just like the other networks...here is one better.

Mr. Murdoch, I respect you. How about showing other political parties fair and balanced. You built your empire on being conservative leaning in a liberal world, how about it? Is FOX fair and balanced, does it stand behind that meaning? Will it start giving equal airtime to other political candidates or is it beholden to John McCain and Barak Obama, and oh, I almost forgot Jesse Jackson and the Clinton's?

craftyguy read my blog
Jul 19, 2008 | 7:08 PM

the bottom line there is no interest in McCain as there is Obama ..thats why all the mews networks keep stressing the fact he is African American when he is not he is a Malabo only half black but you never here any station who ever calls him that ..then it just another race instead of this whole black verses white oh how we advanced as a nation crap ..it would have been the same if Clinton had got in it would all be about women..FOX as well as all so called news networks are all the same they always bring out the differences with a slant to whatever side fits them to cause controversy..why do you think they do all those investigative shows its all pure yellow jernoism at its best..if you really want to know whats going on in this country watch the BBC

gimini210 read my blog view my photos
Jul 19, 2008 | 7:26 PM

Did you not notice BBC is bias towards Obama? I do watch them as well as read alot of articals form news papers outside of the bias ones in the U.S. but most are pro Obama. The Muslim world look at him as the return of the Messiah and that alone is scary.

craftyguy read my blog
Jul 19, 2008 | 9:20 PM

i don't watch the BBC i was being sarcastic but i imagine your right the whole world is looking to see if we will elect this man and the media is helping us to do It by slamming McCain but never criticizing Obama unless it comes from Anne Coulter or Rush Limbaugh who are looked at as far right

sebar read my blog view my photos
Jul 19, 2008 | 9:26 PM

Dr. Michael Savage has slammed Obama intellectually every day, calling Obama a naked Marxist on the radio and Nancy Pelosi the wicked witch of san fran sicko!

craftyguy read my blog
Jul 20, 2008 | 8:11 AM

so that makes 3 and there may be 1 or two more ..either way they are the minority..have you seen MSNBC lately it looks like BET its like Obama's own network and all the white reporters or commentators are pro Obama its disgusting everyone is afraid of saying anything or they think they will be called racist..this is the sad state the liberal politically correct scumbags have wrought ..and did you hear the latest in Obama's back yard Chicago they just passed a law that you cant show your underwear while wearing baggy pants ..a law against gang bangers ..the ACLU is trying to stop it as it says it targets people of color..[...]

sebar read my blog view my photos
Jul 20, 2008 | 1:38 PM

Well you cannot say the "N" word or "F" word or "K" word or "C" word or "S" word in fact words that sound like these syllable wise may be made illegal. The liberals have made words illegal, thoughts illegal, so where is free America anymore? It's in the toilet about to get "F"lushed!

DfDeportation read my blog view my photos
Jul 20, 2008 | 5:38 PM

It seems like forever we've been consumed with the high gas prices. This run-up in energy costs has diverted our attention away from other pressing issues that need addressing, but we can't seem to take our eyes off the pump.

Politicians are counting on that. U.S. Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz., is quietly sponsoring a couple of bills in Congress that would extend federal wildlife protection to about 84,000 acres along the U.S.-Mexico border at Coronado National Forest. This would effectively move the border 30 miles to the north. It would also effectively create a safe haven for drug runners and coyotes.




The only chance we have in stopping illegal entry into our country is for Border Patrol agents to peer into Mexico to see who's coming. A 30-mile buffer zone would make it impossible to do that.

Rep. Grijalva is offering his legislation under the guise of protecting the environment, but it's clear what his intentions are. He's attempting to facilitate illegal immigration now that the Border Patrol has stepped up its enforcement.

Donspoliticalblog read my blog view my photos
Jul 20, 2008 | 10:13 PM

I sure hope someone scripted Obama for this trip. I'd hate to think they let him think on his feet cause we know how stupid some of his comments are without a script. Why do you think he won't come on Fox?

Hey why hasn't anyone been talking about Ramos and Campeon. It sure has faded in the news. Lets get it going again and soon. They need our support.
Don

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Bob_Tarlau

That's me in the center... flanked by colleagues John Schwada and Darryl Kim at the Fox 11 Skybox at the Democratic Convention in Denver. I'm a senior producer with KTTV Fox 11 -- doing investigative and feature pieces for the 10P news and half hour documentaries on subjects light to heavy. I've been in the TV news biz as a producer for over 40 years.

Member Since: 7/20/2006