Media Scrutiny.... it's part of every presidential race.

This election season has been a particularly long one and a perceptively important one. Because of this, the presidential candidates have been continuously put under a microscope for over a year.

Like everything, it seems, there is a law of diminishing returns with media scrutiny.... once everything has been picked over about a candidate, there comes a point where astonishly damaging material becomes very unlikely to surface.

I believe that McCain and Obama have reached that point. They have been the assumed nominees for so long that their respective histories have been picked over to the point that there is very little chance for new revelations.

In regard to the Vice Presidential candidates, Biden has been a senator for a very long time and his history is largely already in public record and in the press. Palin, however, is new to the scene and information about her basically means a bunch of reporters going to Alaska for investigative reporting.... something I believe has just gotten underway.


So my point is this.... I think that the top of the GOP and DEM tickets have been thoroughly put through the wringer. There are negative stories about each man, but those things are well known by now and the electorate is well aware, and it's reflected in the polls. On the Bottom of the Ticket, the liability or vulnerability seems to lie much more on the GOP side. Palin has been only lightly investigated so far and there is even an active legal investigation in progress against her.

With less than 2 months to go before people step into the voting booth, I feel that media scrutiny has reached a point of diminishing returns on all candidates except Palin. It seems that people react most negatively to new news... and the most recent new news. If new controversial stories continue to surface on Palin for the next month or so, it will continue to do damage.

Given the circumstances, I think media scrutiny on Obama came fast, furious and early....When Obama said the things would be "old news" by October... it seems he was right. All the "new news" is now about Palin. Do all these questions have time to be answered/put to rest?

__________________

Congratulations President-Elect Obama

I think all the petty negative things about Palin were swept under the rug at the RNC when she made a phenominal speech. This person is incredible. She's smart, quick on her feet and a breath of fresh air. She is the real thing as a conservative Republican Veep candidate. I can't wait for the debates to start. And, I can't wait for the next galup poll to come out. Osama and McCain were neck and neck even before the RNC speeches took place.

WOW. Sounds EXACTLY like the praise about Barack Obama that is so commonly referred to as 'praise over a few words.'

seems like folks see what they want to see. Obama gives a speech, it is BS hype. Palin gives a speech, politics has been redefined and a new golden era has begun.

__________________
Anyone with a vision needs to see an eye doctor. -Helmut Schmidt.

"Mrs. Palin, which specific journals and news sources do you read? (after being asked once)"

"Oh, All of them!"

Clearly they do see what they want to see. As I saw much praise of BHO's speech at the DNC (and I agree that it was a good speech), I also noticed some of that prasie came from those who idolize BHO, some of that praise came from those neutral to BHO, and some of that praise came from those who are not BHO's supporters. Finally, the criticism came from the other partisans. As I discount the partisans' analysis of his speech (he could have burped through Yankee Doodle and the BHO supporter partisans would have thought it brilliant), I concluded that most thought it was a good/great speech. I'm surprised you missed the praise.

__________________
I am an American. That's the way most of us put it, just matter of factly. They are plain words, those four: you could write them on your thumbnail, or sweep them clear across this bright autumn sky. But remember too, that they are more than just words. They are a way of life. So whenever you speak them; speak them firmly, speak them proudly, speak them gratefully. I am an American. ...a tradition

I think Palin is demonstrating for Republicans why Dems have been swooning over Obama. That said, yes, political fatigue is setting in for even me, and I don't want to hear another CNN Update or Fox News Report til November.

__________________
"The quickest way of ending a war is to lose it."
- George Orwell

What I'm getting tired of is the statement "This is the most important election in our history".

My God, we hear that every four years.

I really hope they come up with something new one day...

__________________
Obama's New "57 State Patriotic Pin":




Sayeth John Drake - 10/13/08: "OK, you're right, I admit to LYING"

This Sunday, Obama will be on "This Week", Biden on "Meet the Press" and McCain will be on "Face the Nation" , apparently the GOP is a little nervous about what Palin might do without a teleprompter, either that or she's at the GOP swimsuit calendar shoot.........seriously, she can get free face time and go into the issues on any show she wants, she's a hot item right now, so why isn't she on TV answering questions?

Oh, that's why................

__________________
“ The subjects of every state ought to contribute towards the support of the government, as nearly as possible, in proportion to their respective abilities; that is, in proportion to the revenue which they respectively enjoy under the protection of the state.”

Adam Smith , The Wealth of Nations 1776

"We have always known that heedless self-interest was bad morals; we know now that it is bad economics"
FDR's second Inaugural Address

Palin has had an anal probing for the last week and Obama still has skirted many questions about his past.

I think that as long as the press continues to show their bias or any personality shows bias against Palin they will pay a heavy price.

Just keep it up and you will assure that more and more people will take sides against you.

__________________


"We can't screw it up any worse than they have." - Barack Obama

Wanna bet?



"You never want a serious crisis to go to waste...." - Rahm Emmanuel

OK, I don't know what her deal was to get picked, but that's a little too much information.

Well, maybe they will ask him about that, he's appearing on TV to answer questions tomorrow.

Nobody knows anything about Palin except that she is a right wing extremist, under an ethics investigation, with a pregnant 17 year old daughter.
How about she appears on a TV show, like all the other candidates, and answers some questions? Because if she doesn't fill in the blanks, someone else is going to have to..................

And the press is all over Alaska now trying to dig up the dirt, just like they've been digging it up on Obama, Biden and McCain.
That's not bias, that's called getting the story, it's what the press is supposed to do.

__________________
“ The subjects of every state ought to contribute towards the support of the government, as nearly as possible, in proportion to their respective abilities; that is, in proportion to the revenue which they respectively enjoy under the protection of the state.”

Adam Smith , The Wealth of Nations 1776

"We have always known that heedless self-interest was bad morals; we know now that it is bad economics"
FDR's second Inaugural Address

She's not a right-wing extremist.

You say nobody knows anything but you do know that she's an extremist.

You seem a bit biased.

The presses job isn't to fuck over Republicans while providing cover for Obama.

Their job is to report the news.

__________________


"We can't screw it up any worse than they have." - Barack Obama

Wanna bet?



"You never want a serious crisis to go to waste...." - Rahm Emmanuel

OK, Palin is an Anti-Abortion, no exception for rape or incest, pro-gun rights, pro censorship, pro creationism in schools, Pro-tax cuts for the wealthy, pro drilling, pro-Iraq war, pro-Abstinence Only, anti-health care right wing moderate.

Just what the undecided Hillary Clinton voters were looking for.........

__________________
“ The subjects of every state ought to contribute towards the support of the government, as nearly as possible, in proportion to their respective abilities; that is, in proportion to the revenue which they respectively enjoy under the protection of the state.”

Adam Smith , The Wealth of Nations 1776

"We have always known that heedless self-interest was bad morals; we know now that it is bad economics"
FDR's second Inaugural Address

These are Right-Wing extremists.

__________________


"We can't screw it up any worse than they have." - Barack Obama

Wanna bet?



"You never want a serious crisis to go to waste...." - Rahm Emmanuel

Well there's no doubt Palin's a polarizing figure, it'll be interesting to watch how it plays out

I'm glad to see you haven't lost your touch for punchy and accurate posts, mud!

Nice response.....

__________________
"On my signal, unleash hell."

and obama has been vetted ? ha.....

__________________
No individual can plan his own existence in their view.

So the state planners must arrogate to themselves the right to manipulate any sector of the economic system if the good of “society” or the “general welfare” is paramount.

Ipso- if the rights of the individual get in the way, the rights of the individual must be sublimated.

The Road to Serfdom
FA Hayek (interpretation)


Mortgage Backed Security survivor