Cable news nets run ad attacking Obama over and over -- even as pundits note win-win for McCain
SUMMARY: Beginning on the afternoon of April 23, MSNBC, Fox News, and CNN aired a controversial ad by the North Carolina Republican Party attacking Sen. Barack Obama and two Democratic gubernatorial candidates at least 22 times combined, in most cases also noting that Sen. John McCain denounced the ad. As media figures on MSNBC and CNN pointed out, the repeated broadcasts benefit the North Carolina Republican Party, which does not have to pay for them, and they presumably benefit McCain, even as he is credited with taking the high road for criticizing the ad.
Beginning on the afternoon of April 23, MSNBC, Fox News, and CNN aired a controversial ad by the North Carolina Republican Party attacking Sen. Barack Obama and Democratic gubernatorial candidates Beverly Perdue and Richard Moore at least 22 times combined, in most cases also noting that Sen. John McCain denounced the ad. As MSNBC political analyst Rachel Maddow and other media figures on MSNBC and CNN pointed out, the repeated broadcasts benefit the North Carolina Republican Party, which does not have to pay for them, and presumably benefit McCain, even as he is credited with taking the high road for criticizing the ad.
Indeed, according to an April 24 New York Times article, there had yet to be an airing of the ad paid for by the North Carolina Republican Party. The Times reported: "Republican officials in North Carolina said [the ad] would make its debut during the [April 24] 6 p.m. newscasts."
As Media Matters for America noted, MSNBC also gave another ad attacking Obama free publicity. On the April 24 edition of MSNBC Live, while airing video of that ad, created by Floyd Brown, Contessa Brewer said, "Well, here's the catch: Brown does not have a single ad buy in any TV market. Instead of paying for airtime, he just announces this in a press release for outlets like YouTube to pick up." Brewer did not note the irony of her and MSNBC's giving the ad free airtime while reporting that the producer was hoping for free airtime, although guest Craig Gordon, Newsday Washington bureau chief, made the point: "[W]e're talking about it here today, so he probably accomplished what he hoped to accomplish."
Fox News
On Fox News, the North Carolina Republican Party's advertisement aired at least 10 times, with McCain's condemnation mentioned in nine of the instances, beginning at 4 p.m. ET on April 23, including on the programs Your World with Neil Cavuto, America's Election HQ, Special Report with Brit Hume, Hannity & Colmes, Fox & Friends First, and Fox & Friends.
MSNBC
On MSNBC, the advertisement aired at least eight times, beginning at 1 p.m. ET, including on the programs MSNBC Live, Hardball with Chris Matthews, Race for the White House with David Gregory, and Verdict with Dan Abrams. Seven of those reports included McCain's condemnation of the ad.
On CNN, the advertisement and McCain's condemnation aired at least four times, beginning at 4 p.m. ET, including on the programs The Situation Room and Lou Dobbs Tonight.
CNN and MSNBC aired the ad despite pundits' pointing out on both cable networks that doing so benefited McCain:
- On the April 23 edition of The Situation Room, correspondent Brian Todd aired a quote from Larry J. Sabato, director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia: "It's win-win for McCain. McCain looks like a saint in denouncing the negative advertising, but he also ensures now that the media, the news media, will run that ad repeatedly for free. So the message of the ad will get out." CNN aired the advertisement at least three more times after Todd's report on the 4 p.m. ET hour of The Situation Room.
- As Media Matters noted, Slate.com contributor Melinda Henneberger asserted on the 4 p.m. ET hour of MSNBC Live on April 23, "McCain gets to have it both ways. He gets to take the high road and say that these attacks are absolutely unwarranted ... and yet the ads are still out there doing him some good for the general [election]."
- On the April 23 edition of Hardball, Washington Post editorial writer Jonathan Capehart said of McCain, "He's able to have it both ways in terms of there's an attack ad on Senator Obama. He gets to denounce it. He gets to say, 'Take it off the air.' And then they get to say, 'Well, no, we're not going to do it.' And by the way, every cable network is going to show it every half-hour on the half-hour because it's a big story. You know, heck, I saw on MSNBC that this ad was out there."
- On the April 23 edition of Race for the White House, Maddow said, "John McCain today proactively weighed in with the North Carolina GOP and asked them not to run that ad. ... I think McCain recognizes that there are some political points to be gained, particularly with independents and with people for whom that Obama 'no politics as usual' message is resonating, and this certainly gives him those points. The fact that the ad's going to run anyway means it is actually a win-win for him instead of just a simple win."
In addition to these comments on CNN and MSNBC, National Review Online blogger Jim Geraghty wrote in an April 24 post, "By criticizing the ad, McCain turned it into a national story, which means the ad is likely to be replayed on the cable networks and linked on YouTube and discussed on the talk shows and talk radio and written about in newspapers and magazines."
From the April 23 edition of CNN's The Situation Room:
TODD: Obama campaign officials wouldn't go beyond saying Americans are tired of divisive politics. But the Republican National Committee and John McCain are going one step further.
They've asked the North Carolina GOP to stop running this ad, just unveiled, using Obama's association with Pastor Jeremiah Wright to attack two Democratic candidates for governor.
WRIGHT: Not God bless America, God [bleep] America. That's in the --
NARRATOR: Now, Bev Perdue and Richard Moore endorse Barack Obama. They should know better.
TODD: In a letter to North Carolina's GOP chairwoman, McCain calls the ad offensive.
SABATO: It's win-win for McCain. McCain looks like a saint in denouncing the negative advertising, but he also ensures now that the media, the news media, will run that ad repeatedly for free. So the message of the ad will get out.
[end video clip]
TODD: A McCain campaign official calls that absolutely absurd, says any suggestion that he benefits from this situation is wrong. The official says the ads are a distraction from the real differences in this campaign, [host] Wolf [Blitzer].
From the 4 p.m. April 23 edition of MSNBC Live:
CONTESSA BREWER (anchor): Melinda, these attacks, are they because the GOP party in North Carolina wants to hurt Barack Obama before the general election? Or because they really are hoping that Hillary Clinton will be the Democratic nominee?
HENNEBERGER: Well, whichever is the case, I think this is fantastic because McCain gets to have it both ways. He gets to take the high road and say that these attacks are absolutely unwarranted, as I think they are. And yet the ads are still out there, no doubt doing him some good for the general. So whatever the motivations, I think it's a win-win for him.
From the April 23 edition of MSNBC's Hardball with Chris Matthews:
CHRIS MATTHEWS (host): Jonathan, John McCain says in a letter to them today he thinks they ought to pull the ad, but they're clearly going their own way on this. They say it's a local issue. They're going to stick with it.
CAPEHART: You know, I find it very interesting in this regard: He's able to have it both ways in terms of there's an attack ad on Senator Obama. He gets to denounce it. He gets to say, "Take it off the air." And then they get to say, "Well, no, we're not going to do it." And by the way, every cable network is going to show it every half-hour on the half-hour --
MATTHEWS: Right.
CAPEHART: -- because it's a big story. You know, heck, I saw on MSNBC that this ad was out there. I went to the website and I watched it and I told other --
MATTHEWS: Well --
CAPEHART: -- people and they watched it. It's sort of like the --
MATTHEWS: To make your point, Jonathan, we're going to show you a worse one of these ads when we come back after the break, all for free.
From the April 23 edition of MSNBC's Race for the White House with David Gregory:
MADDOW: John McCain today proactively weighed in with the North Carolina GOP and asked them not to run that ad. North Carolina GOP responded by saying, "Whatever. We're going to run it anyway." John McCain therefore gets the benefit of the high road, of being seen to try to put the kibosh on this. And of course it will hurt Barack Obama when it runs in North Carolina.
DAVID GREGORY (host): This is not -- this is only -- this -- it's certainly going to come up again, Rachel, whether it's North Carolina or somewhere else. Is this a lasting political tactic on the part of McCain?
MADDOW: I think McCain recognizes that there are some political points to be gained, particularly with independents and with people for whom --
GREGORY: Yeah.
MADDOW: -- that Obama "no politics as usual" message is resonating, and this certainly gives him those points. The fact that the ad's going to run anyway means it is actually a win-win for him instead of just a simple win.
GREGORY: All right. We have a lot more to get to in the program.
Someone in New Orleans asked John about Hagee, his statements, and John's feelings about his endorsment. That should get some airplay.
A comparable event shown nationally would deconstruct him very quickly. One reason most folks will not see it very soon.
Fodder for a future ad campaign though.
I love South Park! Good post.
There's actually two ads, and they keep running both of them.
The first one associates Obama with gangs and crime and particularly African American gangsters. The second one today shows Wright and his 'G-D America' line. Both end with that same old Republican broad explaining who's behind the ad.
The first ad is clearly racist. The second one is inflammatory at best.
p.s. I left out my point, which is-- just which one is McCain speaking out against?
The other one. :-)
He's speaking against whichever one will keep both of them in the news cycle longer.
Are they in the tank for Hillary? Not likely. If Hillary somehow manages to win the nomination, they'll turn on her like a pack of hyenas. She won't survive the summer.
Joe Scarborough made the most profoundly stupid remark I've heard him make this morning. Speaking of Hillary's "Be Afraid" ad, he said that anyone who was offended by it is not serious enough to have a vote. Okay.... this after weeks of his hyperventilating and hand wringing over flag pins, "elitism", and comments made by Obama or his supporters that "offended" certain segments of the population. OMFG
Then they launch into longwinded spasms about Obama's "self-inflicted" problems. Bullsh*t. The only reason Jeremiah Wright is a problem is because the Right Wing Media Toadies HAVE MADE IT A GODDAM PROBLEM by running it into the ground!
My God, these people are idiots.
Then they launch into longwinded spasms about Obama's "self-inflicted" problems. Bullsh*t. The only reason Jeremiah Wright is a problem is because the Right Wing Media Toadies HAVE MADE IT A GODDAM PROBLEM by running it into the ground!
It's not just the rightwing media. From what I've seen from a few news clips this morning, liberal Bill Moyers and the good reverand are not doing Barack any favors . . . . Why the hell did these guys choose now to do this interview? The reverand should be smart enough to realize that nobody gives two-sh!ts about him, EXCEPT for his connection to Obama. I highly doubt that BO is eager to watch this interview tonight . . .
Speaking of the idiot Scarborough, did you see him or hear about him getting all huffy and storming out of the studio because Rachel Maddow shut his stupid a** down?
Roundhouse,
Maddow's smart as hell. when did this happen? this morning? I've seen scarborough get all upset with her before . . . but it was a few weeks ago on Abrams' show
http://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-sheppard/2008/04/18/scarborough-has-enough-air-americas-maddow-walks-msnbc-set
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/04/17/joe-scarborough-walks-off_n_97330.html
Sorry you have to copy and paste the links but ever since MMFA "upgraded" the site I can't post links like I used to.
Very telling, those two links. Newsbusters doesn't want to admit it, but their boy Joe is a spoiled brat who couldn't take it when Rachel Maddow confronted his lies and condesention with truth and reality.
He needs to be confronted with the truth more often. And shown for the pathological liar and moron that he truly is.
Thanks, Roundhouse. The Newsbusters take on this is hilarious, describing Maddow as "disgraceful". Another demonstration of the Kryptonite-like effect of analogies on concrete thinkers.
Scarborough really sticks to the game plan;focus on trivial sensational crap, but when the other side counters with something comparable to point out your weakness, jump on that high horse and declare that you don't stoop to that level.
Joe even throws in the arbitrary explanation for why his BS is valid, but the other side has to keep it clean.
I've seen Scarborough at times be a decent commentator, but he got spanked here and turned into a straight-up sissy-boy. He reminded me of one of the lower-rung trolls here, who try to claim some moral high ground as soon as their crap starts blowing back on them.
Ain't that the truth.
"He reminded me of one of the lower-rung trolls here, who try to claim some moral high ground as soon as their crap starts blowing back on them."
He reminds me of ALL of our lower-rung trolls.
Now if Obama had himself said GD America, that would be self inflicted, but since he didn't say it, or actually didn't say anything that Wright said in his sermon, I don't see how these things are self inflicted... Only because these hacks make it so.
It also sort of makes my head spin when they talk about how it's so sad that people don't know why they want to vote for (insert candidate's name here), because they don't know their stands on the issues, and things like that, and that the electorate is uninformed. But of course, these arseholes do nothing to help educate people, instead, we get flag pins, bitterness, and other stupid things instead of, you know, actual real political coverage.
You want a comparison to make this crystal clear to you - say that the NC Democratic party put out an ad saying that yes, it is true that Gramps fathered a black baby. Then Obama comes out and says he disavows himself from the ad. But then the MSM picks up the "controversy" and opines endlessly about how this will hurt Gramps in his campaign.
It's called Swift Boating and it is the low blow of politics. But then that's the only way Republicans can get elected these days - not on policy, but on lies and smear tactics.
Ah, no, that one got dropped the day it broke.
Just think if Clinton's alleged "scandals" had all dropped the day they broke. Never would happen though.
If the story you site were true then it would be damaging - but it wouldn't be misinformation.
The add links Obama to Wright and uses Wright's own words to make it's case. None of that is misinformation.
If the story you site were true then it would be damaging - but it wouldn't be misinformation.
Point taken. Substitute Hagee's loving remarks about Catholics or Katrina victims would suffice.
Launched in May 2004, Media Matters for America put in place, for the first time, the means to systematically monitor a cross section of print, broadcast, cable, radio, and Internet media outlets for conservative misinformation — news or commentary that is not accurate, reliable, or credible and that forwards the conservative agenda — every day, in real time.
This forwards the conservative agenda. End of story.
It's fascinating, the word-twisting double-talking rationalizations, and the frivolous and obscure distinction these "media" paid operatives make, all the while doing what in truth (I trust MMFA) is simply this:
In less than 36 hours, beginning on the afternoon of April 23, MSNBC, Fox News, and CNN aired at least 22 times combined, an ad attacking Sen. Barack Obama and two Democratic gubernatorial candidates
...and I can only assume that they did not charge a single dollar to the makers of that ad, for even a single one of the times they aired it (free of charge).
You'd think they were communists, the way they just give it away, free of charge... communists or political "media" sluts.
"anti-McCain ad that contrasts some of his rhetoric with reality"
Here is the first attack ad from the DNC that you speak of.
Note that it does not contain any reference to Hagee, which will only decrease its chances of seeing any free airplay by the "liberal" media.
http://www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews/idUSN2535509420080425
I hope the Maverick's conduct will serve as a role model to the democratic candidate when the primary is over. The Straight-Talker's integrity is exceedingly difficult to equal, but is nevertheless something to which other politicians can aspire
Gramps is just another George W. Bush; he's sold his soul to the ghouls in the back room at the RNC, and they'll lie, cheat and steal to usher him into the White House. He'll be another empty suit who is so tickled to be there that he'll do whatever they tell him to do, Just like President Numbnuts. Maybe they'll find a loophole that allows Dickless Cheney to serve a third term as V.P. That way, Gramps can just sleep all day and let the Dark Lord continue running the country.
I hope the Maverick's conduct will serve as a role model to the democratic candidate when the primary is over. The Straight-Talker's integrity is exceedingly difficult to equal, but is nevertheless something to which other politicians can aspire
Graps McCain's words ring hollow. If he can't even get the members of his own party to listen to him and pull that ad, how does he expect to run the damn contry if we're unlucky enough to get stuck with this loser?
Thomp.Steve the double talk express is headed in the wrong direction for me! Besides McNasty as he was called in High School is just too nasty. While on the Hffington Post website i found this excerpt from a soon to be released book titled "The Real McCain" by Cliff Schecter he tells a story that took place aboard McNasty's bus during is 1992 Senate bid witnessed by 3 reporter and in the presence of Doug Cole a campaign aide and Wes Gullett a consultant, "at one point, Cindy playfully twirled McCains hair and said,...'Your getting a little thin up there.' McCains face reddened and he responded, 'At least i don't plaster on the make-up like a trollop, you c@#t."
McCains whole image of straight talk is straight BS! Glenn Greenwald debunks this whole media created persona in his columns over on Salon.com. The whole Republican image from being for small govt., and less govt. intrusion into our personal lives, to being strong on foreign policy, to being fiscally sound is pure BS! Reagan and Bush created the biggest deficits in the history of this nation ,and the intrusion of govt. into our personal lives has grown astronomically fromthe peeking into the books we read to who we talk to,to who can engage in civil unions. As for foreign policy we are less safe today and our policies in the middle east according to our govt. agencies reporting are creating more "terrorist" not less. We are losing the battle for the hearts and minds of the world with our torture and rendition policies and if it not for our arrogance and power many in the present administration would be tried in international courts for war crimes. Pysops have been illegally perpetrated on "WE THE PEOPLE" with the help of MSNBC, FOX, CNN,ABC ,CBS,and ABC as last Sundays NYT's expose of Pentagon military analyst who were paraded on the airwaves as independent analyst reported. McCains and the Republicans image is just that image, Madison Avenue hype and BS. They the Republicans believe like PT Barnum " a sucker is born every minute." I don't believe the hype. Sell your snake-oil somewhere else! I ain't buying!
Nefarious Broadcasting Company". The "Sneak-Boating" ad run by MSNBC, over the "objections" of Johnny Mack, has Karl "The Snarl" Rove written all over it. In addition, the "mavrick" label has worked to paint a false image of a political parrot. Sadly, many Americans have swallowed this MSM ad campaign and view Johnny as a different animal from the Bush Babies hiding in the White House.
It isn't difficult to get a completely false attack ad that has been disavowed by the main candidate (McCain) aired on Republican shill networks like MSNBC. As Foser writes in his overview, "Things are a little easier if your name is John McCain-after all, who need the RNC when you have MSNBC?" Also, "Time magazine's Rick Stengel asserted that 'McCain is so pure on this issue...'. "How would Stengel know,,,?"
The only thing "mavrickan" (I just made up a word!) about Johnny Mac is we never know what he's gonna DO or SAY! The Republican Media (everybody) just reports, "Well, that's just Ol' John, doin' his thing...heh, heh, heh." "But let's get to the bitch,
Hillary's comment about her finances, and don't forget Barack's Rev. Wright connection....Wassup wid DAT?" The partisanship of the MSM is just disgusting!
Media Matters, et al
Since the MSNBC and other outlets ran the ad in its entirety - I wonder if you can file a complaint with the FEC that that would be an "in kind" contribution to the campaign.... Or some how target it to the GOP Federal Account because they specifically named federal candidates.
I am not up on all the McCain / Feingold crap - But wouldn't it be funny if you could stop this thing being aired over and over again and tie it to the Corporate Media having to pay and / or report it to the FEC.
They did the same thing with the swift boats - the ads never had to run because the MSM ran them in their entirety.