Fox News still bias toward Obama, but to a lesser degree

Obama's Cabinet Picks Heavy on Washington Experience

Perusing this week's news articles from various media outlets, I noticed something particularly interesting, yet unsurprising; Fox News has practically ceased criticizing now President-elect Barack Obama. Key word: practically.

Despite clear indications that the network's avoided its usual agenda-setting (because of Obama's overwhelming victory), bias is still evident. Take the lead of the article Obama's Cabinet Picks Heavy on Washington Experience for example:

"For months on the campaign trail, Barack Obama promised to bring change to Washington. But now that he's president-elect, his first potential Cabinet picks indicate that he may bring more years of Washington experience to his administration than Bill Clinton or George W. Bush did."

Obama promised change. He didn't promise inexperienced Cabinet members. Suggesting that picking experienced Cabinet members is somehow contradictory to a policy of change is either stupid or biased. Something tells me it's the latter.

Who the experienced individuals are is the subject of interest, or at least it should be. Obama picking individuals who served or held views consistent with the Bush Administration would be cause for criticism. But this is not the case.

In fact, he seems to be keen on veterans of the Clinton Administration, naming Rahm Emanuel as his White House Chief of Staff. Emanuel was a leading strategist in the efforts to institute universal health care during Clinton's presidency.

To be fair, the lead is the only blatant bias in the article. Fox did include several quotes from Russell Riley, a presidential historian at the University of Virginia's Miller Center of Public Affairs. These include the following:

"[Clinton administration veterans] participated in a presidency that is viewed to have its accomplishments and was viewed as well run."

"The argument that Obama people would make ... it's possible to rely on people who know how the levers are pulled, but move it in a different direction than the last eight years."

Fox News praises McCain, bashes Biden and Obama

VP candidate Biden calls paying higher taxes a patriotic act. McCain supporter Gov. Tom Pawlenty reacts.

The "We Report. You Decide" Fox News slogan suggests the network alone provides us with adequate information to base intelligent decisions on. Question: How can we make such decisions when its news reports present only one side of an issue, the Republican side?

Thursday night, Fox News aired a report in response to VP Joe Biden's comments on ABC's Good Morning America. While discussing presidential candidate Barack Obama’s economic plan, under which those making more than $250,000 a year would pay more taxes, Biden said "It's time to be patriotic...its time to help America get out of the rut."

Following the segment from Good Morning America, Shepard Smith mentioned that McCain called the tax plan “dumb,” before interviewing Republican Minnesota Governor Tom Pawlenty, a McCain supporter. Pawlenty criticized Biden, stating that his comments resulted from “misguided and unclear thinking” and that the tax plan would “stifle and suffocate the economy.” He then went on to explain McCain’s economic plans like the creation of a Mortgage and Financial Institutions trust.

Pawlenty’s response to Biden’s interview and criticism of Obama’s economic plan isn’t the problem here. The absence of a Democratic dignitary to provide an alternative viewpoint is. The positive comments about McCain’s plans were plenty, yet we heard nothing about Obama’s plans or Biden’s interview but harsh criticism. This report is not “fair and balanced,” as Fox would lead you to believe. It’s bias.

Headline: A New Twist in the Debate on Mothers
by New York Times reporters Jodi Kantor and Rachel L. Swarns

Let me start off this blog by making it clear that I do not have anything against how The New York Times operates. The publication is actually one of my favorite "all-star" newspaper powerhouses out there. However, this article took me by surprise in its sloppy reporting and unprofessional outlook on Gov. Sarah Palin and her candidacy. Since this blog is dedicated to unlocking and exposing the bias in media, I should also say that when it comes to politics, I have chosen to remain neutral, so my personal opinions will not cloud my judgement. 

"It's the Mommy Wars: Special Campaign Edition."

The majority of the article is basically an attack on Palin's campaign, questioning whether or not she will have time to commit to the stresses/duties that her position would require and also to efficiently care for her family, which include five children, one son who has Down syndrome and a pregnant 17-year-old daughter. The reporters shape this argument from entirely too many quotations containing opinions of religious mothers from around the country. The reporters tend to sugarcoat their attack with supposed uplifting sentences proclaiming Palin as having "everymom appeal" and being "a magnet for female voters." In other words, "you are a woman, good for you for putting your foot in the door of a man's world." 

"You can juggle a Blackberry and a breast pump in a lot of jobs, but not in the vice presidency," said Christina Henry de Tessan, a mother of two in Portland, Ore., who supports Mr. Obama. 

I found a couple of things a little strange  in this quotation, the first is that Barack Obama was referred to as Mr. Obama. The second is that this was just one of the many instances where those who were interviewed favored Obama. Where is the other side? 

Another factor I found extremely bias and unprofessional was that motherhood, albeit being the topic of the article, was grossly overanalyzed, while there was little to no mention of a father figure or his role in family affairs.

I would like to close on another quotation. 

"People who don't have children or who have only one or two are kind of overwhelmed at the notion of five children," Ms. Schlafly continued, mentioning that she had raised six children and run for Congress as well."I think a hard-working, well-organized C.E.O. type can handle it very well."

This was the only quotation that defended Palin.