Conservative Complaints about Obama News Coverage

I am fortunate in that I have the time to read and listen to multiple information sources. I watch the political TV shows in the evening - Anderson Cooper, Larry King, Glenn Beck, Chris Matthews, Keith Olberman, Bill O'Reilly and Hannity and Combs. I watch CNN and Fox News to compare how they present their stories and which stories they present. I listen to NPR, Ed Schultz and Randi Rhodes as well as Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity on the radio. I also read online and offline political commentary from The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The LA Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer. I read the AP and Reuters political wires, RealClearPolitics.com, Politico, and many bloggers.

I find it fascinating. Sometimes I try to stop because it sucks up so much time. But I am an addict and I always come back.

Recently, I have been amused by the complaints about how much news coverage the Main Stream Media is giving to Barack Obama - particularly when compared to John McCain. I find it amusing because in reading and listening to all of the conservative commentators, talk show hosts and bloggers, I have noticed that they do the same thing. Just an example, try listening to Sean Hannity's syndicated radio program for a day or two. All he talks about is Barack Obama. He spews out negatives on Obama for hour and hour on end. Whether he is complaining about the news coverage or talking about Obama's associations with Reverend Wright and William Ayers or even Obama's lack of experience, it is Barack Obama all the time, all day long. Even when he brings up John McCain, it is only to contrast McCain with Obama. Sean Hannity and the rest of them don't realize it, but they are doing exactly what they are complaining about in the MSM. They are focusing the entire election on Obama.

The truth is that this election is about Barack Obama. There is only one candidate who matters. It is just a question of whether the votes for him outweigh the votes against him. The last election was always about whether to re-elect President Bush. John Kerry just happened to be the alternative. This election is just about whether the voters are comfortable with Barack Obama.

Oh, and for those of you who are trying to get comfortable with who he is and what he stands for, stop listening to the bloggers and pundits - read Obama's Berlin Speech. Obama is a statesman. As Maureen Dowd says - "He is The One."

Bush is following Obama's lead on Foreign Policy

Great column in today's Philadelphia Inquirer about how the Bush Administration foreign policy seems to be evolving in the direction that Obama has been advocating for months.

Anybody paying attention has seen that the Bush Administration is finally starting to realize that its heretofore untouchable policy of "No Negotiation with Enemies" is starting to thaw.

We saw it with North Korea with very positive results

We are now seeing it with Iran as the Bush Administration is belatedly sending an envoy along with European negotiators to discuss Iran's nuclear policy.

Even better, Nouri al Maliki has effectively endorsed Obama's plan to pull out of Iraq within 16 months. While he is backing off the original endorsement now, he still advocates a rapid pullout of US forces.

As for Afghanistan, Obama has been arguing that this was and should have remained at the forefront of the battle against the terrorists. Our military has been asking for more help in Afghanistan as well. Apparently, both Bush and McCain are starting to come around to that point of view too.

I wonder how they will package all this. They can't acknowledge that Obama is and has always been right, but smart people will see it for what it is. However, now that al Maliki wants the US to leave Iraq sooner rather than later, they may have to stop tamping down on the superficial position that withdrawing from Iraq means surrender.

For a guy with "very little foreign policy experience" and "a thin resume", that Obama sure is smart....

Leadership for America's Future

Just read this - http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/07/a_new_strategy_for_a_new_world.html

He is the real deal. He is serious and focused. You won't find this level of sophisticated and in-depth thought with George W. Bush or John McCain.