Last Night: They Got Their Thrill On Capitol Hill

Our network media just couldn't contain themselves following Obama's speech last night to the Congress on Health Care Reform. For some, it was almost a 'Kleenex' moment as they tried to hold back the tears. From Stephanopoulos to Olbermann, it was just like Christmas in September. Complete with their own Messiah!

(Click to See Full Story: "'Touch of Greatness' in 'Remarkable' Speech About 'Re-Branding' Obama as 'Centrist' ")

The Death of Death in Iraq

Apparently, "our" national media isn't interested in any "good news" coming out of Iraq. Especially in an election year when that news might hurt the Democratic candidate for President. So, instead, you have to go a United Kingdom's press organization, Reuters, to get the skinny on the fact that the United States and coalition military deaths in Iraq have "plunged" (See Full Story). Not just fallen. Plunged!

And, it isn't "only" that there have been so few deaths. There hasn't even been a single U.S. military death since July 17th; 13 days straight! Looking at the tail end of July, one might actually think the war is over. And, it might just be!

When our military was dying by the day, our national media (like the Associated Press and the New York Times) were literally frothing at the mouth to get the news out. It was daily, front-page event. Now, when a month looks to be ending with barely any deaths, they are silent. I think that is totally dishonest.

While, the amount of casualties is low this month, it doesn't mean that our troops are safe. Violence could very easily swing back up. And, as my title might imply, death may not be over. However, there has been a substantial drop in military deaths with each passing month since the Troop Surge began. Only occasionally is that fact even mentioned by our own national press.

Image by tstadler's photostream on Flickr with Creative Commons Licensing (Click to View Other Works).

The Pathetic McCain Campaign

John McCain is fighting a losing battle with the national media in this country. The national press has literally "set the stage" in both this country (and in the world) that has Barack Obama "front and center" with John McCain hiding in the shadows. It seems like the only way McCain can get noticed is by throwing rocks and rotten fruit at the back of Barack Obama as he "plays" to the massive audiences. This tends to make John McCain look petty and almost pathetic. The best example of this is McCain's TV ad that seems to "singularly" blame Barack Obama for high oil and gasoline prices (See Video).

People should not be surprised. This is the same thing that the media did to Hillary Clinton. Hillary responded, then, as McCain, now, by going negative on Obama. And, as we all know, Hillary's chances of being President were dashed.

I don't think John McCain can do much to get the press to focus in on him; except to avoid any more gaffes which the press seems to gleefully report on because it implies age-related questions about him. McCain should stay positive and push good and rational ideas. If he does, I think it is Barack Obama who will ultimately change the focus back to John McCain. I think it will be Barack Obama's stubbornness on the "Troop Surge" in Iraq that will cause the press to shift focus onto McCain. It will be Obama's stubbornness in "bucking" the 75% of the people, as shown in the polls, who want us to drill for our own oil. It will be his insistence on raising taxes in the midst of a possible recession that will get focus back to McCain.

The national media might be biased but they aren't totally stupid. They have proven, time and time, again, that they can turn from "falling all over themselves over someone" to being blood-thirsty sharks. Usually, this happens when they sense blood in the water and when public opinion shifts. John McCain should understand this. He was the "Obama" that the press couldn't get enough of during the 2000 Presidential campaign. Hillary was that "Obama" type of candidate when she ran for the Senate.

McCain should just be patient. You can sense that the tide might be turning on Obama. I think his time will come in both public opinion and in the media (once again) when it becomes clear that we are getting a lot of olde-tyme Democratic political hooey from Barack.