The (Pro-McCain) Media Bias

Here we go again. Since at least the time of Ronald Reagan, the Republicans have perpetuated a myth that "the media" is liberally biased against them. Of course, this is complete nonsense designed only to "work the refs" against progressive candidates. John McCain, finding his campaign for President sputtering, has returned to this same refrain. Why? Because it works!

We all know how George W. Bush has gotten a near free pass on his lies and unconstitutional activities over the past 8 years. We all also remember the non-stop persecution of Bill Clinton during the 1990's. The mainstream media clearly has spent at least the last generation bending over backwards to "prove" they are not liberal. That was the plan by Republicans and it works up to this day.

You know, if I was a Republican and I really thought the media has been liberally biased, then I would be thrilled to death that they are doing it again this year. Why? Because if the media has been left wing - the GOP seems to have benefited. They won the Presidential races in 1980, 1984, 1988, 2000, 2004 and congressional races in 1994, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002 and 2004. All this success with a so-called liberal media scheming against them! Therefore, it seems that having the media against you is a recipe for success! So what are they whining about? (Or is that why they are, in fact, keeping the myth alive?)

Secondly, having John McCain complain about a biased media is like George W. Bush complaining about someone is becoming successful because of their family name. A quick look at the long list of mistakes, misstatement and out right falsehoods by McCain that have gone under reported would make your head spin. Imagine if Barack Obama had mentioned Czechoslovakia numerous time or said that Iraq borders Pakistan. The media, again to prove their fairness, would eviscerate him. Meanwhile McCain get pass after pass after pass.

Here is the latest example. Yesterday John McCain was interviewed by Katie Couric for the liberal CBS News. In that interview he got his facts so wrong about the timeline between the Anbar awakening and the troop surge in Iraq, it should have been Breaking News on every network.

But what did the left wing CBS News do? (This is really shocking) They edited out the false statements and edited in a slam against Obama. Watch the video because it is really stunning to see just how misinformed (I'll be nice and not say "dishonest) McCain is and just how biased toward the GOP candidate the media really is.
UPDATE: Here is CBS News' (non)response.