Media Bias On Display: First

09 Jul, 2002 by John Hawkins

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Media Bias On Display: First off, take a look at this Newsday headline, “Candidate Calls Incumbent Too Liberal.” What’s your first thought after reading that? Probably some Republican ripping on a Democrat right? Well actually, a Democratic challenger is going after a Democratic incumbent. I’m now going to post some of the things he said and I want you to see which comment jumps out at you…

“Rep. Sander Levin’s opponent in a Democratic primary says the incumbent shouldn’t represent the redrawn Detroit-area congressional district because he is liberal and Jewish.

“I mean, that man has never owned a Christmas tree. He’s not a Christian. And I’m thinking, `Jeez, how can he represent me then?'” Callahan said in an interview. “And how can he if he believes in abortion and I don’t or I’m an avid hunter and gun owner and he doesn’t believe in it, how can he represent me?”

So what’s the big story here? Is it that he criticized the guy for being liberal or for being Jewish? What do you think that headline would of looked like if a Republican had said a man wasn’t fit to represent a district because he was Jewish? Maybe, “Right-Wing Extremist displays anti-Semitism” or “Republican hatemonger makes controversial statement.” But since Callahan is a Democrat we get a **YAWN** and a headline declaring that the incumbent is “too liberal.” But that left-wing media bias is just in the right’s imagination right?