Why The Press Really Hates John McCain

by John Hawkins | September 17, 2008 2:38 am

“The enduring scandal of the McCain campaign is that it wants to win. The press had hoped for a harmless, nostalgic loser like Bob Dole in 1996. In a column excoriating Republicans for historically launching successful attacks against Democratic presidential candidates in August, Time columnist Joe Klein excepted Bob Dole — not mentioning that Dole had been eviscerated by Clinton negative ads before August ever arrived.” — Rich Lowry[1]

The same press that showered John McCain with love and affection for 8 years, now hates him with a passion. In order to explain it, they’re pointing to particular campaign ads or just saying that he’s changed. Of course, that’s not true. McCain isn’t roughing up Barack Obama one bit harder than he smacked around Mitt Romney during the primaries, back when the mainstream media still loved him.

The press has turned on McCain because instead of attacking other Republicans, he’s representing the Republicans now and actually winning a race that the liberal press arrogantly believed their candidate couldn’t lose.

This is no surprise to anyone who pays attention to the mainstream media. In fact, back on March 15, 2006 I wrote a piece called “The Conservative Case Against John McCain In 2008[2].” In it, I opined that:

“The mainstream media loves John McCain and they regularly write fawning articles referring to him as a “maverick” and a “straight-talker.” Because of this, McCain polls well among Democrats and Independents.

However, the reason McCain is so well liked by the media is because they’re liberals and they love it when he trashes other Republicans. But, what would happen if John McCain actually became the Republican nominee? The same members of the mainstream media who gush over him today would turn on him in a Minnesota minute and once his great press ended, his poll numbers with Independents and Democrats would start to drop precipitously”

So far, McCain’s numbers with Dems and independents are doing better than I expected because of the vicious Democratic primary fight, the weakness of Obama as a candidate, and the selection of Sarah Palin.

However, the media has done everything that they could to tear McCain down to the ground. How could I — and many other people — have predicted that 2 1/2 years ago unless — that’s right, the media is every bit as liberal and biased against us as we conservatives say it is? The question practically answers itself.

Endnotes:
  1. Rich Lowry: http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=MTJhYWE1MDc0NjgwNWJjMTYwMjdkZDQwZDJjZDE3NzY=
  2. The Conservative Case Against John McCain In 2008: https://rightwingnews1.wpenginepowered.com/archives/week_2006_03_12.PHP#005365

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