Friday, August 22, 2008

Times “news” story tells Hillary: Do more for Obama

Excerpts from an NY Times story - "At Rally, Finding Clinton’s Aid to Obama Too Tepid" – followed by my comments below the star line.

Reporter Damien Cave begins - - -


Minutes after pushing through the rope line to thank Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton for “all that you do,” Robin Shaffer said she was worried. She feared that the senator she respected and admired for being tough and experienced had not done all that she could to unify Florida’s fractured Democratic Party while campaigning here on Thursday for her former opponent.

“It was good that she said my supporters need to now support Barack Obama,” said Ms. Shaffer, 46, reflecting on Mrs. Clinton’s speech before about 700 people. But, she added, “I wanted her to repeat that one more time.”

Many who had supported Mrs. Clinton’s run for president shared Ms. Shaffer’s opinion. Democrats who said they had recently accepted that Mr. Obama, of Illinois, would be the Democratic presidential nominee greeted Mrs. Clinton’s 30-minute speech — her first rally in Florida on his behalf — with warmth but also demands for more. …

Guy Montes, 63, a retired shift manager for United Airlines and a Clinton supporter in the primary, said later that Mrs. Clinton’s heart did not seem to be in it.

“It was a platonic type of endorsement,” Mr. Montes said. “It wasn’t real love. She’s just doing what she’s supposed to be doing.”

Even Cecilia Payne, 52, an insurance agent in West Palm Beach originally from Barbados, who declared that “the Clintons are the best thing that ever happened to politics,” said Mrs. Clinton must work harder.

“She should have been a little more forceful and more convincing,” Ms. Payne said. …

The entire Anything for Obama story’s here.

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Comments:

There’s a lot more in the Times’ story about how the folks at yesterday’s event all want Hillary to do more for Obama.

But there’s nothing in the story about the deep resentment many Clinton supporters still feel toward Sen. Obama and his campaign team who they believe played the race card against both Hillary and Bill Clinton.

And there’s nothing in the Times’ story about the deep anger of many Clinton supporters who believe she was dissed by Team Obama and its MSM flacks because she’s a woman.

All we’re told is what fits Obama’s agenda: Hillary must work harder for The One.

I compared the South Florida Sun-Sentinel’s report of the same event with Obama’s Times’ agenda piece. The Sun-Sentinal’s story had none of the Times’ “do more for Obama” spin.

On the contrary, it noted what anyone with a modicum of political awareness realizes: Hillary is “walking” a fine public line which requires her to nudge millions of her still angry supporters toward the Democratic ticket, but not push them too hard lest that anger them further and make them less likely to support Obama and his running mate.

As the Sun-Sentinel put it:

…Thursday's campaigning was as much a thank you to local backers as it was a thinly veiled attempt to paint the Democratic Party as united behind Obama. Rather than giving detailed descriptions of Obama's qualifications, Clinton promoted Democratic Party unity and shared values.

Obama campaigners were looking to sway minds at Thursday's events. But in characterizing her party as steadfast for Obama, Clinton came across to some of her supporters as overly optimistic.

Several said after Clinton's speeches that they know many local Democrats and independents who aren't convinced Obama has the credentials they demand in a president.

Florence Puretz, 84, of Kings Point, said she felt badly watching her favored candidate stump for Obama. "She could taste that presidency," Puretz said. "I'm voting for Obama with little enthusiasm."
In reporter Cave's story, the Times shamelessly pushed for Obama.

The entire Sun-Sentinel story's here.




http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/22/us/politics/22clinton.html?_r=2&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&adxnnlx=1219428938-BYsAemjtcBHr4ledQbMbVQ


http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-flbclinton0822xsbaug22,0,3207003.story

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-flbclinton0822xsbaug22,0,3207003.story

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

John -

When someone says, I do "x" (whatever "x" might be) it's a good sign that either the person does not do "x" or does not do "x" well. It is that way for the NYT. The paers runs the well-know logo on its masthead that says, "All the news fit to print." That should be clear signal to everyone that one thing the NYT does not do, or does not do well, is print the news. It may print very well-written meta-narratives, but certainly not the news.

Jack in Silver Spring

Anonymous said...

Jack in Silver Spring: That motto is supposed to be "All the news that fits, we print."
Tarheel Hawkeye