By
Brent Bozell
As even former NBC anchor Tom
Brokaw acknowledged today, liberal journalists were loaded and ready to
pronounce this election over and Romney's campaign dead after the first
debate: “If it had been Romney performing like the president last night,
it would have been over.” But the beating Obama received last night was so
complete that virtually no one (the New York Times excepted, as usual)
denied it.
But how did they report Obama
lost? Therein lies the rub: they -- as well as Democratic operatives -- are
pushing the spin that this was all about style and presentation. Obama was
"flat," "lackluster," "not himself," and “not firing on all cylinders.”
In other words, Obama wasn't Obama last night. Some are going further,
pushing the narrative that Romney was somehow mean-spirited and even
deceptive in his presentation
This analysis
denies reality. Obama lost on style, to be sure. More importantly, much more
importantly, he lost on content. Romney crushed him. For the first time in
his political career Obama a) had to defend his record and b) had no one
running interference on his behalf. Romney as challenger had a seemingly
endless list of particulars to choose from and did so in a devastating
manner. That, that was the damage done to Obama.
The media's refusal to focus on this all-important
element is the ultimate spin control, perhaps a form of spin control
heretofore unknown: spin by omission. Like so many news reports they've
refused to run this year if they hurt the re-elect Obama narrative, now
they're refusing to discuss the real takeaway from last night's debate
because it is devastating to the incumbent.
Instead it's all about style, and that "lackluster" performance. To
what end? Obama will come out in the next debate and throw some roundhouses.
It doesn't matter if they don't connect. It doesn't matter if they're below
the belt. It doesn't matter if Romney counter-punches and connects. When
it's all over the media spin will be immediate. "He's back!" "Obama regained
his stride!" "Obama back in control!" "On top of his game!"
That script is already written. Bank on it.
No comments:
Post a Comment