Media Usurping Decision Making Process

As a voter who was initially excited about the many qualified persons running for the Democratic Presidential nomination for 2008, I spent considerable time researching the candidates and their positions and have tuned into every televised debate thus far to see how each candidate answered or ducked questions, interacted with the other candidates and demonstrated leadership and command of the issues.

I've already voted by absentee in the Florida Democratic Primary, which is held tomorrow, 01/29/2008, yet I'm truly disgusted at the primary season which really has only begun to unfold. The three most qualified candidates on the Democratic side are no longer running, mainly because the Media never gave any of them a fair shake, preferring to fawn all over the first woman and first black (with a real shot at the presidency) because they are "firsts" and in part, as a result have raised boatloads of money making it virtually impossible for candidates Biden, Dodd and Richardson to be heard.

Joe Biden, in particular, wiped the floor with his opponents in the early debates on all matters of Foreign Policy. And he honestly said that until the situation in Iraq is resolved, little else domestically can be addressed because the funds are simply not there to tackle the problems. Is there anyone in this country that truly believes that Barack Obama has the prerequisite experience to resolve Iraq? Sure, I'll give him credit for having the good judgement, like myself and countless others, to have been against the invasion from the start, but that doesn't imply that he has or knows what it takes to draw this episode to a conclusion and nor do I want this delicate situation left to delegates who are more well-versed. This is a Presidential matter!

None of this seems to matter much to the Media which is obsessed with money, appearances, horseraces and movements and consequently, they are doing a great disservice to the process each and every day.

Since the Iowa caucus, every subsequent winner of a primary or caucus has been put up on a pedestal, declared the national frontrunner, deemed unstoppable and feigned all over until they get toppled by voters in the next state on the abbreviated calendar.

The fawning now seems to have reached crescendo proportions with Obama's more than 2 to 1 victory over Clinton in South Carolina. The Media has insisted this is groundbreaking, earthshattering, movement inspiring stuff. What they barely tell you is, other than Georgia and Alabama, South Carolina has the most lopsided demographic voting in a Democratic primary with 50% of voters being black and more than 100,000 new, black voters turning out in 2008 for Obama. That he has inspired so many blacks to get out and vote is certainly noteworthy and commendable. The Media neglects to mention in their hysteria that the SC primary is open and Republicans and Independents can choose to vote in the Democratic primary and visa versa. That Obama received only 25% of the white vote in this state is far more newsworthy than his amassing 81% of the black vote, which we knew was going to happen, regardless of previous great allegiances to the Clintons.

I believe a harbinger for what we will see happen with the Democratic field on Super Tuesday will begin tomorrow in Florida, a closed primary state which is much more reflective of the average US demographics, including many more white democratic voters, particularly in South Florida, an overall %20 Hispanic population and a national average black population between 10-15%

Why is all of this important? Of the states that have voted thus far, Obama has yet to demonstrate that he's got substantial numbers of whites and hispanics supporting him and he can't become the Democratic nominee without them, regardless of Media disposition to declare a movement underfoot for a candidate with so thin a resume for the highest office.