You know things are really getting ugly out there on the campaign trail when the candidates start going after the media. And that's exactly what's happening now.
First, there was that heated exchange between Bill Clinton and a local TV reporter in California. The former president got visibly annoyed when the reporter asked him about the decision to allow caucuses in the Las Vegas casinos where a lot of Barack Obama's supporters work.
Enter Republican candidate Mitt Romney. When he was asked about the role of lobbyists in his campaign by an AP reporter yesterday, he became defensive. Said he doesn't have no stinkin' lobbyists running his campaign. What he does have is a high-level adviser who is also the chairman of a large communications firm. Oh.
And John Edwards is whining about the media, too. His campaign is launching a full-on assault on the media for what they claim is inadequate and unfair press coverage. His communications director says: "For the better part of a year the media has focused on two celebrity candidates." He wasn't finished whining. He said the media continue to focus on Obama and Clinton, despite the fact that Edwards beat Clinton in Iowa and that polls show competitive races in states like Nevada and South Carolina.
Complaining about the media comes as naturally to a politician as having his hand out.
Here’s my question to you: Is it the news media's job to keep all the candidates happy?
To see the Cafferty File video click here
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Amena writes:
No, but it’s the media's job to keep me happy, and I am not happy with the skewed coverage of this primary season. I need to hear about all the candidates, not just the ones you think will win or the ones that are arguing with each other.
Erik writes:
No. Just, plain no. I think that a lot of the point of the primary is to test the candidates, and if they keep it together that proves they are able to be our president. Please keep poking and prodding the candidates! If they can take so much now they can probably handle a lot in the White House.
Patrick writes:
That's absolutely absurd. If the news media tried to keep all the candidates happy, then they'd have nothing to report. The candidates will twist and turn everything, no matter what the media says, so that they can continue to skirt the issues people care about and keep fighting amongst themselves.
Hannah writes:
Are you kidding me Jack? The media’s job is to tell the public the truth, not to coddle politicians whose main goal in life is to gain power at any cost.
Eugene writes:
Of course it is not the media's job to keep all the candidates happy, but it is the job of the media to keep all of the citizens informed. What are the facts? What is the percentage of air time spent discussing Obama vs. air time spent discussing Clinton vs. air time spent discussing Edwards?
Dave from Grand Junction, Colorado writes:
Are you kidding, Jack? Maybe our country wouldn't be in the mess its in if the media didn't try so hard to keep the politicians happy.