http://wwww.journalism.org Journalism.org's News Index Feed en-US http://wwww.journalism.org/node/13692 The big buzz surrounding the Obama transition last week was that once-fierce rival Hillary Clinton might become his Secretary of State. Meanwhile Sarah Palin, shielded from the press during the campaign, made up for lost time with a media blitz. http://wwww.journalism.org/node/13597 The campaign press declared Barack Obama’s Nov. 4 victory a culturally transforming event, but was far less certain it was a politically transforming moment. And within days, the search for lessons had yielded to speculation about the new administration. http://wwww.journalism.org/node/13498 In the final week of the campaign, both presidential candidates continued to pound away at each other’s economic policies. But as they examined the details of the last polls, the battlegrounds, and the strategy, the media had all but anointed a winner. http://wwww.journalism.org/node/13391 Colin Powell’s endorsement and Joe Biden’s gaffe were almost one-day wonders last week as the news cycle sped up in the campaign’s final days. Now, it’s battleground states and polls that seem to be capturing much of the media’s attention. http://wwww.journalism.org/node/13283 The final presidential debate was the top campaign storyline last week. And both candidates rolled out major economic packages. But perhaps the most memorable event was the media descending on an unlikely new voice of the working class. http://wwww.journalism.org/node/13202 The stock market tanked, and the candidates took citizen questions during a presidential debate. But with Election Day looming in less than a month, the media spotlight last week was trained on the hostile rhetoric heard on the campaign trail. http://wwww.journalism.org/node/13105 Coverage of the nation’s financial crisis reached new heights last week as Congress struggled to produce a bailout package. But when it came to the presidential campaign narrative, the match-up in Missouri proved more interesting to the media. http://wwww.journalism.org/node/13007 In a week in which he injected both suspense and personal dramatics into the campaign storyline, Republican John McCain was the leading newsmaker. But after a debate that the public scored differently than the press, it was Barack Obama getting the more positive headlines. http://wwww.journalism.org/node/12900 Even the Palin phenomenon took a back seat last week as a profound crisis in the financial markets dominated the headlines. In a campaign season of constantly changing storylines, will this become the dominant issue that determines the outcome? http://wwww.journalism.org/node/12800 The Republican convention may be over, but the Sarah Palin phenomenon continues to be the big campaign newsmaker. Last week, the media took a closer look at her record, she sat for her first interview, and lipstick entered the realm of political wedge issues. http://wwww.journalism.org/node/12693 Last week, John McCain formally accepted his party’s nomination for the U.S. presidency. But he was overshadowed by the attention paid to Sarah Palin, some of which pitted the GOP vs. the media. http://wwww.journalism.org/node/12612 For much of last week, the Democrats’ effort to make peace and reintroduce Obama to voters were the focal points of campaign coverage. How much success did John McCain have in suddenly stealing the media narrative? http://wwww.journalism.org/node/12514 The critical policy issues, and almost every other element of the campaign, took a back seat to the vice-presidential selection process last week. The only other story to really break through was a flap that arose after John McCain had trouble keeping track of his real estate. http://wwww.journalism.org/node/12406 Last week, for the first time this year, an event other than the race for president was the No. 1 story. The crisis with Russia was the top story and campaign theme in a week when Barack Obama got more coverage, but John McCain may have gotten the better of it. http://wwww.journalism.org/node/12299 One week after sharing headlines equally with John McCain, Barack Obama again dominated the news last week. And even as McCain and Obama sparred over energy, the old question of what do the Clintons want generated major coverage. http://wwww.journalism.org/node/12200 After accusations of pro-Obama bias and a run of media soul searching, and helped by a heavy dose of controversial attack advertising from his campaign team, Republican nominee John McCain finally forced Barack Obama to share the headlines last week. http://wwww.journalism.org/node/12097 Barack Obama’s week-long tour of world hotspots and capitals generated more coverage than any campaign event in months. But in the end, the media wondered what he had accomplished and whether they were paying too much attention. http://wwww.journalism.org/node/12009 The week began with a controversial magazine cover. By week's end, an anticipation of an overseas Obama trip dominated campaign coverage and brought Iraq back into frame. http://wwww.journalism.org/node/11881 Two men who are non-candidates for president drove the media story lines in the campaign last week. Jesse Jackson’s brutal remarks about Barack Obama may have helped the Democrats. Phil Gramm’s about the recession being largely mental did not help his friend John McCain. http://wwww.journalism.org/node/11820 There wasn’t much good news in the media campaign narrative for either John McCain or Barack Obama last week. The big McCain story was a staff shakeup that exposed internal problems in the campaign. Meanwhile Obama was trying to prove his patriotism, avoid charges of flip-flopping, and minimize the damage from a surrogate controversy. http://wwww.journalism.org/node/11726 Barack Obama’s efforts to heal the wounds of the primary battle and to reconcile with the Clintons were the major story lines in last week’s coverage of the Presidential campaign. And they’re a big reason why the Democratic nominee generated about twice as much coverage as did John McCain. http://wwww.journalism.org/node/11632 Barack Obama and John McCain sparred over offshore drilling and campaign financing, and former Presidential contender Al Gore generated headlines with an endorsement of Obama. But the coverage last week also focused on two people—Michelle Obama and George Bush—who may have a major impact on the outcome of the election. http://wwww.journalism.org/node/11537 In the kickoff week of full-time general election coverage, a collection of policy issues—from the war to gas prices—made up the leading media campaign narrative. But the press also lavished considerable attention on one high-profile controversy and on some of the ill will left over from the Democratic primary battle. http://wwww.journalism.org/node/11439 In the last official week of the long and grueling Democratic nomination battle, Barack Obama captured his party’s top prize. But it was Hillary Clinton—by providing most of the week’s suspense and drama—who proved she could still dominate the story line in defeat. http://wwww.journalism.org/node/11336 It was another dramatic week for Democrats as the party doled out Florida and Michigan delegates and Obama faced another pastor problem. But as that nominating battle winds down, the bigger news may be the increasingly heated skirmishes over Iraq between Obama and McCain. http://wwww.journalism.org/node/11241 The new wrinkle in last week’s campaign coverage was not the Democrats’ results in Oregon and Kentucky or the flap over Hillary Clinton’s Robert Kennedy comment. It was the story of GOP hopeful John McCain finally morphing from bystander on the sidelines to newsmaker in the headlines. http://wwww.journalism.org/node/11129 Despite a big Hillary Clinton win in the West Virginia primary, John Edwards and George Bush helped make Barack Obama the lead campaign newsmaker last week. And they helped reinforce the idea that the Democratic primary fight was just about over. http://wwww.journalism.org/node/11038 After weeks of shifting campaign narratives, the results May 6 in North Carolina and Indiana results convinced many journalists and pundits that the long and grueling Democratic primary fight was finally resolved. From Tim Russert to Time magazine, the news industry last week declared Barack Obama the winner. http://wwww.journalism.org/node/10928 Jeremiah Wright’s media tour drove the campaign narrative last week, generating intense speculation about his motives and the impact on Barack Obama’s candidacy. In an election noted for coverage of gaffes and controversy, no story line has had as much staying power as the minister and the candidate. http://wwww.journalism.org/node/10824 Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton generated a huge portion of the headlines last week as Pennsylvanians finally went to the polls. The issue of race re-emerged to play a substantial role in the media’s Democratic campaign narrative. And Republican John McCain struggled to be heard through the din. http://wwww.journalism.org/node/10720 The two Democratic contenders went at it last week, battling over Barack Obama’s “bitter” remarks at a California fundraiser and over the ABC debate that some said had too much “gotcha.” Trailing in the race for attention, John McCain saw the media examine everything from his economic policy to his temper last week. http://wwww.journalism.org/node/10619 Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama attracted more attention from the press than John McCain last week. But the two Democrats were often engaged in serious damage control while the GOP’s candidate was basking in some pretty positive coverage. http://wwww.journalism.org/node/10514 The key media narrative last week involved growing pressure on Hillary Clinton to withdraw from the primary fight. Meanwhile, Barack Obama tried his hand at hands-on campaigning while John McCain hoped to grab the media’s attention with a tour of some old stomping grounds. http://wwww.journalism.org/node/10580 Two liberal radio hosts, Randi Rhodes and Ed Schultz, generated headlines and a backlash last week for their rhetoric in attacking Hillary Clinton and John McCain. And some conservative talkers see pro-Barack Obama media bias behind the calls on Clinton to withdraw. http://wwww.journalism.org/node/10418 Democrats are finding out that being in the news isn’t necessarily good news. A week after Barack Obama was besieged by the Rev. Wright furor, Hillary Clinton’s memory and veracity came under fire. Does all this make John McCain the big winner? http://wwww.journalism.org/node/10381 In a week in which the campaign overwhelmingly dominated the talk airwaves, the hottest issue was Obama’s speech aimed at dampening the Rev. Jeremiah Wright controversy. In the talk show universe, the response was impassioned, but the verdict was far from unanimous. http://wwww.journalism.org/node/10319 John McCain and Hillary Clinton were reduced to relative obscurity last week. The media’s presidential campaign narrative instead focused on one overarching issue: could Barack Obama handle the controversy over his pastor’s racially inflammatory remarks? http://wwww.journalism.org/node/10210 When it came to coverage, John McCain was a forgotten man compared with Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. But perhaps no news was good news for the GOP in a week during which the press highlighted some of the uglier divisions among Democrats. http://wwww.journalism.org/node/10106 With wins in Ohio and Texas, Hillary Clinton was the top campaign newsmaker last week. The media’s first verdict was that her aggressive attacks succeeded in stopping Barack Obama’s momentum. Their next question was whether Obama was capable of responding in kind. http://wwww.journalism.org/node/10004 Barack Obama generated more campaign coverage than Hillary Clinton in a week in which Democrats completely dominated the media narrative. But Clinton’s complaints about a journalistic tilt toward her opponent seemed to strike a responsive chord. http://wwww.journalism.org/node/9907 Obama’s big win in Wisconsin shaped the Democrats’ media narrative last week and had some pundits wondering whether Clinton was contemplating her own defeat. And why a New York Times expose about the presumptive GOP nominee may prove to be manna for McCain. http://wwww.journalism.org/node/9828 Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton dominated coverage of the 2008 presidential campaign last week, but in very different ways. While Obama got a big bounce from primary wins, the Clinton campaign was besieged by bad news. Meanwhile, John McCain inched closer to inevitability. http://wwww.journalism.org/node/9711 The three candidates with the best shot at next occupying the White House all got extensive coverage in the biggest week yet for campaign news. But none of them generated the headlines he or she really wanted. And, once again, Huckabee proved that the reports of his political demise were premature. http://wwww.journalism.org/node/9610 By generating more coverage than any other candidate last week, and easily outdistancing his GOP rivals, Senator John McCain rode a media narrative of near inevitability last week. Plus, Senator Ted Kennedy becomes a major newsmaker. http://wwww.journalism.org/node/9512 With the South Carolina primary as backdrop, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton finished in a near tie in the media derby. But in a nasty week former President Bill Clinton was a bigger newsmaker than any Republican candidate. http://wwww.journalism.org/node/9436 The two leading Democrats once again attracted more coverage than any of their GOP rivals in the race for media exposure last week. But the GOP overall tipped the scales in what became a big boost for Mitt Romney, both in Michigan and in the media. http://wwww.journalism.org/node/9266 John McCain and Hillary Clinton both walked away with crucial New Hampshire victories but the Arizona Republican trailed the New York Democrat badly in the battle for media attention. And why the media treated Mike Huckabee’s third-place finish much differently than John Edwards’. http://wwww.journalism.org/node/9373 The two biggest names in talk radio are telling their listeners how to separate the real conservatives from phonies. And some hosts seemed to “cover” the campaign by becoming part of the story. http://wwww.journalism.org/node/8975 The unlikely surge of former Arkansas Governor helped generate the biggest week of coverage for the presidential campaign so far in 2007. But as Huckabee is learning, some media attention is more welcome than others. Plus, the Mitchell report turns steroid abuse in baseball into a front-page story—some might say at long last. http://wwww.journalism.org/node/9048 All year long, Hillary Clinton has dominated the campaign conversation on the talk airwaves. And last week, signs that the Democratic battle for president might be tightening had many hosts talking up the idea of a Clinton swoon. Plus, Michael Savage on steroids. (Talking about them, not taking them.)