Edwards camp takes aim at media

[jsamuel]

Source: CNN

Edwards is taking aim at the media for acting as if there are only two Democratic candidates running. (Photo Credit: Getty Images.)

WASHINGTON (CNN) — John Edwards' campaign is launching a full-on assault on the media for what they claim is inadequate and unfair press coverage of the former North Carolina senator's presidential bid.

"For the better part of a year the media has focused on two celebrity candidates,” Edwards Communications Director Chris Kofinis said Thursday. “And they continue to act as if there were only two candidates in the race, even after John Edwards beat Senator Clinton in Iowa and poll after poll show competitive races in Nevada, South Carolina and other key states."

On Thursday, the campaign went live with a Web site that sites several recent news headlines that only include Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. It also includes recent statistics from the Project for Excellence in Journalism that indicate that from January 6-11, Edwards received just a fraction of the news coverage allotted to his two rivals.

The campaign has even produced a Web video, "What about John Edwards?", that scrolls through several clips of media pundits discussing only Clinton and Obama, and ends with the results of a focus group that suggested Edwards won the most recent debate in Las Vegas.

And on Wednesday, Edwards' spokesman Eric Schultz sent out an e-mail that suggested the senator's low poll numbers nationally are directly linked to his limited media coverage.

...

Read more: http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/01/17/edwards-camp-takes-aim-at-media/

---

Website and video here:

Video: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x85345

Website: http://www.johnedwards.com/whereisjohn/

[fooj]

1. Right on!

[Janiam]

5. You surprised me!

I opened this thread and bam! there was my graphic.

Kind of cool. :)
I'm honored.

Here is another I did today about the last CNN poll that actually had Edwards in the mix.

[UpInArms]

7. Welcome to DU Janiam!

and those are GREAT graphics!

:thumbsup:

:hi:

[Yael]

9. OOOHHH!!! Very nice!

Thanks!!!

[Yael]

10. And welcome to DU!

:hi:

[Janiam]

11. Thank you very much!

I'm RedJet on DailyKos - I remember registering here and had issues with that name. Maybe I have a doppleganger who knows, but anyway - it is I, RedJet. :)

[Yael]

16. Happy to have you on board!

[shireen]

27. very nice graphics! And welcome. nt

[BrklynLiberal]

78. Terrific graphics!!! and welcome to DU.

[AntiFascist]

15. K&R, and the reason is simple...

Edwards can appeal to those who are against the corrupt corporate elites in both parties.

[ChiciB1]

29. Welcome To DU... We Need Your Voice, Research & Pictures!

It's Great, and thanks again!

[alllyingwhores]

36. SWEEEEEEET--where did you find the original source/date for the CNN poll?

Never mind--I found it--it was released four weeks ago http://i.a.cnn.net/cnn/2007/images/12/11/tue6ampoll.pdf

[colorado_ufo]

59. Great stuff! And a BIG Welcome!

[OneGrassRoot]

70. Did you do the "Edwards Rising" graphic?

If so, I've been looking for merchandise with that graphic!

Welcome to DU and kick for this thread!

:hi:

[bdamomma]

73. Welcome to DU Janiam!!!!

that graph is awfully impressive!!!!!:hi:

[panzerfaust]

80. O or H will Win the Candidacy, and Lose the Election

just as planned.

[peacock]

83. Support JRE

[peacock]

82. Cool!

[chimpymustgo]

100. Welcome to DU!! Folks, don't forget to donate today!!!

https://www.johnedwards.com/action/contribute/form

:hi:

[ultraist]

2. This is a THREE person race!

Whether the corporate MSM reports on that fact or not.

:kick:

[deacon]

68. He's got 27% in the poll in nevada before obama made his gipper remark, and there are those that are

telling him to drop out. Don't let these son of a bitches pick our candidate!

[bdamomma]

74. the media will be eating their words when Edwards rises above the fray.

[rucognizant]

76. 3 Republicans won..............

You notice that? Huckster Iowa, McInsane NH, & Romneat, Mich. None of them is being marginalized by the media! It's just budiness as usual!
Very likely that EDWARDS COULD win one next! ( Clinton win in Mich dosn't count in my mind, due to the irregularity of the situation!)
BUT NO, Dick Morris is calling for him to drop out! ( Dennis WHO?)

Very well done Graphics. I hope you are making money in the field, you should be! Would have been, prior to the neo-con takeover!

[L0oniX]

3. It's obvious that the media is controlling who our candidate and president will be.

We need to attack the media and all these corporations that are destroying our democracy.

[Andy823]

44. Yes I agree about the media

They are owned by the big corporations that Edwards will take on when he becomes president, and they don't want that. It makes me sick to see our country being controled like this, and even sicker that this country allows these corporations to "pick" or candidates by way of the media that they own!

The media stinks to high heaven in the way they put up Obama and Clinton as the "only" ones in this race. All anyone with a brain has to do is to follow the money trail to see why they do this. If you support, or will support corporate america, and allow them the continue to destroy this country, you will get their money. What we should be looking at is the one who "don't" take their money, and won't be owing them any favors once they get elected, "IF" the do get elected! I want to see a dem back in the Whitehouse, and I really believe Edwards give us the best chance at that. I would hate to see us elect the "first" woman, or the "first" black nominee, but lose the general and end up with another 4 years, or more of republicans!

[Sam Ervin jret]

105. The media are the puppets we need to get to the puppet masters.They are few but STRONG

Because they eat their young, weak and small.

Nice group, heh.

[AndyA]

4. What! You mean not getting press coverage 24/7 is bad for a campaign?

Just talking about the two "celebrity" candidates, and ignoring the third makes their poll numbers drop because all people hear about are the other two?

Why would the media do such a thing? Why would they choose to ignore one candidate?

The answer to those questions should chill every American to their spine.

[bdamomma]

79. I just gave my donation to John

give whatever you can.

[pmorlan1]

88. Go Johnny, Go!

I love the Edwards media video. What a hoot and so accurate!

We've made our donation to the campaign today. I hope everyone reading this tread has done so as well.

There is a Daily Kos diary that is keeping track of some of the people who are donating. Check it out.


http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/1/17/17235/8304/839/438507

[Janiam]

6. I love that picture of Edwards

I'm going to have to thief that one.

[FreeStateDemocrat]

8. Corp whore M$M trys to subvert free democratic election process due to Edwards not kissing their A$$

[tavalon]

12. Gosh, I wonder if symbolman got through to him

or if his camp came on with this on their own. Whoo hoo!!!!!

[bigbrother05]

13. It's about time

[Yael]

14. Awesome pic! Recommend EVERYONE watch the video

It is a work of art.

:toast:

[flyarm]

17. go for them John! about time!!..there are Three dem candidates damn it!

and it is about time the MSM discusses three candidates!

fly

[Chisox08]

34. There are more than three democratic canidates

There are two canidates the media doesn't even mention. The M$M will talk about Ron Paul and Rudy Guliani but not about Edwards or Kucinich. I'm afraid it will be this way until we demand that all canidates get equal time and equal exposure in the media.

[Gloria]

18. And they should go after each of the "media outlets" with stats...

GO, JOHN!

[OhioChick]

19. Good.

I'm sick and tired of the media trying to chose candidates for me.
K&R
:kick:

[Gloria]

20. Let's spread the website around to the "news" jackasses!!

[Omaha Steve]

21. Another.....

K&R.

[Common Sense Party]

22. the campaign went live with a Web site that sites several

That should be "cites"

The media need us to do their jobs for them.

[stravu9]

23. Completely TRUE!

He is such an attractive and well spoken man THE CORPORATE MEDIA FEAR HIM!
I believe they have been ordered by their Bosses not to give him fair coverage.
God, How I HATE THEM. Chris Matthews in particular.

[judaspriestess]

24. John is going to Kick Ath!!!

:bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

[LibDemAlways]

25. Since he hasn't been frozen out of the debates so far, Edwards

should use every debate opportunity to point out the limited coverage he's receiving and to ask viewers to contact the networks and insist that his campaign be covered. Only when they are publically embarrassed and the public applies intense pressure will the corporate jackasses get the message and start paying more attention.

[stickernation]

37. He's been doing so !

He now has the solid support of anti-nuke and veterans activists because of clear distinctions drawn in the last debate.

He deploys his limited debate time strategically to draw on existing bases of activist energy.

Kucinich taught him well !!!

-s

[IsItJustMe]

38. Great idea. I wish I knew a way to get thru to JE that idea. I think it would really piss folks

off if they really understood what the msm is doing. No one likes injustice and lots of people rally around the underdog when unfairness is sences.

[yy4me]

84. Post it in BIG letters, Elizabeth Edwards starts her day here.

If anyone can force the issue with him, she can.

Go John.

Everyone contribute to him today.

[superkia]

99. If more people would have stood up for the other democratic...

candidates when their voice and messages were being blacked out by the media, maybe this would have happened to Edwards? This is typical from Americans, they only care about themselves and their causes and not their fellow neighbors. When it happened to Gravel no one cared. When it happened and continues to happen to Kucinich, no one cares but now that it has reached more people with Edwards, all of a sudden its an issue. Everyone is getting what they deserve for not standing up for what is right even if it doesnt directly affect you.

You would think that people would have learned, this is exactly what is taking place in our country with the constitution, no one cares until its too late. I think its too late for Edwards because the media controls who gets what coverage, for now if he stays in it, he is only guaranteeing that Clinton will get the nomination. I think everyone should start focusing on the overall fight and help to keep Clinton out of office if we all want change.

Good luck and heres an idea of how it works here in Amerika.

First they came for the Jews
and I did not speak out
because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for the Communists
and I did not speak out
because I was not a Communist.
Then they came for the trade unionists
and I did not speak out
because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for me
and there was no one left
to speak out for me.

[Kajsa]

26. It's about time!

There always were three candidates in the race.
But you'd never know it watching the MSM.

Go John, GO!


:applause:

[ChiciB1]

28. Be STILL My Heart!!! FINALLY.... Go Get 'Em John Edwards! This Is

my main issue right now! I HAD stopped watching CNN & MSNBC quite some time ago, but in the past couple of months started again because of the Debates. But just today I made up my mind NOT to watch either anymore UNLESS I knew Edwards was going to have some coverage!

The "reality" of what is happening is so UN-American that it's turned me completely off and has made me feel that what John Edwards is saying is SO VERY TRUE!! They have been IGNORING him, and if others here don't see it... well TOO BAD!

I just got my regular Russ Feingold Progressive email asking me who I wanted to see as the nominee. Since I recently saw his comments, I told him EXACTLY how I felt! Russ Feingold WAS someone I thought would never say what he said, but it seems that EVERYONE in D.C. is AFRAID of what John Edwards might be able to do! And according to one here at DU, Bernie Sanders dislikes Edwards just as much! So that's it, folks! For ONE man to be so OUTCAST is bizarre, even in a crowd of people one may be associated with, some will stick up for a person. But NOT IN D.C. anymore! It's hard to believe that this ONE man did so much damage while he was a Senator that he has actually been "black-balled!" For Shame!

It says VOLUMES to me about what this country has become, and it sickens me! This is MY OPINION, so to those of you who might want to attack me for MY VIEWS... HAVE AT IT!!

Ta, Ta, For Now!!!

[A-Long-Little-Doggie]

30. Go John!

:kick:

[balantz]

31. Yay!!!

I sure hope the media reports on this :eyes:

[rockybelt]

32. Sic 'em John!!! nt

[Connonym]

33. About frickin' time

Meanwhile I'm going to continue to beat this theme to death -- We can all also do our part to help get his name out there by talking about him, by slapping the bumper sticker on the car (hell go for a magnet if you're fickle), a button on your coat. Whatever. Of course it sucks that name recognition counts for so much but if that's what it takes, that's what it takes. The Republicans know that repetition of a theme works, let's take that trick from their playbook and use it to our advantage.

[katty]

35. go john, you know how to work the media courtroom!

[onehandle]

39. JE 2008! nt

[Phred42]

40. What did he expect?

I will be voting for Edwards.

Of course the CORPORATE Media is attempting to crush Edwards. He's attempting to crush them (and rightly so) but you can't expect them to just sit there ant take it.

[Kajsa]

47. Welcome to DU,Phred.

I'm glad to hear you will be voting for Edwards.

[tom_paine]

41. K & R

[liberal N proud]

42. Whoo Hoooo!

Way to go John


:bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

[happygoluckytoyou]

43. EDWARDS ROCKS!!!!

[7horses]

45. Great!

Go, John go!!!

[Seabiscuit]

46. Edwards is the only candidate that as President would go after the right-wing grip on the media

And that would be a breath of fresh air.

Imagine if Tweety and all the other current gasbags were permanently tombstoned from our TVs?

[Kajsa]

48. KABC7 in LA had the following breakdown

-seconds of coverage for each candidate,
6 o'clock news.

Obama- 35 seconds
Clinton- 40 seconds
Edwards-6 seconds!!!

and Edwards was in LA today!

I called the newsroom and left them a comment-

equal time for each candidate!

[redqueen]

94. Thank you for calling them on it.

They need to hear our outrage more than our friends on DU do. :hi:

[Kajsa]

97. Glad to do it, Redqueen.

We will not be silenced.

:hi:

[cadaverdog]

49. The reason John Edwards is being ignored by the MSM is (drumroll)

lack of funds to spend on advertising. Look at at the millions being raised by the Obama and Clinton campaigns; where does most of that money go? For media buys! John Edwards does not have the fat cats bankrolling his campaign. This is both his strength and his weakness. We love him for telling special interests to take a hike, but that special interest money is what buys you advertising and exposure on MSM outlets. Why would the media spend their time promoting the story of a candidate who isn't spending money advertising with them?

When they place a tombstone on what used to be the United States of America, the engraving will read, "Follow the Money"

[Triana]

50. Let's not mention that the very corporations whose undue influence JRE vows to fight..

...OWN all of the M$M.

Your theory may have some validity, but more than that - the problem is WHO OWNS THE MEDIA - for-profit (ie: NOT for the public) corporations. Five to seven BIG ones.

It is in THEIR best interest (and we know it and they know it) to keep REPUBLICANS in the White House - and if they can't do that, then Republican Lite Democrats who won't upset the status quo (and who won't affect their stranglehold influence in our political discourse and in our government policies).

THAT is why they ignore him (NOT because of money they're not getting NOW but rather to keep him from affecting money AND INFLUENCE) that they want to KEEP getting in the future.

[Seabiscuit]

53. It's not the advertisers. It's the media owners.

[loudsue]

89. TODAY IS THE DAY TO DONATE TO EDWARDS!!!!

We're trying to raise $7 million in one day! Do it!!

[Triana]

51. Johnny baby tells 'em where the bull$hit in the buckwheat..

...and RUBS THEIR NOSES IN IT!

Bwah! I loves me some JRE.

[LindainCinci]

52. Yeaahhhh. Way to go John!

It's always great when you have truth and facts on your side.....Gooo get'em.

[Divine Discontent]

54. LOL

just went to CBS news blogs to start putting my message (user "themartyred") all over the net for John's fund raising over the next 24 hours, and I see that they have a section made for each candidate - but ALSO -----

ready??

There's a section in the list for "Barack Obama & Hillary Clinton" paired together for stories about them that I hadn't seen before. How nice of them to give double advertising to their campaign!

[eridani]

55. What did he think would happen after he worked at getting Kucinich out of the debates?

Did he really suppose that he wouldn't be next?

[fooj]

56. After what?

They've been doing it to John from the start.

[eridani]

57. Well, they did it to Dennis first and most, as you well know. n/t

[Divine Discontent]

61. they have

and it's wrong. I think we're really seeing the right wing conspiracy at its best right now - they're silencing the people's voices in so many aspects, and when one of them actually does their job and mention a Edwards or Kucinich, someone else just changes the subject a la Sean Hannity when he saw all those hands of people saying Edwards won the debate. He just immediately asked that Frank guy, well, who do those people think won between OBAMA AND CLINTON?

corporate bastards.


store.johnedwards.com

[eridani]

87. Not enough to knock him out of the debates.

Edwards should not be standing on the sidelines allowing the MSM to do to Kucinich what they are about to do a lot more of to him.

[LaPera]

58. There's no doubt the republican owned media is ignoring Edwards, they want the two moderates!

Donate to John Edwards tomorrow, (Friday). http://www.johnedwards.com/

[99th_Monkey]

60. When the M$M "discovers" Edwards: "ahhh .. ... well, how about that John Edwards? ...?

underdog duz good. hee - hee... move over National Chamber of Commerce, soon-to-be President Edwards is in the house.

[Voltaire99]

62. Sorry, John. Corporate party + corporate media = corporate candidates

I like Edwards' populism, and I think the faltering economy might help his campaign's chances. So I hope he gets the numbers to force a brokered convention.

For now, let's be honest. If you're a Democratic politician, you know the score: this is a pro-corporate party, providing full-time service to corporate power and elite wealth. Hence the media, which are well trained, won't notice you if you don't do the usual song-and-dance -- the one Clintbama does so well.

Edwards knows as much; unfortunately, he didn't exactly try to do anything about it in the past. No, it was perfectly acceptable to him to run alongside the corporate candidate Kerry, who enjoyed much the same attention overload that Clintbama now gets. Edwards wasn't complaining in those days, was he?

I'm glad Edwards wants reform. He may discover, however, that like Gore, he'll have to work outside it in order to be effective -- the party is far too calcified, and its centers of power far too integrated with the MSM, for anything to be changed on a moment's notice.

[underpants]

75. I agrre and there will be media backlash but this was worth the risk IMHO

Even if it is a shot fired as you leave the door (I hope not) at least he is doing the right thing in pointing this out.

Everyone who pays any attention already knows about this and Elizabeth's appearance with Chris Mathews a few weeks ago hinted at this as well.

There WILL BE immediate press blowback on this. If he can withstand it he MAY come out better but the odds are that they will completely bury him.

[redqueen]

95. Anything could change anytime voters go to a caucus or voting booth.

The M$M can try their best... but at the end of the day it's up to the voters.

[AzDar]

63. Go, Johnny, GO!!!

:kick:

[Kurovski]

64. K&R. (nt)

[laylah]

65. Terrific!

This is a THREE way race, period! I like that so many in the corporate world fear him He must be doing something right.

[deacon]

66. if you look at it, they certainly cover romney, mccain, huck and giuliani with, no problem

it's a blatant bias. They all get a lot of coverage, plenty of net space and print space for them and yet on the dem side, obama and hillary only.

[AlertLurker]

67. "As ye sow, so shall ye reap."

As much as I hate to see ANY candidate ignored by the M$M, I believe that Edwards surrendered to his karma when he conspired with Clinton to marginalize and exclude less popular candidates and then failed to speak out after others were excluded from debates.

Unfortunately, the morons in the media seem to be playing a larger and larger part in Presidential campaigns as time goes on. I sincerely wish there was a way to exclude THEM!!!

[cyclezealot]

69. Again why Edwards' wants Kucinich silenced.

He again takes another Kucinich position. Wathc out John. It's what got Kucinich on the media s*** list from the get go. Not that they won't go after you anyway.

[Greylyn58]

71. It is most definitely a three person race...

even if the MSM doesn't want us to know it. Even the TV talking heads are so enamored with the idea of it being a two person race that most only mention Edwards as an afterthought. That's why I don't trust most of the polling that's out there. Most say that John is way back in the running and I frankly don't believe it.

Thanks for posting this.

[bdamomma]

72. Tell them John, we all know the media is nothing but a tool

for this filthy administration.

[BrklynLiberal]

77. It's about damn time that this factor was publicly acknowledged!!!

Let's see if the media will continue to ignore this revelation as they have all the other pertinent facts about Edwards...

[mother earth]

81. Edwards all the way! It's telling when MSM does not dare bring

up his name, much less give him air time. K & R

[Sonicmedusa]

85. How telling is this?

When you open the link to read more- NOT FOUND!!!!

[BrklynLiberal]

86. HAH! That is EXACTLY what I figured would happen to this story...

I just contributed to his campaign..gave $25.01
We all should..
https://www.johnedwards.com/action/contribute/form

[snot]

90. Blog Post with "Bust the Blackout" donation info here:

http://c-cyte.blogspot.com/2008/01/help-bust-media-blackout-on-edwards.html

I could hardly wait 'til today to donate!

[go west young man]

93. Just sent $25! I hope he hits that 7 mil mark today!

[redqueen]

91. Last night O'Donnell said Edwards is irrelevant on Countdown.

Keith was silent about it.

Thanks, Keith.

[Andrea]

92. Way to go John!

Everyone - remember to contribute today at http://www.johnedwards.com

They can't ignore $7 Million in one day! They won't be able to resist that story.

[redqueen]

96. Just gave my $25. Wish it could have been more.

:kick:

[Uncle Joe]

98. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, jsamuel.:thumbsup:

[Bondor]

101. viability

I totally agree. Edwards' poll numbers show he is viable, but the "two-person race" meme pushed by the MSM makes others think he has no chance and is a radical. The lack of coverage from the MSM is, IMO, a direct result of the corporate ownership and consolidation of the media that forms part of the bigger problem: like Edwards says, we have to reduce the power of corporations and big money if we are to have anything resembling a democracy -- and if we are to have a government that watches out for the people, like it should.

[jsamuel]

102. NEW LINK:

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/01/18/edwards-camp-takes-aim-at-media/

They changed the date to the 18th so the link got changed from /01/17/ to /01/18/

[mirrera]

103. Not a good song to pick for a southern boy, in the video!

I love that they are doing this, but when I hear that song from Deliverence playing all I can think of is Su-u-ie!

His staffers are probably too young...

[Dinger]

104. Damn Right

They think they can do the voting for us. Edwards was always a fighter, and I like that.

[pacalo]

106. Oh, the irony. The CNN page is no longer there...

The message I got after clicking the link was "Not Found. Sorry, but you are looking for something that isn't here."

Ironic but par for the course.