Recently, the Chicago Sun-Times’ resident Obamist, Lynn Sweet, wrote an article explaining that “after requests from major news outlets and wire services, the Obama campaign has agreed to allow coverage for all movements of presumptive Democratic nominee Sen. Barack Obama”. The article then went on to explain that “this small pool at all events, called a ‘protective pool,’ is similar to one that that follows the president no matter where he goes.”
No matter where he goes.
Again, that’s no matter where he goes.
I suppose such a “pool” could be interesting. After all, it may have helped reveal the true character of former Senator George Allen. And who knows? Obama might just have a few important things on his mind that he feels simply cannot wait for his next (almost daily) rally, when the media hounds would have cameras pointed at him from every angle. Either way, Sen. Obama has clearly garnered a ton of support throughout the entire country, so he makes a prime target for the media as they seek to get at the truth behind the man who could be president.
Now, since the writing of that article, I have not heard of any groundbreaking, campaign-killing statements made by Obama, so I have to assume that perhaps the media is indeed following the calls of Sen. John McCain and Obama to take the high road in discussing both candidates and any issues involving them. So, let’s see what information the “pool” has relayed to the public thus far:
Day 2 of the Barack Obama protection pool
“At about 9:30 a.m., Obama left his home in Chicago’s Hyde Park neighborhood and went for a workout at his friend’s Mike Signator’s building…” (okay, a little mundane, but no one this side of Iraq starts their days in a blaze of action) “…He wore his black White Sox cap…” (alright, there was the big Crosstown Classic that Chicago media was just as excited over, so I suppose the mention was warranted) “…a gray T-shirt…” (umm..) “…and black workout pants.” (please tell me this is going somewhere) “He only stayed about 15 minutes. Press staff was unsure whether he worked out or just hung with his friend.”
You. Have. Got. To. Be. Kidding. me.
It goes on (”From there, we drove to the Hyde Park Hair Salon, where he went in for his usual trim just after 10 a.m.”) but I think you get the idea. It would be somewhat reassuring to believe that perhaps this was just some small gossip column catering to the local Chicagoans who might be familiar with many of the places their possible next president might be visiting, but unfortunately, this is how the entire Obama campaign has unfolded in the Chicago media. And I say this from experience. This past semester, I got the chance to work at one of Chicago’s major news networks with their political reporters. I got to go to many of the important events throughout Obama’s (and yes, Clinton’s) entire campaign, and witness how the mainstream media interacts with each campaign.
Often, it was just as you would expect; reporting on breakthroughs and developments (major campaign speeches, Democratic debates, etc) as they happened. But when these things weren’t happening, it got right back to dullsville. Unfortunately, dull doesn’t sell, and we of course were working for profit and ratings. This led to one of the most frustrating periods of my duration there: the Reverend Wright “scandal”. This ten seconds of footage provided us with a full month’s worth of “story”. This included showing the clip over and over, as well as ‘exclusive’ interviews with people who attended the church, and people representing the Clinton campaign.
Now, if you merely watched the news (as I’m sure most of the mainstream media was hoping for), then sure, you could reasonably have seen this as an insight into the characters that influence Obama. I didn’t do that. I had the duty of transcribing all of Wright’s following speeches in their entirety, and they presented a very different image of the man and his ideas. But I was instructed instead to simply highlight the segments of his speech that directly related to his previous ‘God Damn America’ snippet. Yes, I was essentially instructed to take comments out of context and to better present a view of the man that we best felt the American public already held. After all, we wouldn’t want to give the idea that our previous practice of showing a 10 second clip of a much, much longer sermon provided the wrong context.
But this is our media. These are our watchdogs; our gatekeepers.
UPDATE!
The Sun-Times hosted a web chat with Mrs. Sweet today. Here is a transcript of my participation:
Me : I have a question regarding the media ‘protective pool’ surrounding Obama.
LynnSweet : Epaw…the “protective pool” just started last week. It is modeled on White House coverage. A pool reporter is always with the president.
Epaw : What is the point/goal of the protective pool? I’ve been following Mrs. Sweet’s blog posts reguarding their reports, and all they have been are descriptions of the most mundane aspects of Obama’s life.
Epaw : Is there anything to be gained from the public by it, as it seems so far to be more of a paris hilton/tabloid type group.
Epaw : Or is it to make sure Obama doesn’t have his own ‘macaca’ moment?
LynnSweet : The main purpose of the “protective pool” is to be with the candidate at all times–whether or not events are on his “official” schedule. The protective pool covers everyday events of the candidate or president–that’s why they seem “mundane” to you.
Epaw : But what is the goal? What is to be gained by always following him around?
chicagosuntimes-1 : And even the “mundane” aspects bring a clearer picture to the candidate as a person - beyond soundbytes, etc.
Epaw : but I believe much of that picture is largely irrelevant to how anyone would be as a president.
LynnSweet : To Epaw…actually…Chicagoans may find what Obama does in the city interesting.
Epaw : Yes, I certainly agree with that, Mrs. Sweet. But that doesn’t explain why it’s a national ‘pool’
LynnSweet : To Epaw: covering what Obama does when he is not campaigning–helps people know more about him. That does not exclude reporting on issues, etc.
LynnSweet : To Epaw: I am not quite sure of your question regarding the national pool
Epaw : Oh, I don’t percieve any lack of coverage on the the more important issues
Epaw : But I just fail to see how going into such detail as how long it take him to work out, or what his barber thinks of Obama and his haircut could possibly relate to the character of the Senator, and how he would act in office if elected
Epaw : okay, I suppose my question is this: Why do you think it is important for the media to report on details that would arguably have little bearing on how a candidate would act in office?
LynnSweet : To Epaw: Reporters should try and get the whole story out–what the candidate and president is doing that is major as well as the minor stuff.
Epaw : yes, but why???
cnewman71 : Epaw, perhaps the policy coverage will ramp up further as the campaign rolls along? This reporting fills out the public’s knowledge about a man many say they don’t know well.
Epaw : I think the policy coverage has been just fine. I suppose my confusion just comes from not understanding why the public would need to get to know a candidate THAT well.
LynnSweet : to Epaw: There is another reason for the protective pool. Sometimes a candidate decides to do things that have not been on the schedule. As when Obama met with Sen. Hillary Clinton at Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s house in D.C. T
Epaw : Yes, and as I understand it, Obama and Clinton wanted that meeting to be kept private, AWAY from the media.
LynnSweet : to Epaw: the thinking is everything a president or presidential nominee does is worth noting. All parts to a puzzle.
Epaw : Yes, I understand that reporters SHOULD report on the minor stuff, and that it is worth noting, but I am asking why you think that is so.
Epaw : WHY is it worth noting? Can you honestly say that Obama’s exercise habits matter in the least?
LynnSweet : to Epaw: Something minor today could be more interesting tomorrow–or the next day or week or month.
Epaw : I suppose the only reason this concerns me is because if you get to know and like a candidate’s character TOO well, people seem to tend to vote for the character as opposed to the policy issues (ala’ George W. Bush)
LynnSweet : to Epaw…yes, the exercise habits of a presidential candidate helps fill out the personal portrait.
LynnSweet : I need to go now. Thanks so much for joining me today. Craig, thanks for your help.
Epaw : I don’t want people voting for a candidate because he’s a Sox fan, or because he has similar workout habits as they
chicagosuntimes-1 : bye Lynn.
chicagosuntimes-1 : Epaw, I think this coverage is filler. Most people have somefamiliarity with McCain.
chicagosuntimes-1 : But it’s also a way to bridge the primary season with the general
chicagosuntimes-1 : tuning out for the day. Thanks for the interest!
Epaw : yes, but it just seems a bit of a shame that those reporters couldn’t be working on things a bit more constuctive reguarding the campaigns
Epaw : There’s surely enough policy decisions to be made in the 4 years that one would be president for that they could be discussing
