Barack Obama gets blown away by Hurricane Dolly (at least in part)
Increasingly, coverage of Barack Obama's trek through the world's hot spots has focused on the coverage itself -- the extent of it, its tenor (generally positive, as exemplified by this New York Daily News analysis piece) and the somewhat tormented reaction to all of this from the John McCain camp.
Our own Maeve Reston wrote about this latter aspect in a story headlined: "Press coverage of Obama puts envy in the air at McCain headquarters." And Alessandra Stanley of the N.Y. Times provided her overview of the journalistic disparity in a column headlined: "Obama Overseas! In Presidential Mode! Back Home, It’s McCain in a Golf Cart."
Today, however, nature intruded on the Obama parade, at least to some degree.
He still won lots of attention as he conducted a news conference in Israel, during which he was pressed on how, if he wins the White House, he would negotiate with Iran. But with Hurricane Dolly bearing down on South Texas, the three main cable news networks -- CNN, Fox and MSNBC -- have had something else to spotlight, to greater or lesser degrees.
It was in September 1961 that a young fellow with the CBS affiliate in Houston caught the eye of network brass when, microphone firmly in hand, he stood amid howling winds as Hurricane Carla headed toward Galveston. And ever since Dan Rather boosted his career with those reports, there are few images television news producers are more fond of than those of someone stationed right in the middle of a big storm.
Not even Obama's international tryout can trump that.
-- Don Frederick
Andrew Malcolm's immigrant parents repeatedly stressed the importance of active participation in a democracy. Early lessons included learning the alphabetical list of states by watching televised roll calls of national political conventions. That childhood exposure led to a lifelong fascination with politics, including 40-plus years of covering them and a brief stint practicing them as press secretary to Laura Bush in 1999-2000. A veteran foreign and national correspondent, Malcolm served on the Times Editorial Board and was a Pulitzer finalist in 2004. He is the author of 10 nonfiction books and father of four.
Johanna Neuman is a veteran Washington correspondent for both The Los Angeles Times and USA Today, having covered presidents and politics as far back as Ronald Reagan. A former president of the White House Correspondents Assn., she authored a book on media and foreign policy, “Lights, Camera, Wars.” Most recently she was co-author of the 
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> And Alessandra Stanley of the N.Y. Times provided her
> overview of the journalistic disparity in a column
May I have your attention, please ?
Who rolled out the red carpet in Bagdad ?
Who rode Obama to the airport in Amman ?
Reporters ? Journalists ? The MSM ? The liberally biased media ?
You know, some people in this world can think for themselves. Now if only this happened to the US population in time for Nov. 4th.
Posted by: Toon Moene | July 23, 2008 at 12:32 PM
News about two geriatrics riding around in a golf cart won’t sell many papers.
However, I find it hard to believe that Tropical Storm Dolly is dominating the news. It is just rain….
If those Texicans would spend a few bucks on making a proper house instead of living in a mobile home or one made of paper products they'd simply sit out on their porches and watch the storm pass over.
But no…..it will be another disaster area coupled with a federal bailout full of loans…
Posted by: Bill | July 23, 2008 at 02:32 PM
Hurrican Dolly is getting attention. I am grateful it is not a huge hurrican tho. Last I saw it was a level 1 storm. So hopefully the golf states wont have too much damage if any at all.
The Hurricane is really not taking away from Senator Obama, as you can flip to a different channel and find him there. Isn't tomorrow night when he gives a speech in Germany? Anybody know the time?? Thanks.
NinaK
Posted by: NinaK | July 23, 2008 at 04:12 PM
Barack Obama gets blown away by Hurricane Dolly (at least in part)
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Please, this is a terrible title for any article. Glancing at the title, I just about fell out of my chaie with a "What?? No.No.!! Please choose your titles a little more carefully!! Please ltake a close look at yur title again---'blown away" is not recommended!!
Thanks
Posted by: NinaK | July 23, 2008 at 04:28 PM