Obama Calls for End to Political Mudslinging

Obama's presence in the Democratic race continues to cause a stir in the media when recently, following a lavish Hollywood fundraiser for the senator, Dreamworks co-founder, David Geffen, who supports Obama, accused his presidential competitor, Sen. Clinton, for being "dishonest." Geffen's critical comments elicited a response from the Clinton camp, who demanded that Obama return Geffen's money. Obama declined. His spokesman likewise reminded the Clintons of one of their supporters, a South Carolina lawmaker, who stated that Obama can't win the White House because he is black.

The recent back-and-forth between the Obama and Clinton camps is apparently tiresome to Obama, who stated at a Houston fundraiser that it could be detrimental for the country if politicians continue to engage in this sort of "tit-for-tat."

Whether Obama or Clinton will end the petty bickering is anyone's guess. There are still more than 20 months away before Americans go to the polls to pick the next president, so the political race, which has been notoriously brutal to those who enter it, could get more intense as the stakes for the White House are raised for the candidates.

A greater concern though remains how this race will be covered by the mainstream media. Clearly, the media seems to be enjoying this "tit-for-tat," often highlighting these stories in their nonstop coverage of the upcoming 2008 presidential election. While there are many valid questions as to whether either Clinton or Obama have ideas that will get this country back on track again, those issues are being ignored for horserace coverage amped up on steroids.

Obama's entrance into the race has caused a curious reaction from the MSM. Ever since Obama announced he was throwing his hat in the presidential ring earlier this month, he has been the source of much media attention, often taking the spotlight off other presidential candidates. His racial background, the cool reception he's received from the Black community, his name, his smoking habits, et al. have all been grist for the media mill. Reactions from other Democrats, such as Sen. Biden's racially-tingued comments about his colleague, have also been covered, while questions about his schooling has forced the Fox News Corp. to backtrack on allegations they made in a report based on a report on an Internet site that he received his early education at a madrassa school-schools in Islamic countries designed specifically to train terrorists and preach hate toward Western countries. The story proved to be false when it was verified that the school was not a madrassa.

Both Obama and Clinton both has the chance to create history in America: either could become the first Black or woman president in our country's history, and certainly the attention they garner is understandable from that point of view. There are serious issues though that we face as a nation up ahead, and campaign coverage is quickly devolving into the kind of mindless and shallow analyses that distinguished both the 2000 and 2004 elections and I fear that the MSMs notoriety in ignoring those serious issues will yet again devolve into the kind of backbiting that is now characterizing both the Obama and Clinton candidacies.

No one knew, prior to 9/11, what the United States faced during the 2000 election, yet the news media treated serious issues such as Bush or Gore's foreign policy ideas with kid gloves, if they covered those issues at all. Considering the direction Bush has taken this country, it is important for American voters to know what the next president of the United States intends to do to get us back on track and out of Iraq. As voters and citizens, we deserve to have a news media that will seriously cover those issues during this upcoming election.