Jul 25, 2008 6:43 pm US/Central
Minority Journalists Weigh In On Obama Media Bias
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
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Minority journalists gather at McCormick Place for a job fair and social gathering.
CBS
Intense media coverage of the Illinois senator's trip has supporters of Republican John McCain crying, "Unfair!" They call it further evidence of a liberal bias. CBS 2's Political Editor Mike Flannery took their complaint to a conference of minority journalists meeting at McCormick Place.
Barack Obama was on an oversize magazine cover at the entrance to UNITY 2008. He was also on dozens of other displays inside. It's a job fair and social gathering for journalists of African, Hispanic, Asian or Native American descent. Some Republicans might see all the images of and talk about the Illinois senator here as confirming their worst fears of journalistic bias.
"I think the coverage has been fair, and let me tell you why," said Mary Mitchell, Sun-Times Columnist. "We're not just covering Barack Obama. We're covering a historical moment in American history."
"But this reminds me of the old Harold Washington campaign," said Clarence Page, Chicago Tribune Columnist. "I remember Black reporters being asked 'can you be objective covering a black candidate for mayor?' and I say, 'well, can a white reporter be objective covering a white candidate for mayor?' That's what we're all supposed to be doing."
"You've got a lot of history going on here," said Drew Berry, talent agent. "If there is a leaning toward Obama, it's probably because of the novelty of his candidacy."
Even granting all those factors, there are some here willing to concede that, especially at this convention, Barack Obama has plenty of fans.
"The coverage is definitely biased towards Obama," said Mona Khanna, ICYou.Com. "There's no question about it. And nobody's making any apologies for it."
"Of course it's not fair. But people like to hear what's different, and he's breaking the mold of what's tradition," said Jacqueline Ingles, MTV Political Reporter.
Organizers said Sen. McCain declined an invitation to address the minority journalists. Sen. Obama is scheduled to address them when he returns from Europe this weekend.
Organizers of the UNITY '08 conference said they want more minorities working as managers and reporters in American newsrooms.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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