SNL - The Real Media Bias

Could SNL be anymore in favor of Sen Clinton? Last week we got an opening sketch based solely on the idea that Sen Obama gets softball questions or out right favoritism. OK. It was mildly amusing until Tina Fey went off and endorsed Sen Clinton during Weekend Update.

Fast forward to last night (or rewind - Im a little lost on this one). Once again same set up and premise - media favoritism to Sen Obama during debates. Not only did they mischaracterize Sen Obama's public financing pledge. The skit ended with the actual Sen Clinton interacting with Amy Poehler and laughing at herself - something she has not been know for and a chance to humanize herself prior to the primaries this week.

Then in the first half hour of the show SNL ran a cartoon that had him sending Jesse Jackson out of the country and putting a shocking dog collar on Al Sharpton. Apparently, SNL doesnt think Sen Obama is black enough, either.

Oh, but we're not done, yet. Seth Myers did a joke about the photos of Sen Obama in Kenya that appeared this week, but failed to mention that they were put out by the Clinton campaign. Oddly, Bill Maher did the exact same thing on his show Friday. Mahers new rules were half based on assertions from a guest on his show against Sen Obama the previous week that went unchallenged by him.

Talk about media bias! I had predicted that rap would be the first casualty of the new spirit of Hope. Maybe its actually cynical comedy.

Here is Sen Obamas actual response and the actual question to public financing of the presidential election in '08. As you can see, he proposed an entire structure which Sen McCain has yet to accept.

QUESTION: “If you are nominated for President in 2008 and your major opponents agree to forgo private funding in the general election campaign, will you participate in the presidential public financing system?”

OBAMA: “Yes. I have been a long-time advocate for public financing of campaigns combined with free television and radio time as a way to reduce the influence of moneyed special interests. I introduced public financing legislation in the Illinois State Senate, and am the only 2008 candidate to have sponsored Senator Russ Feingold’s (D-WI) bill to reform the presidential public financing system. In February 2007, I proposed a novel way to preserve the strength of the public financing system in the 2008 election. My plan requires both major party candidates to agree on a fundraising truce, return excess money from donors, and stay within the public financing system for the general election. My proposal followed announcements by some presidential candidates that they would forgo public financing so they could raise unlimited funds in the general election. The Federal Election Commission ruled the proposal legal, and Senator John McCain (r-AZ) has already pledged to accept this fundraising pledge. If I am the Democratic nominee, I will aggressively pursue an agreement with the Republican nominee to preserve a publicly financed general election.” (Sen. Barack Obama, “Midwest Democracy Network Presidential Candidate Questionnaire: The Responses Of John Edwards And Barack Obama,” Midwest Democracy Network, Released 11/27/07)