NY Times - 12 PAID Commercials - 100s of Free Showings Of False Ad

[Median Democrat]

Here is more proof that it is not a simple matter of the Obama campaign paying for more political ads. This was noted in Newsweek, but the Karl Rove's proteges are using thier connections in the media, particularly Fox News, to get hundreds of free showings on TV. In essense, McCain has a 10 to 1 advantage in that Obama has to broadcast a campaign ad 10 times the times McCain pays for his ads to equal the amount of free air play McCain gets. I have said it before, Big Media in the tank, given that the commercial was demonstrably false, yet they Big Media played the commercial again and again. Over the course of an election, this will probably exceed a billion dollar in kind contribution to the McCain campaign.

Now, there are those folks on this board who will say that it is Obama's fault for not raising a billion dollar to take on McCain and Big Media. They will fault Obama's fundraising, and say that some magical strategy would over a scenario where even an opponents completely false ads get hundreds of showings. Yet, when Obama hits back with a truthful ad calling McCain dishonest, and showing McCain in lock step with Bush, hardly any newscast picks it up. Now, some folks will advoate that Obama hire Mark Penn, and start broadcasting false smears in a desperate attempt to get free air play, such as accusing McCain of having an illegitimate black daughter the way Rove did against McCain in 2000. You have to admit that despite any bias, such a patently false ad would gets hundreds of hours of free air time. Yet, if we get to this point, is there really any difference between Democrats and Republicans?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25938013/

[Chloroplast]

1. Is this allowed under the Equal-Time Rule?

[FrenchieCat]

3. What rule?

Cable has no rule, thanks to the 1996 Telecommunications act.

[FrenchieCat]

2. Yep, that is exactly what the media does......

which is why the "Obama is getting all of the coverage" outcry was nothing but a big ass lie.

The media is not our media; it is a Republican media, bought and paid for.

[Frank Booth]

5. Calcucated "big ass lie." They did the same thing during the primaries -- used their

supposed "pro-Obama bias" to provide cover for them televising nothing but Jeremiah Wright for a month straight.

[Frustratedlady]

4. What about all the times McCain's ads played tonight?

MSNBC, CNN, etc., played them time after time after time. Spears and Hilton got more coverage tonight than anytime in recent history.

They need to throw Rove in the hoosegow with no phone, computer or ink pen.

[Cha]

6. I hope Hilton's parents who gave mccain the max donation

are so happy with what he's doing with the money.