OPINION: Obama and the media

Clearly, the national media, especially the three big TV networks, are determined to push Obama down the throats of the voters regardless of the nation’s basic conservative nature. But I suspect that their efforts will backfire.

You see, Obama’s plan to win the presidency includes carrying at least a few southern states, especially Georgia, by gaining a massive increase in the black vote. But what he does not understand is that we Southerners, of all colors, are a contrarian and rebellious people. We don’t like being told what to do. We don’t like to have our actions pre-ordained. No matter that a number of the media types behind this effort are native Southerners. They were brainwashed by liberal college professors and have forgotten their Southern roots.

And regardless of the redneck jokes, we Southerners are a perceptive people. We can see through the efforts of the media to manipulate our minds and we resent it. I suspect that most Southerners, and many in other parts of the nation, will see this massively one-sided coverage of Obama as evidence that he cannot win on his own. It will suggest to many of us that Obama is, in fact, an empty suit who can be manipulated by the radical left to whom he would owe his victory, if he were to win.

Finally, Obama’s campaign has so far been startlingly similar to that of Jimmy Carter. Even sending out the kiddy corps to flood communities and activities with his literature (several of them were at the Colbert 4th of July festival) is reminiscent of Carter’s campaign. We Southerners have long memories. We remember the total disaster of Carter’s administration and fear that an Obama government would produce the same results.

Therefore, in my opinion, the massive media blitz in favor of Obama is likely to backfire in many areas of the nation, especially the South. He would do much better if the media were being fair minded and assuring that all candidates receive equal, or nearly equal, coverage. Then any real strengths he has will be revealed by comparison to the other candidates.

Now, I always exercise my God given and Constitutionally protected right to a secret ballot. I never announce my vote. But I will make predictions based on my view of the political situation. And I predict that unless the Obama camp changes its program, he might well finish third in Georgia behind McCain and Barr.

As I said, we Southerners do not like being pressured, tricked or misled into voting for someone who’s positions are at odds with our basic philosophy. And the more we are confronted with this tactic, the greater the resentment.

The media is already confused by the errors in the political polls. The more they try to influence those polls by their one sided coverage, the bigger the surprise will be in November.

Frank Gillispie is founder of The Madison County Journal. His e-mail address is frankgillispie671@msn.com. His website can be accessed at http://frankgillispie.tripod.com/