Covering Both Campaigns Fox Style
Reported by Eleanor - September 3, 2004 -
Studio B with Rick Folbaum (Sept. 3, 3:00 p.m.) provided an example of how the two campaigns will be covered.
Carl Cameron on Kerry:
Kerry has been pounding Bush and Cheney for questioning his fitness for command and his patriotism. Cheney did not call Kerry unfit, and Bush honors his service. Kerry's comment about questioning his service by someone who did not serve when they could have refers to Cheney's deferment. If Clinton can't campaign, that would be something of a setback. Kerry wants his time in the spotlight now, and he's sharing it with Clinton and Frances. He has seen himself slip in the last few days. He's eclipsed a little.
Jim Angle on Bush:
Bush is on his way to Iowa with good news on the economy. It's growing and getting stronger. 144,000 thousand new jobs, up 60,000 from the previous two months with 5.4% unemployment. He has three new ads for his policy proposals.
Comment: This kind of reporting is representative of Fox. If the intent were to tell the whole truth, or to compare the two campaigns, the report would compare the new jobs to what is normal. A casual listener gets the impression that these numbers are good, when 150,000 is the monthly pace that many economists believe is needed to keep up with population growth, and stay even. Median jobs growth is in a range between 200,000 and 300,000 jobs a month.
John Kerry said about this jobs report: "President Bush is now certain to be the first president since the Great Depression to face reelection without creating a single job. I will set a new course with an economic plan that will create jobs and put middle-class families first."
Instead of reporting on how each candidate views the jobs report, Cameron reported on negative campaign rhetoric and speculative threats to Kerry's campaign, with no reference to the jobs report. Jim Angle focused on the jobs issue and made it look as good as possible for Bush.
See Payroll Growth for July and Economy Added 144,000 Jobs in August
