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Reality vs. the Mythmakers
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As in 2004, horse-race coverage totally dominates, with policy stories making up only 7 percent of the filings and examinations of the candidates' records only 2 percent. That is probably the greatest indictment of the media.
Further indications of the trivialization of the coverage can be found by recounting the top campaign stories from January through early May.
Far out front were examinations of Obama's relationship with Wright. Then came the controversy over the Democratic superdelegates, Obama's comments on "bitter" Pennsylvania voters clinging to guns and God, the fight over the Florida and Michigan delegations, the questionable New York Times story about McCain and a female lobbyist, and the role of Bill Clinton in his wife's campaign.
You can't read that list without thinking that we in the media have not only accepted many myths in this campaign but have done our best to dumb down the process.
It would be nice to think the next five months will be better, but I wouldn't guarantee it.
![[slate.com logo]](http://media.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/graphic/2007/09/27/GR2007092701096.GIF)
