Media Bias in Omaha

If I didn’t believe there was a leftist bias in the print and broadcast media before Thursday’s debate, I would now. Seated up front were various local media personalities and one self-proclaimed publisher Ben Salazar.
The purpose of the gathering was to discuss why voters between the ages of 18-26 weren’t interested in voting, one of the luminaries even called this disenfranchisement, ignoring the fact that nothing stopped the young from voting except a lack of desire. Several of the panelists suggested the young voters didn’t read the newspaper or watch T.V. They suggested the youth didn’t seem interested in the news anymore. Off course these are the same reasons put forth by media experts every election cycle to explain the low voter turnout in this country, regardless of age.
Ben Salazar brought a slightly different perspective. He publishes the only Spanish newspaper in Omaha with a singular focus on the Latino population. Salazar claims the Hispanic young are not interested in the war, a topic driving the election for many other voters. Hispanics are more interested in amnesty for their undocumented friends. Considering President Bush has proposed an amnesty program earlier this year one might think the Hispanic youth would be motivated to vote if Salazar was correct. What do I know I am just a student?
Salazar also suggested if the youth faced the prospect of a draft they might care enough to vote. This may be true but does little to explain why they don’t vote now. Salazar was also quick to point out that he disliked both candidates but was going to vote for Kerry while he “held his nose.” I wanted to ask him who he voted for in the last election and the one before that. I suspect he disliked Gore and Bush, but “held his nose” and voted for Gore, I bet that’s how he voted every time and every time for a democrat. Makes one wonder why he even votes.
Another who stood out from the group was an editor from channel seven. After arriving late he quickly condemned the new media, (I.E. Bloggers, the internet and Rush Limbaugh.) saying people who get their news from such places weren’t getting the facts. Ben having conveniently forgotten the recent Rather forged document debacle, apparently Rather doesn’t let something like the facts get in his way either.
Ben even claimed that Rush Limbaugh said Saddam Hussein was responsible for 9-11. I knew then that our friend Ben had never listened to Rush, because Rush has never made such a claim. The only thing Rush has claimed is Iraq has sponsored terrorists and some of them were members of Al Qaeda. The same thing the recent 9-11 report claimed. I know, as a member of his 24-7 pay site, I haven’t missed a program in over a year.Ben, like many in the partisan press fail to realize that Rush does not claim to be a reporter or unbiased. Rush doesn’t claim to be anything but a Conservative Republican. When you listen to Rush, you know what he believes. If you’re not conservative don’t listen to him. Unfortunately with the mainstream media such a choice is mostly denied us. Media representatives like Ben and Salazar claim to be unbiased, and they report only the facts, but Thursday proved this wasn’t the case, and hasn’t been for sometime.