the media debate demeanor: rmoney/biden vs. obama/rayn

in terms of substance, obama and biden came armed with facts and policies with widespread, middle-class appeal.
rmoney/rayn didn't.

but the media doesn't much focus on things that matter. they focus on sweaters and sighed, and in this case, demeanor.


to any actual objective observer, there was a noticeable parallel between rmoney's and biden's behavior (aggressive/assertive, challenging/interrupting, not particularly respectful) and obama's and rayn's behavior (calm/aloof, undramatic, a bit wonkish, non-confrontational).


many of these behaviors can be spun either positively or negatively. a certain level of cordial disrespect, for instance, is sometimes appropriate, especially when countering a lie (which itself is disrespectful in the first place).

tellingly, the media sees very similar behavior and spins it positively for rmoney and rayn, and negatively for obama and biden.


the same media that found rmoney's interrupting to be strong and aggressive and coming out swinging and in command of the debate found biden's interrupting to be disrespectful and bullying.

the same media that found obama's calmness non-confrontation and policy statements as listless, non-engaged, and dull found rayn's calmness unflappable and serious and focused standing tall in the face of a bully.




it's hard to imagine what they would have to see these days in a debate to actually call a democrat a clear winner over a republican. outside of a profoundly inept republican, such as dan quayle, i can't see what obama and/or biden could POSSIBLY have done or could do to "win" in the eyes of the media.

as it stands, obama will be deemed the loser if he DOESN'T confont rmoney (allof, non-engaging, listless), and he will be deemed the loser if he DOES confront rmoney (bullying, disrespectful, angry black man).


liberal media my ass.