Today I thought I would examine a popular news source in terms of its layout, and the wording of its articles. I am currently looking at drudgereport.com (accessed April 29, 2008 at 5:30 p.m., http://www.drudgereport.com/) and I immediately notice two major headlines. At the top of the page, in a massive print size, the headline is "Obama Outraged by Former Pastor's Comments." In a column below, in far smaller type, is an announcement that Hillary Clinton will "appear for first time ever on FOX NEWS' 'The O'Reilly Factor' Wednesday night . . ." (drudgereport.com accessed April 29, 2008 at 5:30 p.m.). Personally, I find the second headline far more intriguing because it is something new (link to "The O'Reilly Factor" website: http://www.foxnews.com/oreilly/).
Everyone I have spoken to (in an area densely populated by democrats) seems to be getting sick of the Obama/Reverend Wright saga. It seems fitting that Wright's sensational comments have been picked up by a sensationalist media, which ends up hurting Obama politically; however, the relationship between the two individuals has been so thoroughly addressed that it seems like the media has some kind of agenda in focusing on a story of someone who is portrayed (I have not seen his entire sermons, so I cannot be sure) as a religious and racial radical. The status quo is maintained through this portrayal by putting down Reverend Wright, even though some of his comments are truly ridiculous.
It's intriguing to me that it is more of a side story that something so monumental as Hillary Clinton agreeing to be on the controversial "O'Reilly Factor" Fox program. As a Republican, I will definitely be watching this programming, especially since Hillary Clinton is an individual that Bill O'Reilly would love to rip into. I will be curious to see how both individuals conduct themselves within the program. Furthermore, I question the intentions of Matt Drudge as well as other media sources that put a story in the headline that hurts Obama instead of letting people know about an incredible media event regarding Hillary Clinton and a stalwart conservative member of the media.
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