When Sen. Barack Obama appeared at a recent convocation for journalists of color in Chicago, it brought up the question of whether or not they can be objective on matters of involving race, and specifically in their coverage of Obama’s run for president.  Journalists are trained to be objective: they know how to report the facts and just the facts without leaning in any particular direction…. in theory. Something a little closer to the truth is that objective journalists are a lot like dinosaurs:  I’ve read about them, seen them on TV and in the movies but have never seen one face-to-face, and don’t know anyone who has.  I think all of us, Black or White, bring our own filter into a situation—this is the reason why we need journalists of color who can give a perspective untainted by White prejudice… but of course, Black people have their own prejudices and pre-disposed notions, and therein lies the rub.

I have been at these conventions and seen journalists misbehave: I watched them boo and heckle President George Bush, and gush over John Kerry and scream for Obama and clamor for an autograph like he was Michael Jackson, back when Michael was still Black. I didn’t see Obama speak this year, but I am told the audience was more subdued than last year, and there was no soft-balling of questions. But a good portion of the people of color still working in the press was represented and the overarching question is a valuable one.

Can journalists of color be objective when covering the Obama campaign or any issue involving color?  Tell us here.

Images courtesy of flickr.com.

(*The views contained herein are solely the views of their respective authors, and do not express the views of TV One.  TV One does not take responsibility for their content.) 

Ben Stein, he of talk-show, movie and (most  importantly) White House speech-writer fame, has become a pundit of note in the last ten years, and recently he’s been crowing about a Republican ticket that would win: Sen. John McCain and Karl Rove. Yeah, I know. The thing is, it’s hard to knock Stein, given that Rove was the puppeteer behind two back-to-back wins for Dubya. And Rove has a lot of media sex appeal, something McCain is lacking, big time.

We don’t know what kind of leader Rove would be, but we know that there are those in the electorate that have a lot of affection for him. And those people who profited and prospered during the Bush Administration desperately want to keep the good times rolling. He’s already catching up to Sen. Barack Obama in the polls and a camera-ready running mate with nostalgia factor could be the thing to push him hard into November.

Obama has been slow and deliberate to pick a running mate, but the pressure is on. McCain could jump the gun and surprise us all.

Could the right running mate sweep McCain into office?  Tell us here.

Images courtesy of daylife.com

(*The views contained herein are solely the views of their respective authors, and do not express the views of TV One.  TV One does not take responsibility for their content.)