Politics & Media

The 2008 race for the White House has been dubbed the first Internet election. What presence have the candidates established online? Has one taken more advantage of this new platform? A new PEJ study examines John McCain and Barack Obama’s Web sites to assess the online campaign.

One week after sharing headlines equally with John McCain, Barack Obama again dominated the news last week. And even as McCain and Obama sparred over energy, the old question of what do the Clintons want generated major coverage.

After accusations of pro-Obama bias and a run of media soul searching, and helped by a heavy dose of controversial attack advertising from his campaign team, Republican nominee John McCain finally forced Barack Obama to share the headlines last week.

Barack Obama’s week-long tour of world hotspots and capitals generated more coverage than any campaign event in months. But in the end, the media wondered what he had accomplished and whether they were paying too much attention.

The week began with a controversial magazine cover. By week's end, an anticipation of an overseas Obama trip dominated campaign coverage and brought Iraq back into frame.

In the 2008 election season, religion has been a significant factor for candidates in both parties. But even with the Jeremiah Wright controversy, evangelical voter angst, and a Mormon candidate, the media largely avoided dealing directly with the explosive issue of faith.

Through the 2008 primary election season, two candidates—Democratic Senator Barack Obama and Republican former governor Mitt Romney—received more media attention about their faith than any of the other candidates combined.

For both, the attention raised concerns about their relig ...

Something important is afoot in the land when people are able to access and share "industrial strength" information instead of being satisfied with the "consumer strength" information previously offered to them.

Lee Rainie appeared on the NewsHour to discuss the findings.

In the kickoff week of full-time general election coverage, a collection of policy issues—from the war to gas prices—made up the leading media campaign narrative. But the press also lavished considerable attention on one high-profile controversy and on some of the ill will left over from the Democratic primary battle.