On the Media: Commentary by James Rainey

Reporters covering the Republican in 2000 recall an engaging conversationalist who would talk incessantly, have a quip ready or field impromptu questions. His rigidity is now a stark contrast.

Given the opportunity to address substantive issues in interviews with the political couple, Fox News hosts Hannity and Van Susteren instead pander to their partisan audience.

It’s not surprising the candidates are flummoxed by a meltdown like none we have seen in our lifetimes. But reporters need to keep asking the tough questions.

News outlets and independent truth squads seem to agree that the McCain camp’s distortions on Barack Obama have gone too far.

A parade of inconsequential and misguided stories makes this week nothing to celebrate.

If you go to the Republican National Committee’s website, you can watch the clock labeled “Days Since Barack Obama Visited Iraq.”

Blogs have buzzed since late May with ‘news’ that a videotape would emerge of Barack Obama’s wife spewing a racial epithet.

Phil Jackson huffed along the sidelines and unleashed a post-game rant: His Lakers were manhandled, but the Celtics got all the calls.

New Vanity Fair profile of Clinton doesn’t let a lack of evidence get in the way of salacious innuendo.

For discord-centric members of the media, it’s not so easy to give up the last story line.

The candidate is taking a serious drubbing on the most popular video-sharing service on the Internet -- and the virtual town square for millions of young voters.