So let me highlight for the purposes of education.The first line begins the trail… “In a bold move brimming with confidence, Democrat Barack Obama broadened his advertising campaign … by placing a commercial in the Republican presidential nominee’s home state of Arizona.” First the [...]]]> In a “news” story the AP shows the subtleties of bias.

So let me highlight for the purposes of education.
The first line begins the trail… “In a bold move brimming with confidence, Democrat Barack Obama broadened his advertising campaign … by placing a commercial in the Republican presidential nominee’s home state of Arizona.” First the article starts with Obama…ok he is “ahead” but look at the adjectives, “bold”, “brimming”, “confident”. What is this sentence would have been “In a move showcasing his over-confidence and huge sums of campaign donations, Democrat Barack Obama broadened his advertising campaign … by dropping a commercial in the Republican presidential nominee’s home state of Arizona.” Different spin? Says the same thing does it not?

What about the first paragraph about McCain…”McCain was spending a second straight day touring economically ailing Ohio, a swing state with 20 electoral votes that McCain aides acknowledge is central to a victory on Tuesday. McCain was behind Obama in polls in the state.” Again few changes in words and we get “McCain was spending a second straight day crisscrossing the swing state of Ohio, with 20 electoral votes the state is central to a McCain victory on Tuesday. In recent pools, McCain has closed to within 2 points in the state.”

It does not take much to set the tone and still communicate the facts. And they know it.
Based on a read of the full article you can figure out the opinion the author wants you to leave with. I could sum up this authors view in a few words. “McCain is a total loser and does not have a chance. Even his own state may vote against him.”

Next we move down to something a little less obvious then the adjectives (purposefully) used. Later in the article about McCain we have this… “McCain said. “He [Obama] wants to raise people’s taxes — that’s clear.” Obama is proposing tax increases on families making over $250,000 and individuals making over $200,000 and tax cuts for the 95 percent of workers making less than $200,000. McCain also was to campaign Friday in Columbus, Ohio, with California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. “

What was that… A Obama counter immediately after a McCain quote. Note that the Obama counter was not a quotation or stated as “The Obama campaign states”. It was stated as fact. A fact that is disputed and refuted by every fact check source… except AP I guess. The fact of the matter is that it is not true. If it were to say “…and income tax cuts for the 95″ then it would have been closer.

Subtle but effective.