The 2008 election clearly showed that the media lean heavily to the left. Even liberals must admit the mainstream media and its journalists threw objectivity and fairness aside and blatantly took the side of now President-elect Barack Obama. 
    According to www.telegraph.co.uk, the nonpartisan Center for Media and Public Affairs reported John McCain received substantially more negative news coverage during the campaign. The same article said the Pew Research Center, examining coverage of the last presidential debate, showed Obama's coverage to be 36 percent positive and 29 percent negative. 
    Compare this to the staggering numbers of McCain: 57 percent negative to only 14 percent positive. There is some disparity between the parties; 82 percent of Republicans think journalists try to be advocates rather than neutral observers. This coincides with 56 percent of Democrats and 69 percent of unaffiliated voters concurring with their conservative counterparts.
    The Center for Media and Public Affairs studied 979 election news stories from 33 hours and 40 minutes of airtime from evening newscasts on ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX stations and found stories concerning Obama and Joe Biden recieved 65 percent positive versus 35 percent negative. This was more than double that of John McCain and Sarah Palin, whose numbers were 69 percent negative and only 31 percent positive.
    Journalists must remain unbiased in their coverage of the issues.  Their job is to objectively report facts so individuals can decide for themselves what they choose to believe.
    When the media begins to take sides, as it did in the 2008 presidential campaign, we lose one of the few weapons we as a nation have against a tyrannical government—free press.  
    Yet, according to www.americanthinker.com, a Rasmussen survey concerning attitudes of the media, people do not think reporters are staying balanced in their coverage.
    The study showed just 17 percent of voters believe most reporters attempt to offer unbiased coverage of campaigns. Meanwhile, 68 percent believe journalists will try to help candidates they support.
    It is not to say that journalists cannot have an opinion as to whom they would like to win an election. However, when they allow their personal politics to influence their writing and reporting, they forfeit their credibility. 
    Candidates have the opportunity to portray themselves however they wish during the advertisements their party pays for. But after the commercial break, news shows need to return to a fair and balanced agenda.
    Many young voters, often less informed than their elder counterparts, are easily influenced by these pseudo news shows. Sadly, so many voters choose to vote for whom the media portray as "cool," as opposed to taking a rational view of the issues and deciding for themselves.
    The question is, if the mainstream media is so one-sided in its coverage during the campaign, how can we expect the same media to objectively scrutinize the actions and agendas of the newly elected president?
    It is hoped that future generations will be able to reflect upon the dangers of a biased media and the effect it has had on the democratic process.