What's the Deal with Media Concerning Third Parties?

By Scott Maucione on 09/17/2009

Let's do an experiment. This may remind you of some Freudian psychoanalytic ink blot test, but let's give it a try regardless: I'm going to give you three names and I want you to think about your first reaction to each name. Ready? Ralph Nader, Ron Paul and Dennis Kucinich.
Now, I'm sure a majority of the reactions out there were something along the lines of a chuckle. Maybe an amused smirk or a verbal interjection like "those old kooks?" But, why do the bulk of people get a little laugh out of hearing these names? Is it that they didn't have a chance of winning the presidential election? Is it possible they are too progressive for mainstream America? Or could it just be that they are ignored by the media? 

In the 2008 presidential elections The New York Times published 1695 articles about Obama by August and yet only 63 about Ralph Nader. Granted, Nader may have been an underdog, but what causes the media to ignore him? Editors usually pass the buck by saying that third party candidates are not a factor in elections, but we don't see them telling that same story when it comes to sports journalism. The Washington Post keeps reporting on the dismal Washington Nationals baseball team even though it is literally impossible for them to clinch a playoff birth. 

So, what's the deal media? Have you lost the American gumption for freedom of expression? Its not like these unlikely candidates don't have any new ideas. Nader wants to abolish the income tax for a Tobin tax. This tax would put a one-cent tax on every stock trade causing minimal harm to business and leaving a fat wad of cash in your back pocket. What is even better is that the Tobin tax would bring in the same, if not more, revenue for the federal government as income tax does.  

For the next week think about why these guys are being ignored and then think about what else the media could be ignoring that could really change things for the better. Maybe it really is time for a media revolution.

[Additional Photos: "Nader" www.hybridcars.com, 2008; "Nader Time" ww.freespeechamerica.chattablogs.com, 1969; "Nader Podium" http://www.depauw.edu,1970]