Media Parrot White House Spin on Auto Bailout as Unemployment Rises

July 30th, 2010 11:32 AM

As President Obama travels to Michigan to visit General Motors and Chrysler assembly lines, the media assembly line continues mass-producing bias.

On July 30, both ABC and CBS ran stories on their websites promoting President Obama's trip to Michigan to "let you know the Detroit Big Three are in the black again." Both networks' stories claimed the "unpopular auto industry bailout has turned into an economic good-news story."

"Analysts say there is no doubt the bailout rescued these companies," ABC reported.

CBS ignored criticism of the bailouts, while ABC buried opposition from Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., in the 27th paragraph after support from White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, Treasury Secretary Advisor Ron Bloom, and White House Council on Automotive and Community Workers head Ed Montgomery.

While the stories championed White House talking points about the auto industry "success" story, they failed to mention that the unemployment rate in Michigan has increased during Obama's presidency. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, unemployment in the state of Michigan has increased from 12.4 percent to 13.1 percent over the 18 months since Obama took office.

ABC noted in its report - in the 20th paragraph - that Detroit's unemployment rate is still hovering around 20 percent. CBS failed to include any unemployment data. 

The media rarely mention the liberal economic policies that have contributed to Detroit's economic decay and the labor union's chokehold on the auto industry.