Election Coverage & Political Ads (cont'd)

My favorit political Ads:

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2011/06/27/dinner_with_obama_now_includes_joe_biden.html

This short video for Obama’s campaign 2012 was promoting his raffle for a dinner with both Barack Obama and Joe Bidden (vice president). This video was significant because it stirred up controversy about violating the Federal Election Laws and FEC campaign finance laws. A presidential spokesman said that the video does not constitute fundraising under the law, that portions of the White House can legally be used for that purpose anyway, and that previous presidents have done so. There is one problem, however. This campaign ad was most likely recorded in the White House, which may have violated FEC campaign finance laws.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26852192/vp/45027940#45027940

The Chief of staff for Herman Cain conducts an ad where he smokes a cigarette at the end of the video; blowing smoke into the camera. The video ends with Herman Cain grinning. This video is interpreted by some that the Chief of staff is blowing smoke on America. It’s really doesn’t make sense to me, but it does compliment Herman Cain’s presence into the 2012 campaign.



Headline news story of the day or week related to the 2012 Election Coverage: Herman Cain


1) MSNBC: Cain denies report of sexual harassment
Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain's campaign denied allegations Sunday that he was twice accused of sexual harassment while he was the head of the National Restaurant Association in the 1990s.
The report said the women signed agreements with the restaurant group that gave them five-figure financial payouts to leave the association and barred them from discussing their departures. Neither woman was identified.
The report was based on anonymous sources and, in one case, what the publication said was a review of documentation that described the allegations and the resolution.
This article is straight to the point and holds no position to the story.


2) : Fox news: “Cain Rejects Report of Inappropriate Behavior “

Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain's campaign denied allegations Sunday that he was twice accused of sexual harassment while he was the head of the National Restaurant Association in the 1990s.

The report said the women signed agreements with the restaurant group that gave them five-figure financial payouts to leave the association and barred them from discussing their departures. Neither woman was identified.
The report was based on anonymous sources and, in one case, what the publication said was a review of documentation that described the allegations and the resolution.

This article goes on to elaborate on how unfair attacks have been made on Herman Cain.

Cain's campaign told the AP that the allegations were not true, and amounted to unfair attacks.
"Inside-the-Beltway media have begun to launch unsubstantiated personal attacks on Cain," spokesman J.D. Gordon said in a written statement. "Dredging up thinly sourced allegations stemming from Mr. Cain's tenure as the chief executive officer at the National Restaurant Association in the 1990s, political trade press are now casting aspersions on his character and spreading rumors that never stood up to the facts."


3) : CNN Politics: Cain presidential campaign fires back after report alleges inappropriate behavior
(CNN) - The campaign of presidential candidate Herman Cain has criticized a news report alleging that Cain displayed inappropriate behavior to two female employees in the 1990s, saying the news media has started "to launch unsubstantiated personal attacks on Cain."
At least two female employees of the National Restaurant Association complained of inappropriate behavior from Cain when he led the organization, POLITICO reported Sunday night.
Cain's campaign was quick to respond.
"Since Washington establishment critics haven't had much luck in attacking Mr. Cain's ideas to fix a bad economy and create jobs, they are trying to attack him in any way they can," said J.D. Gordon, Cain's campaign vice president.
"Dredging up thinly sourced allegations stemming from Mr. Cain's tenure as the Chief Executive Officer at the National Restaurant Association in the 1990s, political trade press are now casting aspersions on his character and spreading rumors that never stood up to the facts," Gordon said in a statement.
The women, who were not named in the POLITICO story, left the organization after receiving "separation packages that were in the five-figure range," the newspaper reported.

This source also article goes on to elaborate on how unfair attacks have been made on Herman Cain
Why are these differing opinions important to create dialogue among voters?

I like how each source gives different details to the situation. Giving different angles of a story will better help to shape the audiences opinions about the topic. The voters will benefit on seeing the story from different perspectives.


Are they helping or hurting the candidates? How does this all influence public opinion? Why does it matter?

I believe this kind of reporting can both hurt and help candidates in terms of voters favoring a specific media base. If one media is heavily favored over another and shows bias, then candidates may only been seen from a one sided perspective. However if voters utilize their entire media base, then they can see candidates from different perspectives in which helps them to make better opinions about each candidate.