SOTU: A review of newspaper headlines

[Newsjock]

Sampled at random from the display at the Newseum, some of the good, bad, and ugly of how Your Liberal Media present the speech via front-page headlines (the big type which, regardless of whatever story is below, sets the tone of the page):

THE GOOD
(image) San Jose Mercury News, San Jose, Calif.:
Bush lays out modest course / Analysis: Reality dampens earlier ambitions
(image) The Herald, Everett, Wash.
Optimistic tone in Bush's speech not shared by all
(image) Wyoming Tribune-Eagle, Cheyenne, Wyo. (red state!)
Looking to win back credibility
(image) Herald Journal, Logan, Utah (another red state!)
Bush tries to recharge presidency
(image) Arizona Daily Star, Tucson, Ariz.
Bush scales back on message / President offers no major new proposals this time
(image) Times-Picayune, New Orleans, La.
No new promises for N.O. from Bush
(image) Post and Courier, Charleston, S.C.
With eye on midterms, Bush promotes domestic initiatives
(image) Daily Press, Hampton Roads, Va.
Viable goals or rhetoric?

THE BAD
(image) Statesman Journal, Salem, Ore.:
Bush takes charge of agenda
(image) Sacramento Bee, Sacramento, Calif.:
Pledge for security
(image) Journal-World, Lawrence, Kan.
Bush outlines 'can-do' agenda
(image) Charlotte Observer, Charlotte, N.C.
Energy goal key to U.S. strength
(image) Buffalo News, Buffalo, N.Y.
Bush says U.S. is winning war in Iraq

THE UGLY
(image) Ventura County Star, Ventura, Calif.:
Seeing a 'hopeful society'
(image) Times Record News, Wichita Falls, Texas
Bush tries to soothe edgy nation
(image) Northwestern, Oshkosh, Wis.
Bush gives speech
(image) Birmingham News, Birmingham, Ala.
Bush envisions strength abroad

AND THE BIZARRE
I guess there is a Liberal Media after all:
(image) Times Herald, Port Huron, Mich.
Bush pleads for Americans' understanding / President wants another chance to fix economy, Iraq, health care

[bryant69]

1. President says 6th time is the charm

Yeah one more chance i can really turn things around. Trust me.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[Brotherjohn]

2. I like the Oshkosh, WI one: "Bush Gives Speech". That about sums it up. nt

[Pacifist Patriot]

8. I burst out laughing at that one. I'm not sure why.

[Brotherjohn]

10. I think it speaks volumes about how low expectations about him have become

I think it was funny, too.

His days of "bullhorn moments" are long gone, if all he can muster from teh SOTU is "Bush Gives Speech"!

[grace0418]

15. LOL, that made me laugh too.

You know that editor had a grandmother who drummed the old adage "If you can't say anything nice..." into him or her.

[hvn_nbr_2]

19. If you can't say anything nice....

Maybe that explains it. It was my favorite too. Accurate, unbiased, said everything worth saying.

[klook]

25. Area Man Gives Talk (eom)

[napi21]

3. Here's a good one from North Ga.

http://www.gainesvilletimes.com/news/stories/20060201/localnews/62636.shtml

Although it's not the top headline, it's front page above the fold. That's VERY GOOD considering this is North Georgia!!!!

Some local watchers say Bush left out issues

[donheld]

4. The Bizarre is my favorite

Bush pleads for Americans' understanding / President wants another chance to fix economy, Iraq, health care

[Bozita]

5. Yep, the Port Huron Times Herald really rings my bell

[John Q. Citizen]

12. Best analysis of all. That really boils it down to the essence. n/t

[SpecialK]

6. OrlandoSentinel.com - no mention right now!

Haha...I don't know about the printed paper, but I went to OrlandoSentinel.com, my local excuse for a newspaper, and there wasn't even a story about the SOTU on the front page. Maybe that accurately defines the relevance of the speech.

[Brotherjohn]

9. Well, the current online CNN poll says 48% didn't watch.

And 29% are "less encouraged" about the State of the Union after watching.

[newyawker99]

31. Hi SpecialK!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[KittyWampus]

7. Happily Recommended! Thanks for taking the time to collect & post

[rpgamerd00d]

11. rotflmao! "Bush gives speech." Thank you, Captain Obvious' newpaper !

[stevedeshazer]

13. Bush touts ideas for stronger U.S.

That's the 'liberal' paper in my very liberal town. Argh.

[Catchawave]

14. "We Are Addicted To Oil"

Big fat headline in the Norfolk Virginia-Pilot

[grace0418]

16. Same headline in the Chicago Tribune.

Which really fucking pissed me off. That's like a drug lord telling an addict "Hey, you've got a drug problem there."

[Straight Shooter]

17. Ugh. The Oregonian.

"bush touts ideas for stronger U.S."

Or maybe it's not so bad. The word "tout" as defined by onelook.com:

Quick definitions (tout)

verb: advertize in strongly positive terms (Example: "This product was touted as a revolutionary invention")
verb: show off

Yep, he's advertising again.

[femrap]

18. thanks for the info...

Port Huron....hmmmmm...must be some intelligent folks that live there.

[samhsarah]

20. FUCK BUSH

that's all.

[PATRICK]

21. Typifies the newspaper tone

where only the scandal sheets use the good old fashioned attack dog headlines. I think the major disconnect between the printed word and three dimensional reality came during the 2004 debates. They gave the Prez. side based on a polite acceptance of content, really polite. The worst tanking of a debater in world history combined with the missed story on the ear piece/back pack largely disappeared in print versions written like some grade school report on issue points completely devoid of fact checking, debate point judgment or common sense.

I see hundreds of papers in my job and they all look like sitting ducks for "The Onion" because both traditionally and worse today (considering the open sources and visual checking available) they play to some vacuous middle ground to lose no readers, do no harm, shed no light.

The only ones that are inoffensive are the ones despite war or peace and the end of the world will headline instead road projects or the county fair. Bush's fairly low key pile of nonsense minus war drums was calculated to wear this bland cloak of invisibility anyway.

One of my all time untypical favorites for a flash back flash of brilliance was "BUSH KNEW, PLANES FLEW!"
from the NY Post of all places. I suspect the one responsible for that is still being held in Guantanamo.

[TygrBright]

22. hahahahahahahah!! "Bush Gives Speech!" hahahahahah....

....oh, that says it all, doesn't it?

Never piss off a cheddarhead.

heehee...

appreciatively,
Bright

[cxb_02]

23. I'm so sad

I'm new to DU, though I have been lurking and reading for some time now. Please give me some advice...I'm just so down right now about everything going on in our country...Alito, spying, Chimp's speech last night, one of my hero's Cindy Sheehan being arrested for simply wearing shirt...I just want to cry, I don't know what to look forward to anymore, it just seems like we can't win. The Chimp controls all-the voting machines, the SCOTUS, everything...I am seriously depressed, angry, and heartbroken...someone cheer me up please! Many of our Democratic leaders have abandoned us (thanks for supporting the filibuster, you lilliy livered DINO's!), and I am scared-scared about what America has becoming, and more scared about where it is going from here...

[Redneck Socialist]

26. Welcome to DU

Not sure I can give you much cheering up though. I'm pretty down on the state of affairs in this county right now too. :(

[newyawker99]

32. Hi cxb_02!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[madrchsod]

24. reagan`s hometown paper

"nothing new from the 'w'"....."bush sticks to the same formula"
that is quite an endorsement!
'

[bigwillq]

27. My local paper led with Coretta's death

Shrub's SOTU was pushed to the right rail with the headline: "Health care, engery top Bush's agenda"

[Laurab]

28. Buffalo News : Divided Nation Hears President

Divided nation hears president


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Two honored guests were at the same State of the Union address, but they heard two different speeches.

By JERRY ZREMSKI
News Washington Bureau
2/1/2006



"Retired Army Staff Sgt. David Bellavia, left, and 9/11 widow Monica Gabrielle were on hand for the address.

WASHINGTON - The 9/11 widow and the war hero watched as guests of honor at President Bush's State of the Union address Tuesday, but it seemed as if they saw entirely different presidents.
The 9/11 widow, Monica Gabrielle of Long Island, said she saw a president who had lost his way, who tramples civil liberties in the name of a war on terror that he has bungled on the home front.

But the war hero, retired Army Staff Sgt. David Bellavia of Batavia, said he saw Bush as a steadfast president still committed to the war in Iraq, a war that Bellavia sees as the current ground zero of the war on terror."

http://buffalonews.com/editorial/20060201/1003502.asp

[JWS]

29. Well, I didn't listen to the State of the Union, but...

I'm pretty sure I can still give a pretty good summary.


Bush: "Everythings honky dory!... <followed by excessive amounts of BS>... Democrats are traitors... <followed by more BS>...."

Yep, I'm pretty sure that's how it went.

Next year, instead of the SotU, maybe Bush should just STFU.

[jor_mama]

30. Today's headline in the Oshkosh Northwestern ...

Bush flies in plane