Media darlings win in Iowa

Why did Huckabee and Obama win in Iowa?

According to NPR, they have something in common. They are both media favorites.

On NPR Friday, January 4 reporter DAVID FOLKENFLIK said: "No one loves
an underdog more than the press. For very different reasons, it's
given a one-term senator and a folksy weight-dropping former governor
an awfully gentle ride."

"Until around November, Huckabee made little impact on the media
radar," said Folkenflik. "But he gravitated to just about every
microphone that would have him."

And his keen sense of humor made him a welcome guest. About foreign
affairs, Huckabee said: "You know, I may not be the expert of some
people on foreign policy, but I did stay in the Holiday Inn Express
last night."

How can we take this candidate seriously?

Before Iowa, he scored big with two craftily handled media events.
One, a commercial had him giving a Christmas greeting. Very sincere,
it made a splash in the media and on youtube because it was so
different than the usual political messages we are getting this
political season.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMUI2XExdIA&feature=PlayList&p=793E9F419BA36188&index=28

With Huckabee's rise in the polls prior to Iowa, Mitt Romney struck
back with his own commercials that were meant to set straight the
Huckabee record. Huckabee in turn developed a anti-Romney commercial.
However, rather than put it on the air, he called a press conference,
showed it to the media, and said he decided he wouldn't stoop to such
lowness. He got his message out, the commercial aired, without paying
a cent.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEDoPYsbXZY&feature=related

So, what are we to conclude? The media have a major role in making or
breaking candidates. And Mike Hucabee is a natural player - as is
Barack Obama.

Hear the NPR story at:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=17854246&sc=emaf