Different Shades of Ryan

      Generally when a horse has fallen and broken it’s leg, it is  taken behind a shed and put out of its misery.  It would seem this is not the case for presidential candidate and metaphorical horse Mitt Romney. Despite “some missteps”, it would seem that much press has been dedicated to highlight how Romney will turn his campaign around in the first, and quickly approaching, presidential debate (Ryan, in Geiger).  Yet such bold and biased statements offered by a “fair and balanced” news source could very well sway voter’s pens from checking one box to another.

        An examination is in order to identify how news outlets present facts to have them perceived a certain way. With the upcoming presidential debate on everyone’s lips, it presents a prime opportunity to observe how politicians are favored in the media; specifically, the different portrayals of Paul Ryan attesting to Mitt Romney's powerful resurgence in the debates.  

      An article published by LA Times paints an objective portrait of the republican candidate in the upcoming debates. Though it only quotes prestigious republicans, with little variety, it intersperses their comments with non-biased text to allows readers to draw their own conclusions. A notable passage illustrates how vice-presidential candidate Paul Ryan told voters not to raise their hopes too high for Romney in the upcoming debate, as it was [Romney's] first time (Geiger).      
      Although the content may not directly promote a particular candidate, the article is still has an impact on its audience. While the article itself may not push the reader to side with either party, its existence generates awareness and interest for Mitt Romney as a potential candidate. Seeking public attention could be the main goal of the article, in which case a non-biased writing style would be optimal in order to attract the interest of undecided voters who think themselves too wise to be snared by aggressive propaganda.

A Fox News article boasts a more ambitious position. “Ryan, confident about victory says debate will offer voters ’very clear choice’”(Fox News). The title uses powerful language to captivate public attention and assert a position. Fox News’ clearly biased article can be summarized as the antithesis of subtle.  

Aside from clear partisan alignment, it is interesting to observe Fox’s interpretation of Paul Ryan, the same man in the aforementioned LA Times article.  In the two articles Ryan has two dynamically different stances on Romney’s performance in the upcoming debate. Barring Ryan's name, it would seem like two separate people advocating their political opinions in different articles .   

Both articles were published on the same day, which disqualifies the theory that Paul Ryan simply flipped sides between articles; a tactic not unheard of in Romney’s Republican campaign. This is a case of how the media can manipulate and re-articulate scenarios to emulate different perspectives.  

Davidson, Amy. "Mitt'€™s Forty-Seven-Per-Cent Problem." The New Yorker. N.p., 18 Sept. 2012. Web. 30 Sept. 2012. <http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/closeread/2012/09/mitts-forty-seven-per-cent-problem.html>.

Geiger, Kim September. "Christie Raises Expectations for Romney Debate Performance." Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times, 30 Sept. 2012. Web. 30 Sept. 2012. <http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-pn-christie-raises-romney-debate-expectations-20120930,0,99804.story>

"Global Research." Truth, Propaganda and Media Manipulation. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Sept. 2012. <http://www.globalresearch.ca/truth-propaganda-and-media-manipulation/>.

"RealClearPolitics - Election 2012 - General Election: Romney vs. Obama."  N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Sept. 2012. <http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/us/general_election_romney_vs_obama-1171.html>.

Fox News "Ryan Confident about Victory, Says Debates Will Offer Voters 'very Clear Choice'". FOX News Network, 30     Sept. 2012. Web. 30 Sept. 2012. <http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/09/30/ryan-were-going-to-win-this-race/>.