An Obama bias?

There's been a lot of talk recently about whether the media has a bias in favor of Sen. Barack Obama. Is the media really some liberal bastion that is giving Obama favorable coverage, while ignoring or downplaying his opponent, Sen. John McCain? Personally, I don't think so.

To be fair, I can see where that assumption comes from. Every time you turn on the news these days, you see Obama's face. Or you see him giving a speech. He's everywhere. But I think the perceived bias is really a function of our cable news culture.

Cable news channels like CNN and Fox News need stories. They have a lot of air time to fill each day. And let's be honest. Obama is the better story. He's charismatic and a captivating speaker. When he went to Germany last week, he managed to draw 200,000 people to a speech about nuclear disarmament. He's a rock star. And face it, McCain just catch match him when it comes to charisma.

Obama is a great story because, like Ronald Reagan before him three decades ago, and Bill Clinton 15 years ago, he excites people. He's preaching a positive message of hope. It's what people want to hear after eight years of terror alerts and five years of war. With McCain, all we're getting is more of the same. People want a change, and Obama is the agent of that change.