Immigration, Mainstream Media, and the 2008 Election

By Stephen Steinlight

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Historic Moment?
Two political narratives – one, at least, of indisputable importance to America’s future – have been unfolding simultaneously for months to an unusually rapt national audience and the quickening attention of millions more: the exceptionally swift takeoff of the 2008 presidential race and the furious populist revolt against Bush-Kennedy "comprehensive immigration reform." Jockeying among states for the national spotlight and outsize influence on the nominating process will produce the earliest primaries in U.S. history, wherever and in whatever order they occur. Nearly 50 televised debates, candidate forums, and Q&A’s have taken place thus far for an election still nearly a year away, with more scheduled almost weekly, and the primaries will pick up the pace. Many potential voters appear moderately engaged rather than already over-saturated, and early indications suggest greater interest than in 2004. The biggest audience thus far for the current series of debates was 3.1 million viewers for the Republican debate in Durham, N.H., on Fox News on September 5; at the identical point in the campaign of 2004, the largest was an estimated 1.8 million for a Democratic debate on CNN.