The Low-Tech Times

The Good Morning America TV show will be reporting from a special train over in the time between now and the U.S. presidential election:

Welcome to one of the most ambitious network television projects ever undertaken, GMA’s “Whistle-Stop ‘08″ Tour - the first show ever to broadcast live from a moving train!

Over the course of the next two months, ABC News’ anchors and correspondents and USA Today’s reporters and photographers will report on one state each day in the run-up to the historic vote Nov. 4. We’ll hit all fifty states in fifty days!

According to Trainorders.com, the train will be heading later this week into Niagara Falls, NY; Pittsburg, PA, Cumberland, MD; Harpers Ferry, WV; and Washington, DC.

See also: Obama Continues the Tradition of Utilizing Trains In Presidential Politics

The WINC 92.5 FM Morning Mindbender yesterday asked:

Besides running for president, what do Barack Obama and John McCain have in common?

The answer:

Neither have ever driven a stick shift automobile!

Since both candidates claim to be committed to the environment and reducing dependence on foreign oil, perhaps they should learn how to operate a manual transmission. As reported earlier, stick shift cars get 2-4 miles per gallon more than hi-tech automatic transmission vehicles. Driving a manual transmission car seems like an easy way to reduce not only pollution, but also reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil.

I suppose whoever wins won’t be driving themselves around very often though.

Having watched a good bit of both the Democratic and Republican National Conventions over the past two weeks, I think the presidential race is shaping up to be an interesting race this year in the U.S.

Biased?

I was watching ABC on free over-the-air television and noticed an apparent bias at the network. During the Tuesday night keynote address by Senator Hillary Clinton at the Democratic National Convention, ABC showed her speech in it’s entirety.

Then on Friday, I was watching Palin’s first speech after McCain introduced her as his running mate. Like many other people, I had never seen Palin before and was interested in what she had to say. I was surprised when ABC cut away from her during the middle of her speech. Instead of showing the speech, they showed the ABC commentators. I quickly switched to CBS to watch the end of the live speech.

I was watching ABC again last Tuesday during the Republican National Convention. Senator Joe Lieberman gave the keynote address that night. ABC cut away during the middle of Lieberman’s speech to their commentators. I couldn’t believe it, but again was able to switch to another network to watch the end of the speech.

Showing the Tuesday night Democratic keynote address in its entirety, while cutting off Lieberman in the middle of the Republican Tuesday night keynote address, suggests a possible political bias at ABC News.

Senseless?

If not biased, then perhaps the producers are senseless at ABC News. Showing a speaker while he or she is speaking (instead of cutting away to Stephanopolis) just seems like common sense.

I’m really not against networks having commentators give their opinions on the air. However, I feel strongly that they should provide their comments after the speech, not during it. They should let people watch the complete speeches for themselves and make up their own minds.

It is difficult to say for sure what they are thinking at ABC News. The ABC network appears to be going downhill. ABC really hasn’t had a decent program since they canceled MacGyver in 1992.