CBSNews.com: Presidential Questions, Palin and Preparation

by Cristina Mutchler
cm306704@ohio.edu

The logo says it all- Campaign 2008 Horserace. Most media outlets are portraying the two most talked about guys right now as competitors in a race to the polls- focusing not so much on the larger, more important issues. But CBSnews.com did a good job, in my opinion, in covering and comparing not only the two candidates, but also other aspects of the campaigns, the elections, issues, and other fun-to-play-with political tools that can be found on their page. Many of the one-on-one stories with the two candidates do go in-depth and allow for personalization of Obama and McCain and their stories. The site didn’t include much of the election “gossip” that sometimes seems to sneak its way into election news coverage, but it did include somewhat lighter stories that are a brief and easy read for the . And the ’60 minutes’ section revealed an in-depth look at candidates for a special edition of the show.

Face-Off
CBS News anchor Katie Couric’s and other journalists’ contributions to the site add to the ongoing adrenaline rush before Election Day. Couric regularly grills the two presidential candidates on certain issues, and viewers are invited to watch the video or read the transcripts in the Presidential Questions section. The candidates answer everything from their character flaws to thoughts on terrorism at home.


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Couric also spent last Thursday riding with Barack Obama’s running mate Joe Biden on his treck through Ohio. Viewers can watch as Biden talked taxes, investments and financial markets with Couric, and gave some valuable answers to those looking for answers to the money issues.


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Biden's video shares the ever-important thoughts and positions as a potential VP, and this week there wasn’t a comparable story with McCain’s running mate Sarah Palin, though there was still plenty of other buzz about her available on the site.

Hacker Attacker
Palin’s personal Yahoo! email account was hacked into recently, and sources say some fingers seem to be pointing at the son of Democratic Tennessee state representative Mike Kernell. His 20-year-old son, David Kernell’s, residence was searched by the FBI, and the investigation continues. On a very different note, Palin also made headlines on the site when she suggested ways that the McCain camp would allow citizens to have more public access with regards to financial matters at a rally in a Philadelphia suburb today. She noted previous tactics used as Alaska's governor that actually put the state's checkbook online. You can also read Couric's blog post titled 'What Would You Ask Sarah Palin?' as she prepares to interview the Alaska governer.



First Debate Prep
And the preparation doesn't stop there. The special 40th anniversary broadcast of 60 Minutes this week features McCain and Obama, again side-by-side, and their positions as they get ready for the first debate scheduled for this Friday night. Obama opens up about how race is affecting and could affect this extremely important election, while McCain let us in on his faith and his more “rebellious” years. Both interviews make for an informative focus prior to the big debate.

CBSnews.com offers a plethora of information regarding Election 2008, and I didn’t even cover half of the week’s most interesting topics. Check out the page for yourself to get a diverse look at election coverage, and in the meantime, keep reading for the best, worst and most unique stories up until the big day!