An Attack on Senator Clinton from the Mainstream Media?

On Friday, March 14, the Boston Globe published an article questioning Senator Clinton’s claim that she “helped to start” the State Children’s Health Insurance Plan in 1996. The article cites numerous sources, including Senator Orrin Hatch, who say that while Clinton may have lobbied for the bill behind the scenes, ultimately it was Senator Hatch and Senator Edward Kennedy who deserve credit for the passing of the bill.

This article is an excellent example of the role of the media in an election. The Globe presents both sides of the argument without choosing a side. However, is this an example of the press unfairly attacking Hillary Clinton, or is this an example of the press actually fulfilling its role as fact checker? While it is important for the press to identify falsehoods put forward by the candidates, this needs to be balanced with articles examining the other candidates. As our discussion in class last week showed, this is not happening and could be a significant factor in Clinton’s swing from front runner to second place.