Storm Pushes Aside Presidential Politics, Mostly

In this current events article, Michael Barbaro seeks to explore the reactions of the presidential candidates to Sandy.  I found that an underlying purpose made his article biased though he tries to balance it out. He begins by introducing a scene in which Mitt Romney is in a high school gym collecting food supplies while a campaign video is playing in the background. I find Barbaro’s article to be one sided and biased, pinning Romney as a selfish politician. Though he is supposed to stay neutral, Barbaro’s dislike for Romney is seen when he says, “His campaign called it a “storm-relief event,” even though it was at the same gym where he was previously set to hold a traditional campaign rally.” Barbaro insinuates that Romney did not put effort into helping those who were to be affected by the storm. He is trying to convey that Romney simply changed the name of the event and used it as a means to gain people’s approval. Barbaro also points out other things that incriminate Romney as a presidential candidate such as his doubts in FEMA which heads relief projects after such storms as Sandy. Barbaro’s opinions are subtlety stated through facts but there is no doubt of his favoritism of Obama. Though he rarely mentions Obama in the article it is obvious that Barbaro does not favor Romney.  To make it seem unbiased, Barbaro uses quotes such as “‘He wants to help people,’ Ms. Flaum said. She peered around the room. ‘This is a nonpartisan event. But most of us are Republicans.’” Even this quote holds a level of distaste for Romney as seen in the second half of the quote. Barbaro also tries to prove he is unbiased by including a portion about a shirt that says “Obama, you’re fired”. He does not back this opinion though, he simply states what the shirt says.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/31/us/politics/storm-pushes-presidential-race-from-spotlight.html?ref=politics&_r=0