Biased AP Report on McCain Speech

Associated Press reporter Libby Quaid displayed more than a little bit of bias in what is supposed to be a news report of John McCain's speech yesterday in Winston Salem, North Carolina. While much of the article could be criticized, I will limit myself to noting the two most eggregious instances of prejudice.

Ms. Quaid writes: "While McCain didn't mention abortion, the far right understands that such nominees would be likely to limit or perhaps overturn the Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion."

Really? Only the "far right" has an interest in placing some limits around Roe v. Wade?

She also writes: "The Arizona senator said his role models interpret the law strictly, paying attention to what lawmakers intended, as opposed to "activist" judges who, by striking down statutes or court decisions, make laws rather than interpret them. "Activist" is a term conservatives use pejoratively to criticize liberal justices."

This is just nonsense. One might disagree with conservatives (or liberals, on occasion, for that matter) who bemoan activist judges, but to suggest that the description is nothing more than an empty insult is blatantly incorrect. She correctly describes what conservatives mean by the term in the first sentence of that quotation. The second sentence is nothing more than a bit of sloppy editorializing.