Horse Race

A major concern with the coverage of elections is the constant political handicapping by the media, also known as the horse race. The term "horse race" refers to the media's way of focusing on how a political candidate is faring during an election by trying to predict the outcome of the election, instead of focusing on the issues at hand.

There is a very fine line between horse race coverage, and non horse race coverage. For instance, a media outlet covering one candidate's viewpoint on the environment is an example of non horse race coverage. The media is strictly reporting what that candidate's policy. However, a report that focuses on voters' reactions to a candidate's policy is an example of horse race coverage. The media here is focusing on the reactions of other people, instead of sticking to the issues and policies.

Voters are definitely interested in the horse race, but it's up to the media to know when to talk about that, and when they should give the straight viewpoints of the candidates. The horse race has always been a major focal point in elections, and it has become even bigger now with the rapid growth of the Internet. However, voters need to be literate enough to be able to avoid getting caught up in the horse race coverage.

Discussion Questions:

1. What are some ways the media can avoid crossing the fine line between horse race coverage and non horse race coverage?
   
2. What are some things that voters can do to avoid getting caught up in the horse race and the media's portrayal of it?