Why was the media biased against Gore in 2000?

[Bo]

From what I've seen, the media criticized Gore for every little thing that he did, while they gave Bush Jr. a free pass on almost everything he did. Why was the media baised against Gore? Was it due to Monica Lewinsky, close friendship with the Bush family, or something else?

[Bo]

I hope you're joking. They held the DUI story til the weekend before the election in order to screw Bush and deflate his surge.

No, they didn't. They just accessed the story on the last weekend before the election. They didn't know about it beforehand. Also, the media criticized Gore for every little thing he did (being awkward, beinga  populist, etc.) while giving BUsh Jr. a free pass on many of the same things and also on many of his controversies (like making Jesus Day a holiday in Texas). Even when the DUI story was released, some members of the media tried to turn it against Gore and claim that Gore was reponsible for the leak and is thus engaging in extremely negative campaigning because he has nothing better to offer the country.

[Bo]

Bush should have come out with the DUI story himself. Still, I've never seen a candidate get is as badly from the press as Bush did between 2000-2004.

Oh, please. Bush didn't receive much bad press from the media in 2000, and during his first term the media also treated him pretty well (with possibly the exception between Jan 2001 and Sep 2001). It was only during the beginning of his second term, with Iraq becoming unpopular and Katrina, that the media really began to severely criticize Bush Jr.

[Bo]

Gore made them feel dumb. His academic record wasn't impressive, but it was clear that he was much smarter than the average talking head. Also, they wanted that tax cut.

Gore was also going to pass a tax cut (but not for them ). Also, if the media wanted low taxes so badly, why did they support Clinton twice and Obama in 2008?

[Bo]

Gore made them feel dumb. His academic record wasn't impressive, but it was clear that he was much smarter than the average talking head. Also, they wanted that tax cut.

Gore was also going to pass a tax cut (but not for them ). Also, if the media wanted low taxes so badly, why did they support Clinton twice and Obama in 2008?

I guess they like charisma, too.

That's a shame. If only Gore had picked a more charismatic (or a competent female) VP, maybe the media wouldn't have treated him as badly and he would have been able to win in 2000.