Tim Graham: Media disses Manchin – mavericks only loved if Republican. Look how they covered McCain

The bad news for liberals arrived on the front page of the May 18 Washington Post under the mild-mannered headline "Hopes dim for Democrats' bills on election oversight." That's a nicer headline than "It's Toast."

There is one central figure in this bill's demise. Inside, The Post headline was "Manchin seen as key to election bill's passage." Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., is the only Senate Democrat who has not co-sponsored the bill and "has expressed serious misgivings" about it. One part of that is Manchin doesn't want "any type of voting legislation without Republican buy-in." Like most Democrats, journalists aren't happy when their "blue wave" doesn't crest. Naturally, that night, all the network evening-news programs avoided this front-page Washington Post death notice – and the dissenting voice at the story's heart.