Have you ever wondered what Toyota did to deserve the kind of negative press they have been receiving lately? What have they been doing for the last 20 to 25 years that they received all of the great praise and support? Has Toyota always been that good? Has any other car company been fairly judged when compared to Toyota? What part does the media play in elevating Toyoto quality? Has Toyota been receiving favors from the press? Have they discovered a great marketing tool in media relationships? Do they really deserve their claim of greatness?

These are questions that should to be asked. Questions about the role a JD Power and Associates plays in raising Toyoto to emperor-like status. And the media, when talking about runaway Toyota's, never mentions that Lexus has the same problem. It is always Toyota this and Toyota that but the very first vehicle with "unintended acceleration" was a Lexus. Four people died in that San Diego tragedy. But the media always says Toyota.

I know that Toyota is the parent company but you never hear them advertise a Toyota Lexus. It is always Lexus. A stand alone franchise wholly owned by Toyota.

Unintended acceleration and a poor braking system are problems for both Toyota and Lexus, not just Toyota.

So what role of responsibility does the media have in reporting Toyota and Lexus? Do they really play favorites?

As a well known politician who should know biased reporting would say, "You betcha!"

We know how the media treats politicians. They are either for or against. It is either Fox or the rest of them. Newspapers, once the bastion of integrity, are either conservative or liberal, for or against. Very few present both sides of an issue. Happily I think the Oakland Press does that. Is the rest of the mainstream media just printing information from press releases? Where have all the journalist gone? How could this happen to their beloved Toyota?

The answer is simply that it was Toyota's turn in the box! Everybody gets a turn in the box and Toyota has avoided it for many many years, mostly thanks to the mainstream media. Who's turn will it be next? BMW? Mercedes? VW? Nissan? GM? Ford? Maybe it should be the Media's turn in the box! Maybe the media needs a time out!

In many people's opinion, the NY Times selected John McCain to run against Barack Obama because they felt Obama had a better chance to beat RINO McCain in an election by editorials supporting McCain. Once the McCain won the primaries, the NY Times turned on him like a caged lion.

It is time for the media to stop playing king maker and start reporting the news. Period. Plain and simple: report the news. No taking sides, just solid old fashion journalism.

That is my opinion and my stand, what is yours?