It's All About the Emphasis

I'm copying the entire AP article because I need it to prove my point about how the media picks and chooses what and how it reports critical information regarding the state of the US economy:

July unemployment slips in 17 states, rises in 26
Friday, August 21, 2009
The Record
Associated Press

WASHINGTON — The unemployment rate fell in 17 states and the District of Columbia last month, a positive sign even as the pain of joblessness remains widespread.

The Labor Department says the jobless rate fell in July in New York, Oregon, Minnesota and Virginia, among other states. It increased in 26 states.

Only 5 states registered declines in June, when the rate rose in 38 states.

The department also says 21 states added jobs in July, compared with only 10 in the previous month.

Still, 15 states and the District of Columbia have jobless rates above 10 percent.

Nationwide, the unemployment rate fell to 9.4 percent in July from 9.5 percent in June.

Why was the emphasis on the fact that 17 states saw declines in their unemployment rates, while 26 states saw increases in their unemployment rate?

Does anyone think that the AP would have been so kind when Republicans were in the White House? I don't. This is just another example of how the media subtly (and not so subtly) influence decision making and public opinion.