According to the new PEJ study, last week’s New Yorker cover* only came in fourth in quantity of press coverage received — behind “Obama’s trip,” “Iraq war as an issue,” and “Obama and McCain speak at NAACP.”

Except that the time period studied was July 14-20, which only covers the very, very beginning pretty much the lifespan of Cover-Gate (The Cover officially hit newsstands July 21 14). So, fourth place is actually impressive. Doesn’t fourth place seem sort of surprising?

Also from the study:

The week was also the sixth straight since the general election began in which Obama, the presumptive Democratic nominee, Obama, enjoyed a distinct advantage in the race for exposure over the presumptive Republican nominee, John McCain. Last week, Obama was a significant presence in 83% of campaign stories studied, vs. McCain in 52%.

*Who else was hoping that this week’s New Yorker cover would be a cartoon satirizing the reception of last week’s satirical cover? (Insular and self-absorbed, as charged!) Instead, we get a group of wine-sipping white people relaxing on the summer cottage porch while dinner — lobster — escapes out the side window. Another image sure to confuse The Rest Of America.