As much as the AZ bill has exploded the debate on immigration reform, the fact of the matter is that most news sources are reporting on more pertinent issues. The oil spill on the gulf coast, the Pakistani terrorist attempts in Times Square, financial reform, the economy, the war on terror, and even Mexico's war on drugs.

Here is a powerful tool that allows users to map the size and "impact" of every day news topics. The size of immigration in this graph is shrinking. It was number one two Thursdays ago (when the AZ was unfolding)

Also, check out this online trend monitoring tool, in addition to this one as well

Finally, going to sites such as Google News has given me some perspective as to what the most covered issues have been.

Maybe we don't need the news to cover our case. But if our opponents are hijacking valuable media sources, and fomenting nasty rhetoric such as the idea that immigrants are criminals, usurpers, lazies,...then we're in deep trouble.