Actually, in the past eliminated contestants from the top 24 and 12 have complained that they didn't get enough camera time in the early episodes, so people never "grew attached" to them.
I think it's a valid point. There have definitely been times where I feel like editing and judges' comments are practically ordering me to vote for certain people.
As an aside, the girl near the end last night, with the blue dress and the big belt, who tackled Whitney (terribly) and refused to believe she stunk...well, of course she was from my hometown. She was on the news today singing more and insisting they were wrong. I don't think she was the worst ever, but she wasn't good enough at all (even the woman on the news said so). These people are so deluded.