Below are the results of a poll done by the NYT. The headline on the web reads: "Poll Finds Obama’s Run Isn’t Closing Divide on Race," with a subhead: "Blacks and whites hold vastly different views of Senator Barack Obama and the state of race relations, according to the latest New York Times/CBS News poll."
Now look at the results. To me, what they say is: "Poll finds heavy support for Obama among African Americans." Subhead: "Blacks less likely to support McCain, whites split almost evenly and ready for a black president."
Which is pretty different.
JEK
Armchair Pollster
Late update: Seems I am not the only person to think so. The Obama camp is making a similar argument, as reported at TPM.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Poll Interpretation
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2 comments:
Seems like I inadvertently managed to ride a wave on this one: check out the NYT reporter's response to questions from the Obama campaign about this headline.
http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/07/nagourney_responds_we_are_comf.php
Was it an honest mistake or was the intentional or subconcious bias on the part of Nagourney. I've heard stories in the past of editors writing slanted headlines that didn't represent the article or the journalist's intent. But I would not expect it from the New York Times.
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