Not-so-subtle Anti-Bush Media Bias
Category: MSM/Journalism/etc...
Posted Tuesday, May 16, 2006 at 11:28 AM [GMT-6]

CNN Headline News* is running a report on a poll conducted following last night's presidential speech about immigration reform. The poll showed that a significant majority of people are now favorably impressed with the president's immigration reform proposals, and that the speech effectively and positively changed the perception of many people regarding Bush's approach to the issue.

But what struck me about the report is the apparent unwillingness by CNN to let any positive news about the administration go unchallenged, as the poll's results were presented with this disclaimer (I'm putting this in quotes, although it's being recalled from memory): "These results do not and cannot reflect the opinion of all Americans, as the poll was limited to those who actually watched last night's speech." I can't recall ever hearing a similar disclaimer on other poll results, particularly those which happen to show dissatisfaction with something the administration is doing.

The irony is that the disclaimer actually has the effect of validating the poll, in that they might as well have said, "these results reflect the opinions of the population of Americans who went to the trouble to become informed about the issues addressed by the poll, and thus is more valid than most of our other polls which are conducted at John Kerry's most recent garden party."

*Why do I watch CNNHN? Because Fox can't seem to understand that I'm not interested in 24/7 coverage of the Duke lacrosse rape indictments, or whatever the flashiest crime du jour happens to be.