Highlighting Bush's good news, burying the bad
Reported by Ellen - July 8, 2004 -
Wouldn't you think it big news that public approval of Bush's handling of Iraq has dropped 12 percentage points in six months, that approval of his handling of terrorism is down 15 points during the same period and down 21 points since last year? Apparently not to Fox. You'll have to dig carefully to extract those tidbits from the slick reporting in the latest poll report on Foxnews.com 06/24/04: Bush Edges Kerry.
First, you have to wade through seven paragraphs of gushing prose such as:
"Even as insurgents increase their attacks in the days leading up to the June 30 handover, the public's belief that going to war with Iraq was the right thing to do is holding steady. Majorities believe there was a partnership between Saddam and Al Qaeda, and that military action abroad is necessary to protect from having to fight terrorists on U.S. soil. In addition, brightening impressions on the condition of the economy helped President Bush improve his standing against Democrat John Kerry this week, according to a Fox News poll released Thursday."
"As has been the case since the end of the primary season, Bush's strength of support is much higher than Kerry's."
"Significantly more voters think Bush would do a better job than Kerry protecting the United States from terrorist attacks (49 percent to 28 percent). On the nation's economy, Bush and Kerry are evenly matched with each receiving 42 percent. Bush has an 11-percentage point edge over Kerry when voters are asked which candidate is "more honest and trustworthy"...
"The issue voters say will influence their decision the most is the economy (26 percent)"
"Regardless of how they plan to vote, half of the public believes Bush is going to win in November, 30 percent believe Kerry will win and 20 percent are unsure..."
In the eighth paragraph, there's a glimmer of a cloud, which reporter Dana Blanton, in typical Fox style, wraps in good news: "The president's overall job approval rating is 49 percent, which is about where it has been holding for the last four months. On specific issues, Bush receives his highest approval rating on the issue of terrorism. Today, 52 percent approve of Bush's job performance on handling terrorism, down from 67 percent at the beginning of the year and a high of 73 percent in May 2003."
Buried further down and also covered with good news: "During the course of the war, the president's ratings on his handling of the situation with Iraq have fluctuated significantly. Currently 45 percent approve and 49 percent disapprove of Bush's job performance on Iraq. At the beginning of the year, soon after the capture of Saddam Hussein, 57 percent of Americans approved and 35 percent disapproved."
Wait just a doggone minute! Would you call a 12 point drop in approval "fluctuating" or "declining?"
And while the lead paragraph reports, "brightening impressions on the condition of the economy helped President Bush improve his standing against Democrat John Kerry this week," it somehow overlooks the fact that only 46% of voters approve of Bush's job managing the economy( Page 6, Question #11). You have to go to the full report to discover that result. This, despite the fact that the sixth paragraph of Fox's story acknowledges that the economy is the most important issue influencing voters.
What is reported (12th paragraph) is "Economy (sic) The president's recent gains over Kerry may be attributed, in part, to improved perceptions on the condition of the economy. Nearly half, 47 percent, think the economy is getting stronger, up from 36 percent in April. On the job situation, 31 percent think it is getting better, 26 percent worse and 39 percent the same." Any casual reader would easily get the impression that voters approve of Bush's job on the economy.
Comment: This kind of blatant distortion can't be inadvertant. I can only conclude that Fox is deliberately painting the picture it wants seen even if that means airbrushing out some telling imperfections.
