CNN Story on Newspaper Endorsements Very Misleading

There is an annoying story on CNN Headline today - as always, more annoying because it runs every 15 minutes - talking about newspaper endorsements.

They report a few papers endorsing Kerry and the same number of papers endorsing Bush. They say the papers who endorsed Gore in 2000 are endorsing Kerry and the papers that endorsed Bush in 2000 are endorsing Bush.

The story is misleading on two counts:

1. The story implies that about the same number of newspapers have endorsed each candidate - when the reality is that FAR more newspapers have endorsed Kerry.

2. The story implies that papers are just repeating their endorsements from 2000 - when the reality is that FAR more have broken from their 2000 Bush endorsement to endorse Kerry than the converse.

This is very misleading and another example of bias, in this case done in the name of giving equal time to both candidates, but in fact not reporting what is really going on in the world, and leaving out facts that would be damaging to the Bush campaign.

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Daily Endorsement Tally: Kerry Picks up 30 Papers, Widens Lead
By Greg Mitchell
Published: October 17, 2004

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000673213

"Kerry has more large papers on his side, maintaining his "circulation edge" at nearly 3-1"

"Among Kerry's new supporters were five papers that had backed Bush in 2000: the Bradenton Herald in Florida, the Daily Camera in Boulder, Colorado, the Columbia Tribune in Missouri, and the Daily-Herald in Arlington Heights, Ill., and Muskegon (MI) Chronicle."

"Many of the editorials backing Kerry denounced the incumbent in unusually harsh language. The Miami Herald accused Bush of "narrow partisanship." Up the coast, the Daytona paper cited his "embarrassing performance." The Sacramento Bee said, "The nation has paid a steep price for Bush's arrogance - mounting deficits and debt at home, loss of standing and effectiveness abroad...." For The New York Times, his presidency has simply been "disastrous."

Full Story
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000673213

It's CNN

it drives up their ratings. the only thing they like more is a war, a horny/criminal celebrity, and commercials.

this is the third time today I've heard about CNN and their right wing number crunching.

the one that pissed me off that I heard was how military families are largely in suppport of Bush. Not what my military friends are telling me.

I *think* that 12 have changed from Bush to Kerry -- and 3-4 have changed from Bush to "nobody"

least that's my count -- see http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=103&topic_id=79638&mesg_id=79656

is when a newspaper endorses Kerry they usually slam Bush at the same time by stating the reasons why they won't endorse Bush. That has to help people make up their minds.

Someone here linked me up with Editor and Publisher. They tell a completely different story. Even a few of the minority that endorse bush do so reluctantly. One, The Tampa Tribune, who endorsed all Republican Presidential candidates since Eisenhower flatly refuse to endorse shrub.

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000673213