Liberal Media, My Bottom!

USA Today has a front-page story reporting that a new Gallup poll has Bush leading Kerry by double-digits. [link] According to the article, "the 55%-42% match-up is the first statistically significant edge either candidate has held this year."

Here's where the liberal media bias is so clear, if you ask me. Why do I say this? Consider the headlines: on the front page, it reads "Bush Leads". When you follow the link to the article, it gets even more lefty -- "Bush Clear Leader in Poll."

Here's the lefty part: in the article, we learn that Bush is the clear leader in one poll. Coincidentally, there is another poll out the same day, from an equally reputable polling organization, which shows that Bush and Kerry are statistically tied -- 47% for Bush and 46% for Kerry, according to Pew Research Center. USA Today didn't see fit to report that in its headline.

But wait, there's more: the Gallup poll (where Bush is supposedly leading) surveyed "registered voters". Pew surveyed "likely voters". The difference, though not even remarked on by USA Today, is huge.

Next point: USA Today quotes Matthew Dowd, the Bush campaign senior strategist as follows: "Dowd says Kerry at this point would 'have to defy history' to defeat a sitting president." Dowd might not want to take this comparison too far, of course -- as the article notes, Ronald Reagan trailed a sitting president by 8 points, and won. Even W was behind a sitting Vice President by 10 points and "won". Having done no other research, I can't say whether this statistic holds true for other presidential races, but apparently, I'm in good company -- USA Today didn't do any additional research, either.

I'm sure there's more, but not at the moment. In any event, it's clear from this article that the left wing liberal media bias in favor of President -- oops, too soon -- Candidate Kerry is alive and well.

[Special mention goes to loyal reader Gail, who was present at the creation of this blog and kibbitzed on the debunking of USA Today.]