Partisan Shmartisan CNN Poll
In a manner that baffles me, CNN is contributing to a media perception that the Terri Schiavo case somehow falls along populist partisan lines, despite the clear evidence to the contrary demonstrated in their own poll.
Looking at this illustration, which asks if the poller agrees with the court’s decision to have the feeding tube removed, one would think the 62% claimed by the Democrats is a veritable behemoth of agreement, dwarfing the measly numbers represented by the Republicans and Independents. But look at where the chart starts. It starts, not even at 50, but unexplainably at 53, making the illustration appear grossly off balance. It doesn’t take a math major, though, to realize that there’s not a huge gap in-between 62 and 54. That’s a mere 8% in a poll with a sample error of 7%.
So that’s not much to speak of at all. But looking at the graph this so-called professional news organization is putting out to a scan and browse public, one would think there was a wide disparity of opinion. The reality, which can easier be grasped from a chart starting at 0%, is that a small majority on all three sides simply agree.
So my cynical inner child wants to know, is that so hard to illustrate without trying to make a partisan issue for a bunch of idiot pundits to yap off their know-nothing mouths? Of course not.
And the sad-ass politicians who want to own the issue outright… they, are another story, and a direction I don’t intend to go in. But thankfully the American people do know a whole lot better.
Update I put this piece together earlier today. However, CNN has since updated their graphic, mostly likely not because of me (humble blogger that I am). Somebody over at Media Matters apparently made the exact same observation.
Small world.
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