Republicans: Fact-Checking Journalism is Biased
Who could possibly have a problem with political fact-checking organizations? Republicans of course.
Overall, more than eighty percent of Americans have a favorable view of political fact-checking. But when you break it down according to party affiliation, fact-checking is viewed much more favorably by Democrats than Republicans.
And that's not all. Among people who follow politics only marginally, there's not much difference. Fact-checking is viewed favorably by 36% of Democrats vs. 29% of Republicans. BUT (and this is where the plot thickens):
Among those who follow politics closely, fact-checking is viewed favorably by 59% of Democrats and only 34% of Republicans. What could this possibly mean? As Leonard Pitts Jr. says in his column:
“What’s partisan about fact?
Nothing — you’d think. Except that for Republicans, something obviously is. Perhaps we ought not be surprised given the pattern of party politics in recent years. On topics as varied as climate change, health care, terrorism and the president’s birthplace, GOP leaders and media figures have obfuscated and prevaricated with masterly panache, sowing confusion in the midst of absolute clarity, pretending controversy where there is none and finding, always, a ready audience of the fearful and easily gulled. As political strategy, it has been undeniably effective, mobilizing voters and energizing campaigns...
Who could have a problem with a fact-checker? He is your best friend if what you’re saying is true. You would feel differently only if what you’re saying is not.”And that's a FACT.
Labels: Leonard Pitts Jr., political fact-checking
posted by Tom Harper @ 12:07 PM
3 Comments:
I think the conservative issue is that the preponderance of fact checking is that there is a bias toward checking conservatives on their facts vs. liberals. I notice this all the time on my local (Tampa) NPR station. Check them equally and all is good.
Anonymous: "I think the conservative issue is that the preponderance of fact checking is that there is a bias toward checking conservatives on their facts vs. liberals."
Undoubtedly this is because conservatives have been caught, time after time, being less than truthful. It seems to be systemic within the hard-wiring of conservative minds.
If conservatives were interested in the truth, they'd be, well...liberals.
JG: Excellent response. I also like the bumper sticker you were talking about at Dave's blog.
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