newsmax emails regularly land in my spam folder... i occasionally read them for giggles and grins... mostly i just delete them as an inordinate number are ads for miracle cures and get-rich-quick schemes, stuff that seriously detracts from newsmax' already sub-zero credibility quotient...
however, here's a great example of how that odious site distorts the news... check the headline...Poll: 11% Believe Obama Is Muslim
now, check the article...A new Newsweek poll out this weekend shows Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama may face serious obstacles in the upcoming general election.
Many Americans aren't even sure of Obama's religion.
Asked to identify his religion, 58 percent of respondents correctly said Obama was a Christian. But a surprising 11 percent said he was a Muslim. And 22 percent said they did not know what his religion was.
Almost one-fifth of white Democratic voters polled also said they had an unfavorable opinion of Obama because of his name.
Apparently, such bias is having an effect on Obama's chances to secure the presidency. Though the Democrats seemingly have significant landscape advantages this year with Bush's approval ratings in the tank and a weakening economy,
Obama ties McCain in the poll, 46 percent to 46 percent.
ok... ya with me so far...? now, let's take a look at how the above information is presented in the actual newsweek article...
the following is from the first two paragraphs...Race is a difficult subject to talk and write about. Although the blogosphere is rarely shy, mainstream journalists often tread lightly for fear of giving offense or indulging in stereotypes. Political candidates sometimes slyly play the race card, but rarely overtly. Not eager to call attention to race as an issue, the Obama campaign plays it down as a factor in the election. But if an Obama adviser were writing an honest memo to the candidate, here's how it might read:
The good news is that you have all but won the nomination. The bad news, if we are willing to face reality, is that the country—some parts of it, anyway—may not be ready to elect a black president of the United States.
nine, VERY lengthy paragraphs in to the article, we read this...The Internet has been a sluice for lies and distortions about your religion and background. It is widely and falsely rumored that you are Muslim (in the NEWSWEEK Poll, 11 percent of voters believe you are); that you chose to be sworn in to the Senate using a Qur'an rather than a Bible, and that you refuse to place your hand over your heart for the singing of the national anthem because, you are imagined to have said, "the anthem conveys a warlike message." As a recent post on Politico.com points out, there is a "Genealogy of Barack Hussein Obama" making the Web rounds, helpfully illustrated by pictures of your dark-complexioned relatives dressed in African garb. The message is not subtle: it says that Barack Obama is not a "real American."
no mention whatsoever in the newsmax story about "lies and distortions"...
let's see how the "muslim rumor" was treated in the original newsweek poll article...
here's paragraph four from the five paragraph story...Confusion over Obama's religious background may also be hindering his ability to attract white support. Asked to name Obama's faith, 58 percent of participants said Christian (the correct answer), compared with 11 percent who answered Muslim, 22 percent who did not know and 9 percent who said something else.
not that we didn't know this, but newsmax really sucks...Labels: 2008 candidates, 2008 Election, Barack Obama, Democrats, Muslims, NewsMax, Newsweek, polls
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