KERRY, BLACKS, AND AP HEADLINES [10/19 12:13 PM]
Kerryspot
The silly AP headline: "Poll: Kerry Has Wide Support Among Blacks"
The real news:
Bush enjoys stronger support than in 2000 from those age 50 and older and those who consider themselves "Christian conservatives."
That has helped the president narrow the still sizable gap with Kerry among blacks, who preferred the Massachusetts senator over Bush, 69 percent to 18 percent.
The group's poll before the 2000 election found Gore with a 74 percent to 9 percent lead over Bush.
The poll of 1,642 adults was conducted between Sept. 15 and Oct. 10, four days before the third and final presidential debate, and had a margin of error of 3.5 percentage points.
The survey included two samples — a general population sample of 850 adults and one of 850 blacks. There were 58 black respondents whose answers were part of both samples.
The more appropriate headline: "Bush Doubles Support Among Blacks"
The conclusion: If this poll is accurate and Bush has doubled his support among black voters, Kerry is in serious, serious trouble.
Although I note that this poll was conducted over the course of... three weeks? That doesn't seem ideal.
UPDATE: I am informed that on Yahoo, the headline has been changed to what I suggested above.
Tremble before the awesome power of the Kerry Spot!
Seriously, kudos to either the AP or the Yahoo staffer who realized what the real news was in this poll.
GOOD NEWS AND BAD NEWS IN PHILLY [10/19 11:56 AM]
The good news for Bush supporters in Philly: He's making a serious pitch to Philadelphia Eagles fans.
THE LEADER OF the Free World had one question for Chad Lewis.
"He wanted to know about T.O.," Lewis said. "He asked if T.O. was really as controversial as he'd heard. I told him most of it was exaggerated and hyped, and that I figured he could probably relate to that. He said he could."
Lewis, the Eagles' veteran tight end, had gone with his wife, Michele, to President Bush's appearance yesterday at the Evesham Recreation Center in Marlton, N.J., where Lewis lives. Lewis was recognized by campaign workers, Lewis said, and given an opportunity to meet Bush, just before Bush was whisked away by helicopter.
You'd think Bush might have more pressing matters on his mind right now, two weeks before he stands for re-election, pressing enough to preclude much awareness of Eagles wide receiver Terrell Owens. That was Owens' reaction, at any rate. (Feel free to think up your own really tasteless joke about Bush finally identifying a "weapon of mass destruction" and insert it right here.) But apparently, even Bush, the former owner of baseball's Texas Rangers, is plugged into the Birds' 5-0 start, which features 30 catches for 487 yards and six touchdowns by the Sharpie-wielding wideout acquired from San Francisco in March.
"That's when you know you're big time," Owens said last night, through an Eagles spokesman who sought his reaction on behalf of the Daily News. "When the president is asking about you in the middle of a big presidential campaign, that's when you know you're on your way to stardom. I may have to sign a book for him, send him a care package, with some T.O. hats and shirts. He can wear them on his morning jog."
That's Terrell Owens, or as I prefer to call him, "Keyshawn Johnson 2.0".
The bad news for Bush supporters in Philly, from the Inquirer:
The total number of eligible Philadelphia voters now stands at 1,066,222. That is close to the 2003 U.S. Census estimate for the number of people of voting age - 1,025,259 - living in the city.
Dowling said the rolls include 112,000 people listed as inactive. Most have probably moved away, died, or otherwise disappeared, he said. But federal and state law prohibits their removal from the rolls without a process that can last five years.
Yes, according to this, there are currently more registered voters in Philadelphia than people of voting age. |
