BIAS?

Date: December 16th, 2011
Author: Chris Stirewalt
Topic: The latest G.O.P debate
Source: Fox News http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/12/16/newt-leads-gop-out-debate-wilderness/  "Newt Leads GOP Out of Debate Wilderness"


       An article that appeared on Fox News' website yesterday is absolutely replete with bias! The author even states so himself. He writes, "While Power Play acknowledges its extreme bias on this point..." The article itself was about how the Republicans have FINALLY participated in a civilized and respectable debate, with Newt Gingrich setting this respectable tone. The article clearly favors Gingrich, saying, "The Gingrich method is to praise one’s fellow Republicans, use humor, speak substantively and save the really rough stuff for Barack Obama" and then asserting that it was because everyone followed Gingrich's lead that the debate went so comparatively smoothly.
       I think it's interesting that while the article has a clear Republican bias, it still acknowledges that GOP does not exactly have the ideal pool candidates this year. Stirewalt writes, "After more than seven months of acidic, divisive confrontations with answers that were long on bluster and sloganeering and short on substance..." Until now, I thought it was only us liberals who thought these debates and these candidates were simply too ridiculous to demand any form of respect whatsoever. Apparently not...good to know.
      The article goes on to examine, in detail, a quote from each of GOP candidates from Thursday's debate. Somehow Stirewalt even manages to take Michelle Bachmann seriously, saying that she "revived herself from previously flat debate performances." The article, however, seems to predict that Gingrich will still win the Iowa Caucuses despite the oh-so-amazing debate performances of all the other respectable, extemporaneous, and vivacious candidates. Can't wait to see who wins the caucuses...