Slant in NPR reporting

By on July 11, 2007

Here’s an example of reporting that I am claiming contains more information about the slant of the writer than actual factual content. It just so happens that the story is on NPR. Not (yet) subject to the fairness doctrine it seems.

President Bush Inflexible on Iraq Issue
by David Greene

Morning Edition, July 11, 2007 ยท President Bush showed no flexibility regarding the war in Iraq during a recent Town Hall meeting in Cleveland. Senate Democrats are counting on a few Republicans to agree to an amendment ordering the president to begin removing U.S. troops within the next 120 days. ~npr.org

Is flexibility the issue here? Is flexibility the news ‘content’ of this story? I submit to you that Bush’s alleged inflexibility is not a fact to be reported in this story at all. It is slant. If the story were devoid of partisan content, truly objective, and merely reporting relevant facts it wouldn’t characterize either side as being inflexible per se. But to characterize one side as such and not the other creates a de facto partisan bias.

According to the facts of this story it would be just as valid to say that Bush disagreed with Democrats who inflexibly insist on demanding troops leave Iraq immediately.

Obviously, Bush is flexible on when troops will leave Iraq. The key point being that both sides agree on one fact: the troops should (and will) leave Iraq. What is not agreed upon however is when and how.

Isn’t it fairly obvious that Democrats are inflexible in demanding that declaring defeat and demanding retreat are the only options? I think so.

This entry is filed under democrats, liberal agenda, war on terror and tagged , , , .

2 Responses to 'Slant in NPR reporting'

  1. Blue Collar Muse says:
    July 12, 2007 at 8:28 pm

    Hrmmm -

    Evidently not only crack but also ‘spin’ kills …

    Heil Hegemon!!

    BCM

  2. Freedom Advocate says:
    July 13, 2007 at 10:20 am

    This bill is on the Senate floor being debated TODAY!

    Watch Teletubby and Moses get arrested at the Capitol while angry bystanders demand the release of the purple teletubby, the “moral fiber of America.” See Public Advocate activists hit the streets with this street theater demonstrating against Ted Kennedy’s Thought Control Bill to give homosexuals special privileges: http://publicadvocateusa.org/

    Public Advocate demonstrates in Washington, DC, protesting the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Protection Act (H.R. 1592), which would grant special rights to homosexuals. This law would add sexual orientation to federal hate crimes statutes.

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