Could CNN be turning against the tide of blind conservative cheerleading that seems to have taken over the traditional media? I noticed this
short article about a recent CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll about Iraq. The poll reports that 54% of poll respondents considered a U.S. victory in the war either certain or likely. But that's down from 94% in late March 2003, just after the war began, and the headline reads
Poll: Pessimism about Iraq war growing
That's surprising -- I would have expected a cheerleading CNN headline to read something like "Americans still confident of victory in Iraq." But no, the headline was negative about the war.
More on the flip.
Let's look at the first two paragraphs:
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Pessimism about the war in Iraq is increasing, according to a CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll released Thursday.
In the past three years, the number of people who believe a U.S. victory in Iraq is likely has fallen 40 percentage points.
So CNN could have spun that 54% confidence number into an image of sunshine and roses for the war and its proponents -- but they didn't.
Of course, CNN didn't define "victory," perhaps for good reason: 55% of the respondents think Iraq is headed for a civil war. Which means that at least 9% of the respondents think that "victory" is certain or likely, but also think that there will be civil war. Maybe they've been watching Fox News?