A CNN flash poll indicated that Paul Ryan won the presidential debate, 48% to 44%.
CNN
CNN included this disclaimer, which places the poll in a reliability category similar to all those online polls in which anyone can vote:
A CNN/ORC International post-debate poll shows that 48% of likely voters think Paul Ryan won the vice-presidential debate, while 44% think Joe Biden won. SPECIAL NOTE OF CAUTION #1: This poll does not and cannot reflect the views of all Americans. It only represents the views of people who watched the debate. SPECIAL NOTE OF CAUTION #2: The sample of debate-watchers in this poll were 31% Democratic and 33% Republican. That indicates that the sample of debate watchers is about eight points more Republican than an average CNN poll of all Americans, so the respondents were more Republican than the general public. [emphasis added]
The remaining question: why is the CNN audience skewing so heavily Republican, when Fox News presumably provides them with a more ideologically comfortable cable news venue?
Stated another way, could the Ultraviolet boycott of CNN have pulled away that significant a share of viewers who might lean Democrat? The text of UltraViolet's petition:
The first presidential debate is just two days away—and it's a huge opportunity for all of us to send a strong message to CNN: Condoning sexism is bad for business.
CNN has remained silent since Erickson's outrageous comments referring to the first night of the Democratic National Convention as the "The Vagina Monologues" Almost unbelievable, considering this was nowhere near his first offense. From defending Rush Limbaugh when he called a Georgetown graduate student a "slut," to accusing women in the Obama administration of pushing American intervention in Libya "like women drivers" with "no plan," "no map," and "no shopping list." (seriously.)
So it's time to remind CNN we haven't forgotten Erickson's unforgivable comments. This Wednesday night, the first presidential debate will be shown on live television. And CNN is desperate for ratings as it struggles with competition from other networks. We're mobilizing Ultraviolet membership to boycott CNN during the first presidential debate if Erickson isn't fired before Wednesday. Will you join us?
Our message to CNN:
"Erick Erickson's history of sexist comments is unacceptable. Fire him before Wednesday's presidential debate, or we will be watching the debate on another channel."
A third possibility: is it true that
CNN is becoming Fox News Lite?
