Polls show Trump winning key swing states. That’s partly a failure of the press | Margaret Sullivan
www.theguardian.com
Polls can’t predict – but they can warn. And I’m not sure our horserace-obsessed media are heeding the warning

Polls can’t predict – but they can warn. And I’m not sure our horserace-obsessed media are heeding the warning

…

One of the things these numbers suggest is that the journalists are not getting the truth across to citizens on some key points (or if they are, that truth is being ignored).

The poll respondents claim that one of their big concerns is the economy. If that’s the case, they should be happy with Biden. Among the factors: low inflation, significant growth and low unemployment. Paul Krugman, the Nobel laureate economist, wrote recently: “The economic news in 2023 was almost miraculously good.” (Even the cost of a classic Thanksgiving dinner, he notes, was down 4.5% last year.)

If the economy is that strong and that important to voters – and if Biden can take at least some of the credit – why isn’t it coming across? That’s something for the Biden campaign, primarily; but it’s also something for media people since journalists are supposed to be communicating information so that citizens can vote with knowledge. That should be a higher priority than generating profits, ratings and clicks, but one eventually despairs that it ever will be.

Another major voter concern, of course, is Biden’s age. He’s 81; Trump will be 78 in June. They’re both old; both have memory gaps and both exhibit confusion at times.

Only one of them, however, talks about some migrants as “animals” or predicts a “bloodbath” for the country if he loses. Only one is facing dozens of charges related to crimes including trying to overturn a legitimate election. Only one has promised to be a dictator on day one of his presidency and only one has allies that are meticulously plotting a radical revamping of how America works.

    • Mastengwe@lemm.ee
      31·
      9 months ago

      Your entire comment history is the quote. Go away. We’re done here. I’m not entertaining trolls.

        • Mastengwe@lemm.ee
          41·
          9 months ago

          That’s not how the real world works. Sorry to have the be the one to tell you, but it’s true.

          Let me explain:

          You see, people don’t have to answer you to still be correct. Sometimes they might just not want to waste their time knowing you’re just going to troll them more, move goalposts, or use bad-faith rhetoric to continue an already pointless debate. It’s not unlike if you decide to antagonize a teacher by disagreeing with everthing they say-

          At the end of the day, you’re still wrong, and the teacher is now exhausted from having to deal with you.

          I’ve answered you already. You want an example and I gave you one:

          Your entire comment history is an example. Maybe you should read it.

          I’m officially done dealing with you. I’m blocking you now as SO many others already have.

          • go_go_gadget@lemmy.world
            13·
            9 months ago

            I’m just not suggesting he’s just as bad as his opposition like you claim

            Quote me saying that.

            If my entire history is an example it should be real easy to find a quote. You’re full of shit.

            • Sybil@lemmy.world
              1·
              9 months ago

              You see, people don’t have to answer you to still be correct.

              no, but a claim made without evidence can be dismissed without evidence, and any claim made in such a way should be doubted until it is evidenced.