The New York Times had a much talked about piece the other day titled “Measuring Donald Trump’s Supporters Measure for Intolerance” that attempted to paint his supporters as a bunch of racists. One excerpt from a YouGov online poll cited by the article, in particular, made for many a breathless headline as it basically accused Trump supporters of being OK with slavery:
Nationally, further analyses of the YouGov data show a similar trend: Nearly 20 percent of Mr. Trump’s voters disagreed with Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, which freed slaves in the Southern states during the Civil War. Only 5 percent of Mr. Rubio’s voters share this view.
Here are some of examples of it was spun on Twitter. By academics…
20% of Trump supporters disapprove of the Emancipation Proclamation (ending slavery).
17% aren’t sure.
(@TheEconomist/@YouGov Poll)— ian bremmer (@ianbremmer) February 25, 2016
In the media…
Poll: 20 percent of Trump supporters disapprove of the Emancipation Proclamation https://t.co/aQDzoFGqqz pic.twitter.com/IA3Na4WoUb
— WPXI (@WPXI) February 25, 2016
And by celebrities…
20%TRUMP SUPPORTERS DONT BELIEVE IN EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION.
17% SAY THEY R NOT SURE⁉️
DO 37% OF TRUMP SUPPORTERS WANT
SLAVERY⛓??BACK⁉️— Cher (@cher) February 26, 2016
Now for the rest of the story.
That same poll is filled with nuggets that can be used to paint virtually any group in the electorate in a very bad light, including liberals and Democrats.
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Here’s David Mastio from USA Today who analyzed the poll with some startling results:
How @NYT & @YouGov smeared #trump supporters with slanted poll https://t.co/055vuVKMHk #trump2016 #makeamericagreatagain #debate #republican
— David Mastio (@DavidMastio) February 26, 2016
Dems are more racist that Republicans!
Sanders & Clinton backers twice as racist as Rubio supporters: David Mastio https://t.co/U5D4TUMWob via @USATopinion #tcot #trump #rubio
— David Mastio (@DavidMastio) February 26, 2016
And 43% of Dems are OK with waterboarding:
What kind of boneheads think 43% of Dem primary voters support Bush admin torture policies? https://t.co/055vuVKMHk #tcot #journalism @NYT
— David Mastio (@DavidMastio) February 26, 2016
Check out what Hispanics think of the end of slavery:
Why are 40% of Hispanics unsure if they support the Emancipation Proclamation? Ask @YouGov https://t.co/055vuVtbiK #tcot #trump #racism
— David Mastio (@DavidMastio) February 26, 2016
And here’s where we get out headline:
Here’s something that might put things in perspective: If you dig deep into the confusing Economist/YouGov online poll, you find that only 71% of American blacks approve of the Emancipation Proclamation. Five percent definitely disapprove of Lincoln’s action and 24% just aren’t sure.
Maybe that 29% of African Americans is waiting to see how the whole experiment with a slavery-free America turns out. After all, it has only been a century and a half. Still early days.
Everyone is a racist! Or — and this is more likely — online polls are garbage and should not be used to write stories in the New York Times.
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