Month: November 2007
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Diana Mutz on “in-your-face” TV debate
Via Henry Farrell, the lead article in the new American Political Science Review is Diana C. Mutz, “Effects of “In-Your-Face” Television Discourse on Perceptions of a Legitimate Opposition” (PDF): Abstract: How do Americans acquire the impression that their political foes have some understandable basis for their views, and thus represent a legitimate opposition? How do
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NYT busts Giuliani on bogus stats
The New York Times has an impressively critical article on Rudy Giuliani’s misleading use of statistics in today’s edition. Here’s how it begins: In almost every appearance as he campaigns for the Republican presidential nomination, Rudolph W. Giuliani cites a fusillade of statistics and facts to make his arguments about his successes in running New
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How did Saletan miss Rushton’s background?
Will Saletan tries to clean up the mess over his ill-conceived Slate series on race and intelligence, which was shredded here, here, here, and here (among others): Last week, I wrote about the possibility of genetic IQ differences among races. I wanted to discuss whether egalitarianism could survive if this scenario, raised last month by
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The Sierra Club’s holiday survival guide
The New York Times notes an amusingly wacky Sierra Club website with tips on winning arguments about environmentalism over the holidays: Are you likely to be the lone environmentalist at the dinner table sometime soon? Win arguments and influence people with this handy guide. You’ll find ready responses to the predictable dinner table arguments that’ll
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McCain: The Myth of a Maverick arrives
In the mail: McCain: The Myth of a Maverick by Matt Welch. More when I read it…
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Mitt takes the GOP backward
At Polysigh, Phil Klinkner notes the historical discrepancies between Mitt Romney’s alleged statement about Muslims in his cabinet and the history of the GOP: Mitt Romney is in a bit of hot water over his comments that he would be unlikely to appoint a Muslim to a cabinet post. He is reported to have said:
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Somerby: Media biased against Democrats
The Daily Howler’s Bob Somerby has suggested that the entire press corps now has a partisan bias against Democrats: What has changed since 1960? At one point in his iconic first book [The Making of the President 1960], [Theodore] White painted a truly remarkable picture. He described the way the mainstream press corps was flying
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The next CSI effect?
I have to admit I’m both fascinated and repulsed by the upcoming Fox show “The Moment of Truth,” which asks participants awkward personal questions while they are hooked up to a lie detector: After ordering the pilot, Mr. Darnell made some changes. He increased the prize money and made the questions “more aggressive.” “There’s no,
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John Edwards: “Who cares?”
Via the Hillary ’08 Fact Hub blog, here is John Edwards dismissing concerns last week about the constitutionality of his questionable proposal to strip health insurance from members of Congress if they don’t create universal coverage (see here and here): [CNN’S WOLF] BLITZER: You’ve also suggested that if the Congress doesn’t pass universal health care,
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Al Gore’s twin?
I have nothing to say about Al Gore’s awkward White House visit except that he is really looking like Chris Cooper these days…