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Beware claims of “turning points” after AZ shootings
One of the ways that the media hypes the significance of events in the news is by declaring them “turning points.” It’s important to be skeptical of these statements, which frequently don’t hold up to scrutiny. Despite the literal meaning of the term, journalistic claims about “turning points” are best understood as metaphors that are
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Twitter roundup
Brendan Nyhan Jan 17, 2011 at 2:32pm From my Twitter feed (1/11-1/17) BrendanNyhan Jan 17, 2011 at 2:31pm The hack psychiatrist strikes again! Krauthammer accuses Krugman of mental illness: http://j.mp/fKapnj Backstory: http://j.mp/ifBCYS In Tucson Shooting Fallout, Rightbloggers Find a New Public Enemy #1: Paul Krugman – New York News – Runnin’ ScaredIf you’ve quit paying
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Chicago panel: Who Decides? Democracy and Divide
For those who are interested, I’ll be participating in an Illinois Humanities Council panel discussion about political division and debate with a very accomplished group of experts. A summary of the event, which will take place in Chicago on January 27, is below (note: RSVPs required — see the IHC website for details): Ever since
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Twitter roundup
Brendan Nyhan Jan 11, 2011 at 3:43pm From my Twitter feed (1/7-1/11) BrendanNyhan Jan 11, 2011 at 2:37pm Matthew Dowd: "If the jobs #s don’t improve… the president could locate his HQ on Mars & it wouldn’t make a difference" http://j.mp/fpEz8S The Over/Under for 2012 – Matthew Dowd – Politics – The AtlanticObama will need
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Slippery insinuations about a “climate of hate”
People have been having a hard time holding two ideas in their head at the same time: 1. What Paul Krugman calls “eliminationist rhetoric” is bad. 2. Contrary to his suggestion, there is no evidence that such rhetoric caused Saturday’s events. Even if such evidence is later found, it would not justify the evidence-free claims
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Role reversal on dissent after AZ massacre
There’s a weird reversal going on in the debate over the propriety of inflammatory political rhetoric that has been sparked by Saturday’s shootings. During the Bush administration, conservatives frequently argued that criticism of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq encouraged our enemies. Liberals responded that these attacks were intended to silence dissent, and conservatives pointed
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Twitter roundup
Brendan Nyhan Jan 7, 2011 at 8:54pm From my Twitter feed (1/4-1/7) BrendanNyhan Jan 7, 2011 at 8:46pm Reminder – generic support for repeal of health care reform doesn’t translate to most of its provisions http://j.mp/hnmJ7v The Monkey Cage: Beware of Reading Too Much into those Healthcare Repeal Numbers BrendanNyhan Jan 7, 2011 at 5:45pm
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Obama should beware Reagan myths
With all of the coverage of President Obama’s staffing changes, it’s worth noting that he’s also been reading and soliciting outside advice as he prepares for the second half of his term. In particular, he’s signalled that he’s reviewing Ronald Reagan’s presidency by reading a biography of Reagan and meeting with Ken Duberstein, Reagan’s former
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Wanted: Term limits for columnists
When will Gail Collins come up with some new material? Her end-of-year quiz includes her 12th Bristol Palin reference since October 2008, her 13th reference to Mitt Romney putting his dog on the roof of his car since August 2007, and fourth joke about John Boehner crying in the last month. She only became a
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Twitter roundup
Brendan Nyhan Jan 4, 2011 at 4:44pm From my Twitter feed (12/31-1/4) BrendanNyhan Jan 4, 2011 at 4:02pm Obama using more Christian language to counter Muslim myth; story is appropriately skeptical about likelihood of success http://j.mp/fo2SKI Obama Tries to Reassert His Christian Bona Fides, With Words and DeedsObama has often cited such Bible verses as