Over at Crooks & Liars they have a bit of a story on the race to fill Tom DeLay's empty seat in Texas. The on-screen caption reads that the seat in "favored by the Republican", but the story itself relates the fact that the Democrat candidate is in the lead. Much of the discussion revolves around FOXNews seemingly blatant lie. Some commenters have noticed, however, that the on-screen headline is, in fact, technically correct. It does not say "The polls now favor the Republican for the seat." Rather it says the seat is favored by the Republican."
Consider the meaning of that preopsitional phrase, and how clever it is. A FOXNews managing editor can say with a straight face that, in fact, they have not lied about the story; all they have said was that the Republican in the race would prefer to win the seat as it is favored by her. One can scream "semantics!", which to me is the last refuge of the defeated. In fact, FOXNews is being misleading without telling a falsehood (as in perpetually labeling Mark Foley a Democrat).
We must stand in awe of such an ability to manipulate the language, creating a fog of misunderstanding. By creating a brouhaha, FOX can claim that those who disagree with its editorial stance are accusing it of something they have not done. The charge, then, falls back on those who have made it. We can all wink and nod and say "Oh, but we know what they were up to," but the fact remains that they have potentially created a situation where, by inserting themselves into the story through the careful manipulation of the language, they can set the tone for the follow-up. Machiavellian, or perhaps Rovian, in its implications, we must be careful not to take our eyes off the prize, and vote tomorrow. Take a dozen people with you to the polls.
Personal note: Tomorrow I am going to be an election judge in the third precinct of my small community here in Boone County, IL. The polls are open from 6:00 am to 7:00 pm so a long day is in store.
