Great moments in headline writing
Reuters headline:
Americans tired of Iraq war, split on withdrawal
What's so great about that headline? Here's the copy:
Those approval ratings are now in the high 20s.
So Americans, by nearly 3-1 favor "withdrawing nearly all U.S. troops by April," and by more than 2-1 disapprove of the job being done by the president.
Where else could such a lopsided margin be described as a "split"?
Americans tired of Iraq war, split on withdrawal
What's so great about that headline? Here's the copy:
A USA Today/Gallup poll this week showed more than seven in 10 Americans favor withdrawing nearly all U.S. troops by April, and several surveys show the approval ratings for Bush, a Republican, are at the lows of his presidency.
Those approval ratings are now in the high 20s.
So Americans, by nearly 3-1 favor "withdrawing nearly all U.S. troops by April," and by more than 2-1 disapprove of the job being done by the president.
Where else could such a lopsided margin be described as a "split"?
Since 1949, Durhamites have slept soundly, secure in the knowledge that, in our town, erection can be depended upon. Now, thanks to the power of the internets, we can spread that security all over the world.
3 Comments:
C'mon Barry, ever bowl? "Split" doesn't have to mean "evenly divided", like the pins of a 7-10 split. Americans are split on withdrawal like...the pins of a...7-2 split. :)
By
toastie, at 5:51 PM
the 2-7 split is actually quite easy to make if you're a right hander. The equivalent 3-10 is much more difficult, but when i was bowling regularly i could convert it much more often than not.
By
Barry, at 9:16 PM
When politicians get 60% of the vote it's considered a "landslide." I don't expect the rhetoric surrounding statistics to make any sense anymore.
By
Anonymous, at 8:17 AM
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