Yike! Does The NY Times Realize Its Readers Lean Left?

John Burns, the dean of the Times war correspondents, has been taking reader's questions about Afghanistan at his NY Times blog.  However, he seems to think he has his finger on the pulse of the American public, and I am not so sure:

it seems clear, from the sampling of American opinion we can take from the blogs that have reached this Web site since we posted “Obama’s Options in Afghanistan” as our latest topic, that many Americans have already concluded that the American enterprise in Afghanistan is doomed; and that President Obama, by “doubling down on a bad bet”, as Sandra from Kent, Wash., put it, only ensures that the price in lives lost and billions of dollars expended will be much higher when the moment comes, as these critics believe it will, for American forces to follow the Russians in abandoning an unwinnable war.

Whether blogging is a reliable indicator of public opinion is, of course, disputed. My own sense is that the responses — from widely different parts of the country, and from a broad range of people with differing backgrounds, but common ground in their grasp of the issues involved — is that they reflect something of a groundswell. Only a handful of nearly 150 comments we have posted have backed sending more American troops. The overwhelming majority were against any additional American deployments; and many of those have argued for an early American withdrawal. I counted 25 comments in which the readers addressed themselves directly to Mr. Obama, and only one of those supported the surge. To catch the mood of these postings, I’ve appended them below, in heavily edited versions, (to see them in the unedited form, go to the comments as originally posted).

Call it a generational thing, but I am 99% confident that Mr. Burns is not distinguishing between blogging and commenting at another blog when he writes "the sampling of American opinion we can take from the blogs that have reached this Web site", (if anyone can find a trackback list to other blogs, help me out). 

Which means that he is walking around thinking that the Great Unwashed are solidly anti-war because of the comments he scrolled through at the NY Times.  Whoa - wait until he discovers the Huffington Post or the Daily Kos.  And we shudder to think that other Times reporters or editors are laboring under a similar misconception.  Oh, well - surveying the NY Times commenters may be a useful complement to their dinner party research.

Meanwhile, back in reality this recent Gallup Poll finds that

At this point, 47% of Americans would advise President Obama to increase the number of U.S. troops -- either by the roughly 40,000 recommended by the commanding general in Afghanistan or by a smaller amount -- while 39% would advise Obama to reduce the number of troops. Another 9% would opt to leave troop levels as they are, while 5% have no opinion.

Among Democrats, however, 57% support a withdrawal.  The percentage seems to be higher amongs Times "bloggers".

Comments

[Cecil Turner]

This bit is hilarious:

I counted 25 comments in which the readers addressed themselves directly to Mr. Obama, and only one of those supported the surge.

The cluelessness exhibited is truly inspiring (like perhaps we've got a bit of self-selection going on in the sample). I wonder how many conservatives bother to address the President directly? (And do things like "you lie!" count as being "addressed directly" . . .?)

On a brighter note, is this going to be a replay of the Iraq surge, with BHO playing the part of GWB? If so, I love it.

[BumperStickerist]

Count the number of sentences in this block of text:

it seems clear, from the sampling of American opinion we can take from the blogs that have reached this Web site since we posted “Obama’s Options in Afghanistan” as our latest topic, that many Americans have already concluded that the American enterprise in Afghanistan is doomed; and that President Obama, by “doubling down on a bad bet”, as Sandra from Kent, Wash., put it, only ensures that the price in lives lost and billions of dollars expended will be much higher when the moment comes, as these critics believe it will, for American forces to follow the Russians in abandoning an unwinnable war.

Correct answer: 1

The man is positively Green(s)waldian in his syntax.

[Thomas Collins]

Burns probably thinks that folks who comment on the NY Times web site represent all the opinion that's fit to consider.

[Janet]

LUN is a lovely picture and short article on George W. Bush visiting Ft. Hood wounded.

[jimmyk]

Isn't this generally known as Pauline Kael Syndrome?

[StL]

Given the prestige of the NYT's, it is amazing that a major reporter there can be so myopic. The biases of the NYT are clearly ingrained in their reporters. It is foolish to think that "tomorrow's article" by this reporter will ever be unbiased, when he demonstrates such an immature ability to reason.

[Captain Hate]

Good morning all. Sorry I didn't wish anybody a happy Thanksgiving but Mrs H, young Maggie the Airedale and I just got back from NYC last night. It was maybe the best Thanksgiving ever for us as we turned the dinner responsibility over to the Hatettes and they came through very well as seven people were accommodated extremely well as everybody chipped in (although a couple hours before dinner I was wondering wtf we were going to eat with before my son-in-law located some gorgeous silverware given by his cousin as a wedding present and packed away). Having turned 60 earlier this month, it felt good to know that in their own unique fashion, the Hatettes would come through in the clutch and we could count on them in the future. Plus we got some positive answers to the questions: Would Maggie be able to travel 480 miles in the car (Yes; easily) and would a dog raised for three years in a kennel in the sticks of Ashtabula county be able to live in Manhattan (after a dicey first night of whining: Yes). Extra bonus: It is so easy getting to the elder Hatette and s-i-l's apartment that we'll do the drive much more often in the future.

[Captain Hate]

And on-topic: Burns fits very well with my image of what type of idiot does well at the House of Shitberger that Pinch is doing such an excellent job of burning down.

[narciso]

They gave the Iraq book contract to the original man from Miami, Dexter Filkins, who was always pretty clueless, ala W.R. Apple,
instead of Burns. The latter would be a better book, of course, it is more important
to feed the Times's audiences biases rather
than tell the truth. Re. Duranty, Matthews,
Bonner, et al, by a fluke they ended up with
Christian in the Latin American desk in the 80s

[ben]

"it seems clear, from the sampling of American opinion"

It's probably a typo, it should have read "from the sampling of American opinion THAT COUNTS".

[BobS]

We are seeing another example of how Demleft intentionally mischaracterizes public opinion. introductory phrases as "the american people think"; "there's scientific consensus" and "it seems clear" are propoganda tricks. Perhaps even alinsky addresses them. At any rate, the great middle-independents whom vote may be realizing the jig is up.

My own feeling about public opinion regarging afghanistan is that folks have a clear sense of why we are there, why we cannot leave and why we must win. It different than that of iraq, but even if they were against it, they realized we were killing bad guys.

[Tom Maguire]

I am stealing the Pauline Kael link, thanks (I was driving my daughter to skating practice and wondering who the woman was with the famous comment about not knowing anyone who voted for Nixon, but now I'm good to go.).

[Jane]

Welcome back Capn' glad it was a roaring success!

[narciso]

I give Burns, for not being certain about something, which in Timespeak is almost
invariably wrong (re; Friedman, Krugman, et al) He understood the importance of the Iraq war, the need to have Saddam tried. I'm being
extra charitable, he sticks out like Harman
in the Democratic caucus

[Captain Hate]

Narciso, I've been reading your incomprehensible sentences long enough to A)understand what you're saying B)generally agree with you. Burns is usually smarter than this, no?

Thanks Jane; it was good to go and good to come home. Although I'm having a hard time finding any local radio stations playing Christmas music; despite my affinity for improv which most people would consider noise, I have a soft spot in my heart/head for holiday music.

[narciso]

That's a scary thing, though, Capt.

[PD]

The weird thing about this is that Burns is actually one of the Times' better reporters. He hasn't always given the kneejerk antiwar response on matters pertaining to Iraq, for example.

[laura]

My husband had a few long conversations with Burns and his follow-on Jim Glanz while in Baghdad, they are both straight shooters. I almost think Burns has been out of the country too much and too long to have any kind of accurate pulse on the US. Heck, he is a Brit for heaven's sake and there are really few Brits like PUK who really get Americans.
Captain, we have had Airdales for for almost twenty years now, starting with Harry(grandson of English Champion Jokyl Gallipants, have to say I prefer the English Airdale), Sally, George son of Harry, and now Grace. They are the best dogs in the world. The joy they exude is unstoppable, no sad Lab eyes from an Airdale.

[Boatbuilder]

Does anyone who is not a Howard Dean liberal actually read the NYT?(Besides TM and Taranto, I mean--they read it so the rest of us are spared). Could anyone rational do so for long without chewing a hand off?

[matt]

it's the same idiots who were chanting "U.S. out of El Segundo!" 20 years ago and U.S. out of Kom bodea" 35 years ago...

Upper East Side, Upper West Side, The Village and parts of Washington DC. Soon the Times will have a readership consisting of a few hundred alte kameradend from the street battles of Chicago in '68....

[Tom Bowler]

I think Burns provides as good an explanation as you could find, why they say there is no media bias (except at FOX News, of course). Burns and the Times believe they are mainstream, which means the Times and all who conform with it are by definition unbiased. Deviants who stray from Times dogma are the guilty ones.

It's gratifying to think that it wasn't that long ago that the Times and the Washington Post could dictate what was news and what wasn't. Out among the great unwashed there was no option but to accept what they published as the truth. So often it wasn't, but who could call them on it?

The Gallup bit is interesting. Apparently they didn't ask how many Americans would advise increasing the number of troops by more than 40,000. I mean there are just some things that are unthinkable! No bias there, though. Not a chance.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I've been enjoying an extended Thanksgiving holiday in Daytona Beach.

[Frau Jagdhund]

Congratulations, Captain, to your Maggie for being a good travel companion. Just consider the reverse: would a NYC dog do as well in the sticks of Ashtabula? I wouldn't bet on it.

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

I'm not sure where to put this or even if anyone else has noted it. So here, have at it.

PENN STATE OPENS INVESTIGATION INTO CLIMATEGATE, MICAHEL MANN AND HIS HOCKEY STICK

[Captain Hate]

Captain, we have had Airdales for for almost twenty years now, starting with Harry(grandson of English Champion Jokyl Gallipants, have to say I prefer the English Airdale), Sally, George son of Harry, and now Grace. They are the best dogs in the world. The joy they exude is unstoppable, no sad Lab eyes from an Airdale.

Laura, we've had three within the last 30 years. Trane was a male we raised from a pup; a show quality rogue who was a wonderful companion. Emma was a rescue from a pound and the sweetest dog I've ever had. She had been abused and was damaged goods when we got her but I've never known an animal or person that's been more in tune with my moods. Maggie belonged to a breeder who was "retired" in the vernacular when she couldn't have pups (getting her spayed revealed many ovarian cysts that explained the situation) and has had her own unique personality. We've been partial to the breed because of their combination of intelligence, strength and playfulness.

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

Wow! We are having a terrible rainstorm. I can't even see across my backyard, it is raining in such sheets of water.

[hit and run]

I grew up with Rusty,an airedale,from when I was born until I think fifth grade. When he passed away,I stayed home from school. In his later years,he had to stay in the garage because of incontinence. But every day, we would open the sliding door in our den after waking up,and he would come running with that big,sloppy grin on his face to greet us. And then that one morning,he didn't. And when he didn't,my parents had to go out to the garage to find him dead. I didn't really understand.

We got Barney shortly after that,another airedale. He was a crazy,fun companion all the way through my highschool years.

For whatever reason,he learned to howl at the start of someone singing the Pink Panther song....Da Dum. Da Dum. Da Dum da Dum da Dum da dum dee Dum.....

My parents had to put him down when I was in college because of some type of ailment I never really knew what it was. At that point,the only way to call my parents was from the pay phone in the lobby of my dorm.

There were tears shed.

Which would have been somewhat embarrassing as a college freshman,except that it was Barney.

[Jane]

Love the comma's Hit. Nice tribute.

[Ann]

Hit, That was so sweet but you should of warned me.

I watched "Marley and Me" until I knew I couldn't watch anymore.

I read "Rescuing Sprite" until I knew I couldn't read anymore.

I know they go to heaven but tears are shed.

Can't watch soldiers returning home to their families either. Well, I always watch but tears are shed.

I feel like I am Glenn Beck. :)