Tuesday 5 December 2006

Herald's headline writers fail maths

The Herald continues its frankly awful political reporting. "John Key's election as National leader has stemmed a strong Labour comeback in the Herald-DigiPoll survey," says the Herald's large print.

The small print, however? National had a 7.7 point lead in August's poll -- in the
third of this latest poll conducted after Don Brash stepped down as National leader, the party's lead "widened" [says the Herald] to 3.4 points.

Do you want to try writing a more honest headline for the Herald's story?

UPDATE: TVNZ shows the Herald headline writers how to get it right:
Nats lead cut in latest political poll.

National has seen its lead over Labour cut dramatically in the latest opinion poll. The Herald-DigiPoll survey sees National on 42.8%, while Labour is on 41.7%. That gives National a lead of just 1.1 points, down from nearly eight points in August.

Simple. And therein, when stated properly, is a lesson for John Boy's cheerleaders who claim outflanking Labour on the left will somehow make the Nats more electable.

LINKS: Key's takeover puts brakes [sic] on Labour's rise - NZ Herald

RELATED: Politics-NZ, Politics-National

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

National plunge under Brash stemmed by Key switch?

Anonymous said...

The mathematical ability of our NZ journalists in general has been lacking lately.

Rebel Radius said...

I should imagine that the figures tend to lean toward the same direction as the Herald wants them to.

It's certainly not the right side in any case.

Craig Ranapia said...

PC:

But it's hard counting higher than five while you're wearing shoes, and have one hand firmly wrapped around your dick.

Libertyscott said...

Nat's watered down leader waters down popularity

Anonymous said...

And your prediction is he will lose since his policies are so appalling I take it. Here's mine:

Key is taking votes from Labour and NZ First -- labour strategists are in a spin and he and will win the next election, which Brash could not.

NZers do not want ACT or any far right govt. Reality is catching up with you people. Your policies are good for dinner party cnversations and that's about it.No one else is interested.

Peter Cresswell said...

Anonymous, you're blowing smoke out your arse.

"Key is taking votes from Labour and NZ First"

Where exactly? Which poll?

"he will win the next election, which Brash could not."

The fact is that the last poll before Brash left, the TVNZ poll, had National on 49%. That was with Brash promoting policies that the media continually suggested were unpopular, but the public clearly prized.

49%. If you think replacing Brash with John Boy and policies with mush (at a time when the Clark Government was on the ropes) will see Labour strategists doing anything more than doubling over with laughter then you're even more of a fool than John Armstrong.

You think that somehow, by abandoning Brash's policies and peddling mush instead that John Boy is going to improve on 49%? If you really do think that, then you're an idiot, whoever you are.

Abandoning the policies that attracted hordes of ACT and NZ First voters across to National is going to improve on 49%? You've surely got to be joking.

Outflanking Labour on the left is somehow going to bring even more non-voters out than the last election, and improve on 49%? What are you smoking.

MonKey's flabby nothings are the biggest boon for ACT and NZ First since the launch of MMP, and the biggest boon to Labour since Bill English first developed leadership aspirations.

Unless the aim of all this Key's flatulence is to throw those ACT and NZ First a lifeline, then, yes, I do believe Key's lurch leftward is doomed to failure.

National have made it clear enough often enough that they would rather lose on their knees than stand up and win on their principles.

Sacking Brash and replacing him with a wind-up doll is just another example of that well-known Tory trait.

Kane Bunce said...

Yeah I saw that article on their website and I thought, "Ha?"

As for a title how about: Key Costs National in Poll.

Hamish is that a comment or an article title, cos it'd work as both.

Reality is catching up with you people.

Um, the Libz policies are NOT right and reality ISN'T catching up with them cos they started in reality, i.e., that individual rights are mandatory for survival qua man.

No one else is interested.

Sadly, you have that one right. Voters don't tend to care about individual rights.

However, in general, PC's comment, "Anonymous, you're blowing smoke out your arse" is correct.

MonKey's flabby nothings are the biggest boon for ACT and NZ First since the launch of MMP, and the biggest boon to Labour since Bill English first developed leadership aspirations.

Indeed. Labour, the Greens, ACT, and NZ First will gain from Key's leadership. National won't.

Peter Cresswell said...

Another point, perhaps the major one: "he will win the next election..."

And even if true, since he is indistinguishable from the other side, what would be the point?

KG said...

"And even if true, since he is indistinguishable from the other side, what would be the point? "

exactly!