The Sidoti Slant

AP reporter Liz Sidoti begins her coverage of last night's Republican fundraising dinner with this patently misleading headline:

Romney Has Stage to Self at RNC Event

If a reader were unaware that Ron Paul had also addressed the event, they would get the impression that Romney was the only speaker. She begins her fourth paragraph thusly:

'Romney was the only leading candidate who addressed all the donors,'

So if the reader failed to catch that word 'leading' they would still have the impression that Mitt was the only candidate there. Next sentence:

'The former Massachusetts governor had the stage virtually to himself_'

Now, the few who have read this far just might catch the weasel-word 'virtually', and if they've been paying attention they might remember having seen 'leading candidate' a few words back.

Finally, the reporter deigns to mention Ron Paul by name after the article is more than half over. Naturally she prefaces the mention with the obligatory 'Long-shot' jab.

I guess this is what passes for journalism at the vaunted Associated Press.

Let them know what you think:
info@ap.org