Patterico's Pontifications

3/19/2006

Which One is the Straight News Story? — A Quiz

Filed under: Dog Trainer,General — Patterico @ 3:54 pm



Here are two front-page L.A. Times stories from today, offered (mostly) without comment. But pay close attention. There will be a quiz at the end, asking which is the straight news story and which is the news analysis.

The first story is titled Bush’s Agenda Loses Focus. Here is the sub-head:

The White House staff has failed to formulate a clear domestic policy, some in the GOP say, and the administration is suffering because of it.

And the first paragraph:

WASHINGTON — A growing Republican chorus is calling for a staff overhaul inside President Bush’s beleaguered White House, but some conservatives say such a change would stop far short of fixing what they view as a serious flaw: an unfocused domestic agenda.

The second story is titled A Sliding Scale for Victory. Here is the sub-head:

As the conflict in Iraq enters its fourth year and civil war threatens, the Bush administration is again working to lower expectations.

And the opening paragraphs:

WASHINGTON — Three years ago, as they ordered more than 150,000 U.S. troops to race toward Baghdad, Bush administration officials confidently predicted that Iraq would quickly evolve into a prosperous, oil-fueled democracy. When those goals proved optimistic, they lowered their sights, focusing on a military campaign to defeat Sunni-led insurgents and elections to jump-start a new political order.

As the conflict enters its fourth year today, the Bush administration faces a new challenge: the prospect of civil war. And, in response, officials again appear to be redefining success downward.

So . . . which is the “news analysis” and which is the “straight news story”? Answer below the fold.

Only the second is characterized as a “news analysis.” The first story, “Bush’s Agenda Loses Focus,” is the lead article in today’s Sunday paper — and is apparently the editors’ idea of “straight news.”

6 Responses to “Which One is the Straight News Story? — A Quiz”

  1. Nice trick question…I was thinking both were analysis as well. Although the first story, by using appositives like “some say,” could be reasonably construed by “some people” as straight news.

    Andy (6feefb)

  2. I thought analysis was when the left forges documents. These are both as close to “objective” reporting as the LATimes can get.

    Is anyone reading it anymore?

    JoeS (ff0bfe)

  3. Added to JoeS’s question: If so, Why?
    For honesty give me a super market tabloid over the LAT and NYT everytime. The left wing hate has turned to mental illness faster than anyone thought possible.

    scrapiron (a90377)

  4. Patterico:

    The White House staff has failed to formulate a clear domestic policy, some in the GOP say, and the administration is suffering because of it.

    Huh, I thought the use of circumlocutions like “some say” was the infallible sign of a straw-man argument — which only Bush uses. Is George Bush writing articles for the Los Angeles Times?

    Dafydd

    Dafydd (6e94cd)

  5. Neither is a “news” story. Both are opinions. Both either lie or at best misstate the facts.
    In the Corps we would have called these stories “fairy tales”.

    Rod Stanton (6d933b)

  6. “Some say” Congressional Democrats commit treason by giving aid and comfort to the enemy.

    RadioGuy (963a3c)


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