Saturday, April 15, 2006
Another Misleading Headline From the Media
Here is a problem that I have with media outlets. This time it is the Drudgereport that offers a misleading headline, but Drudge is no different than many other outlets.
Here is the headline Drudge put on his site today (4/15/06):
CHENEYS TAX REFUND OF $1.9MILLION...
So, by reading this, you might wonder why Cheney gets so much back from his taxes? You might, then, immediately jump to the conclusion that this is an absurd refund. And, if you already hate the Vice-President, you might have your passions right along with your class warfare feelings inflamed.
But, if you click on the actual link (GoHERE to see that story), you'll find that the inflammatory title does nothing but anger you even as it tells you NOTHING about what really occurred with Cheney's taxes.
Sure he got a tax refund of $1.93 million. But here is what that headline obscures...
The Cheneys made $8.82 million dollars between them (Husband and wife)
They DONATED $6.87 million to charity
They OVERPAID their estimated withholdings by $1.93 million
THAT is what they are getting back -- their OVERPAYMENT! They are getting THEIR OWN MONEY back!
So, once you get past Drudge's over blown and misleading headline and you ACTUALLY read the story, you find out that (as they say in Texas) there is no THERE, there. But, unfortunately, many won't read the story and that misleading headline will stick in their heads.
Drudge should be ashamed of himself for this wildly misleading headline. But in that he is not much different than many other news media outlets.
-Warner Todd Huston
# posted by Publius @ 4/15/2006 06:07:00 PM 
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