A guy I know e-mailed me: “Every now and then, something turns me into a crank, and today it’s Frank James posing the question in The Swamp “Will new Iraq turmoil reverse public support?”
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There’s no room for nuance in a headline. Headlines tend to be categorical, even over stories written by reporters who were careful not to be. But when a headline overreaches, the reporter catches the blame. Another reader posted: “What public support are you referring to, James? That’s a lie, and you’re a liar, not a journalist.”
I can’t quarrel with that language. James wasn’t saying most Americans support the war. But the level of public support has remained significant and did climb a little with the surge, and James was within his rights to wonder if it would survive the Basra debacle. Unfortunately for James, the context he offered in his article for his speculation came too late for the headline, which stood egregiously above and beyond it, blunt and misleading.
