Right now the top story on our front page here proclaims, "Romney the Frontrunner?"
I've got a lot of problems with the story.
1. It is non-sourced. This is always a bad thing in journalism to have something run with absolutely no credit being properly assigned. There is no recourse for the readers, no context, and no possibility for clarification.
2. It is a highly biased piece. To come anywhere near the conclusion that Romney is leading the polls is something that has to be seen - again - in context. Does he lead ALL polls in the three early states? The piece gives us the overwhelming sense that he is.
3. It is a blatantly false piece. The MOST recent poll in Iowa shows Romney running third, nearly 10 pts. behind the leader. In New Hampshire he IS leading his neighboring state. And the latest poll in South Carolina shows him running third 14 pts behind Fred Thompson - the new leader in that state. And since Florida is a new "early" state let's throw in the latest poll there - yep Romney is 3rd behind Giuliani, and Thompson, and leading only McCain.
The breaking news this morning is Fred's new FRONTRUNNER status in South Carolina.
So don't buy the hype. Right now Romney has the money to spike a poll here and there, but he is under no delusional possibility - the new Frontrunner. And for the still anonymous author to make Bob Dole's aide the primary quoted source in the piece just adds to its farcical tone.
"Mitt Romney is now positioned as the front-runner for the nomination," said Scott Reed, who managed Bob Dole's 1996 presidential campaign.
Quite a joke indeed!