Buried Lede

I'll save you the time counting and hoping that your page doesn't freeze up or anything, but ABCNEWS.com didn't think it was important enough to highlight this key fact from their latest poll much earlier in their write up.

The "public option" component of reform is an example of how details matter. Overall 53 percent in this poll favor a government-backed alternative to private insurance in general, a modest majority down a bit from 57 percent last month. But support rises sharply, to 72 percent, if the option is limited to people who do not receive insurance from an employer or through the existing Medicare or Medicaid programs, as called for in the House-passed version.

That big piece of news didn't come until the 11th paragraph, behind the usual cliche' "President's approval ratings numbers" that always get top billing. And also behind this tidbit that wanted to put up right before it!

It's similar on health care, an issue on which Obama has just 47 percent approval overall and, as noted, several specifics produce significant levels of public concern. For all those, Obama leads the Republicans in Congress in trust to handle health care by 13 points, 50 percent to 37 percent.

Yup, making sure that factors in before possibly explaining why those numbers are like that, which would have been a perfect tie in to the next paragraph.

But I guess we can just leave it standing by itself as a non-sequitur, huh?

You would think that big piece of news would have its own article, or possibly lead off this article specifically. Because you sure as hell know that if it were 72% oppose a public option, that would be the top screaming headline from ABC then.

Making it perfect for Matt Fudge and his worthless linking to hack pieces techniques.