mindstalk: (Default)
You know the simplest way to lie with statistics? Just lie about the statistics.

Giuliani claims NYC was the only city to see crime go down continuously from 1994, when Chicago did as well, that NYC had had 1800 murders a year for 30 years before 1994, when it only hit 1800 in 1980; that re reduced spending 7%, when his own memoir says it went up 3.7% a year; that UK prostate cancer survival is 44%, vs. 74.4% -- and he kept using the false statistic even when the source objected.

Frank Luntz, a Republican strategist who once worked for Mr. Giuliani, said he doubted that the issue would hurt him politically.

“When he talks about New York, people see it,” Mr. Luntz said of Mr. Giuliani, “and they feel it, and if a number isn’t quite right, or is off by a small amount, nobody will care, because it rings true to them.”


You know, statements like that are why "reality-based community" isn't an arrogant title. He gets reality wrong? No one cares! Because he feels good!

Date: 2007-11-30 21:43 (UTC)From: [identity profile] heron61.livejournal.com
Lying about reality worked frighteningly well for Ronald Reagan, and so every Republican presidential candidate after him has decided that this is clearly a winning strategy.

Thankfully, Giuliani is unlikely to get too many people believing all of his lies, both because of the joyously horrid state of the Republican party and because he has an impressive collection of skeletons in his closet.

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