http://www.gallup.com/poll/108688/Religious-Intensity-Predicts-Support-McCain.aspxGallup just released a poll about Religion in this Presidential Election. Except it isn't really about religion. Take a look at their misleading headline:
"Religious Intensity Predicts Support for McCain"
But, in very fine print, underneath the headline:
"Hispanic Catholics and black Protestants provide notable exceptions"
That would be fine, except that most of the polls that aren't talking about Hispanic and African Americans are talking about
whites.
Here are the polls, in order as they are presented in the article. The questions are always the same: "Is religion important in your life?" and "Who do you support in the presidential election?":
Whites, Hispanics and African Americans, Both Christian and Catholics
Religion is important: O: 40% Mc: 50%
Religion is NOT important: O: 55% Mc: 36%
Non-hispanic whites (NO Catholics)
Religion is important: O: 27% Mc: 63%
Religion is NOT important: O: 45% Mc: 46%
Non-hispanic white Catholics
Religion is important: O: 37% Mc: 53%
Religion is NOT important: O: 47% Mc: 45%
White Hispanic Catholics (note: what is a white hispanic?)
Religion is important: O: 57% Mc: 31%
Religion is NOT important: O: 63% Mc: 30%
African American non-Catholic Christians
Religion is important: O: 90% Mc: 4%
Religion is NOT important: O: 92% Mc: 4%
Jewish Americans (note: only 39% of American Jews say religion is important)
Religion is important: O: 45% Mc: 45%
Religion is NOT important: O: 68% Mc: 26%
Non-Christian/non-Jewish religion (note: no race identified)
Religion is important: O: 60% Mc: 30%
Religion is NOT important: O: 68% Mc: 23%
Non-religious (note: 12% of Americans)
Religion is important: O: 61% Mc: 28%
Religion is NOT important: O: 65% Mc: 26%
How does Gallup summarize this? "It has been well established from an analysis of previous survey data that certain groups of highly religious Christians -- usually defined as "evangelicals" -- are reliably Republican in their presidential vote preferences"
Well, that is very revealing.
The problem is that they do not reveal the numbers or percentages of religion is important vs. religion is not important.And Gallup chooses its words carefully:
"certain groups of highly religious Christians" and
"evangelicals". Well, Evangelicals make up only 0.5% of the population.
Is anyone else reading
"certain groups of highly religious Christians" as code for "racists"?