About an hour before Fox News anchor Brit Hume went to air with his program Special Report, Matt Drudge had put the latest Gallup poll - showing John Kerry enjoying a commanding lead - on general release. For Brit, a rightist - poll or not - this isn't the brightest bit of news. But at half-past six o'clock eastern, Brit used the Gallup data and other polls as the lead item in his "Political Grapevine" segment.
Do you think Jennings, Rather or Brokaw would have begun their second half with a poll showing Bush ahead, 55-43%? I didn't think so. Brit Hume may make no secret of his ideology, but the man reports the news.