PolitiFact's "Lie of the Year" readers' poll

Does PolitiFact's year-end readers' poll tell us anything about PolitiFact?

At the very least, the poll gives us a clue about the demographic breakdown of the PolitiFact audience.  No, it's not scientific because it's a self-selecting poll group rather than a randomly selected one.  But, in a sense, that gives us an even better picture of the PolitiFact operation since PolitiFact actively solicits input from its readers as to what stories to cover.  And the willingness (eagerness) to be counted in a poll will help measure the most active group of readers.  I did not vote in the poll, for what that's worth.

ObamaCare is a "government takeover" of health care        43.9
$200 million a day for a trip to India                                   19.2
No private sector job creation from Stimulus                      13.9
Dem plan raises taxes for 94 percent of small businesses      8.8
Ethics report exonerates Charlie Rangel                               6.7
"Taliban Dan" Webster and wifely submission                      2.6    
Phoenix No. 2 for kidnappings                                            1.8
Other                                                                                 1.6
GOP privatize Social Security                                             1.5                   

The breakdown assumes that voting for a "lie" that implicates the other party serves as a useful indication of the party favored by the voter.

The totals are a bit stunning.  The total vote from the ideological right, with "Other" thrown in, comes to about 12 percent (12.4).

Three individual "Lie of the Year" candidates received more votes than came from the presumed Republican bloc.

The total vote from the ideological left:  88 percent (87.6).

There's your audience, PolitiFact.  You want them directing your coverage?




Note:  Published originally with 11 percent vs. 89 percent because final item was miscategorized--fixed that within a few minutes of publishing.