St. Petersburg Times: Fabricating Racism to Fit Story?

Media Caught Fabricating White Racists?
by Barbara Sowell
Faultlines USA




A quote attributed to Sandra Cichon, a private citizen, is spreading across the internet as a living example of White Racism. Did a reporter put words in this woman’s mouth?

An article in the St. Petersberg Times, quotes Cichon as having said, “I can't imagine having a black president . . .”

In a phone interview Saturday, Sandra Cichon of Spring Hill, Florida denied that she ever spoke with any pollster or reporter concerning Obama or about anything regarding race. Cichon was taken by surprise when phoned by this reporter, and she was not aware that she had been quoted in any newspaper.

The September 15, 2008 article Black ‘issue’ hangs over presidential polls by Adam Smith of the St. Petersburg Times Political states:

A pollster calling Sandra Cichon, a 60-year-old Democrat from Spring Hill, would hear her identify herself as an undecided voter. But is she really?

"I can't imagine having a black president, and I think he's inexperienced," she told a reporter recently, eventually acknowledging she was leaning unenthusiastically toward McCain. "I don't think we (Democrats) have a chance to be in the White House with Obama."

Many analysts wonder how many voters answering polls hide their racial biases or mislead survey-takers about their real preferences.

The article fails to name the pollster who claimed to have called Cichon. When asked during my phone interview, Cichon denied speaking to any pollster on the phone.

Cichon explained that the only time she spoke with a reporter was in August when she went to vote in the county commission races. She said that he (the reporter) seemed nice and she gave him a catalogue for gift baskets.

Cichon is quoted in an August 27, 2008 article in the St. Petersburg Times, Russell, Mitchell, Hackworth win congressional primaries, by Rita Farlow, Stephanie Garry and John Frank, Times Staff Writers.

Many Democratic voters said they were unimpressed with the quality of the candidates.

"I don't know one from the other," said Sandra Cichon of Spring Hill.

Sandra Cichon shows up in another August 27, 2008 St. Petersburg Times article Dismal voter turnout in Hernando by Barbara Behrendt and John Frank. Times staff writer, John Frank, was a reporter on both August 27th articles.


The response from the St. Petersburg Times was usual, non-denial denial.

Continue reading: Media Caught Fabricating White Racism?

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by by Barbara Sowell
images: faluninfo
Source: Media Caught Fabricating White Racism?
[Originally published Saturday, September 20, 2008 in Digital Journal.]