In spite of the fact that most polling results for the new Kerry-Edwards Democratic presidential ticket showed Senators John Kerry (D-MA) and John Edwards (D-NC) leading the Bush-Cheney '04 ticket, on the FOX News Channel programs Special Report with Brit Hume and Hannity & Colmes, only the polls that provided good news for Bush-Cheney and the least positive results for Kerry-Edwards were reported.

An NBC poll (conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates International ) found 49 percent support for Kerry-Edwards -- versus 41 percent for Bush-Cheney -- and showed the largest bounce for Kerry. A CBS poll gave Kerry a four-point bump: Kerry-Edwards received 49 percent support, while Bush-Cheney got 44 percent. One week ago, that same poll gave Kerry just a one-point edge: 45 percent to 44 percent. A Rasmussen Reports Presidential Tracking Poll showed a two-point boost for Kerry: Kerry received 47 percent of the vote, while Bush received 46 percent. In Rasmussen's previous poll, Bush had a one-point lead. Polling firm Zogby International's data on the new ticket showed a two-point lead for Kerry-Edwards -- at 48 percent to 46 percent -- over Bush-Cheney. The lone exception to this trend was found in an Associated Press-Ipsos poll, which showed the Kerry-Edwards ticket losing one percentage point -- falling from 47 percent to 46 percent -- and the Bush-Cheney ticket gaining six points, bringing the incumbent ticket to 50 percent.

Nevertheless, on the July 8 edition of Special Report with Brit Hume, FOX News managing editor and chief Washington correspondent Brit Hume cited only the AP-Ipsos poll (though Hume wrongly reported that Kerry-Edwards received 48 percent rather than 46 percent support) and the Zogby poll to report “no bounce for John Kerry after announcing his running mate.”

On the July 8 edition of Hannity & Colmes, Mike Gallagher -- a nationally syndicated radio host and a frequent FOX News Channel contributor and guest host -- subbing for regular co-host Sean Hannity, noted only that “a brand-new Associated Press poll has Bush and Cheney leading Kerry and Edwards by four points, while only a month ago the same poll, the hypothetical Kerry-Edwards ticket led the president and vice president by three percentage points, and that's since the Edwards announcement earlier this week.” Like Hume, Gallagher neglected to mention the polls that showed a more significant boost for the Kerry-Edwards ticket.