Difficulty Reading

For my difficulty reading, I read "Obama Survives, But Doesn't Advance" an article from Fox News' website. I consider myself a progressive and a Democrat, and I teach Political Science, so I knew on some level I would have a problem with the article.

The article is here: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/10/17/obama-survives-but-doesnt-advance/

I was already predisposed (based on what I know about Fox and their conservative bias) to not agree with the article, so I went into it with a disapproving mindset. I wasn't proven wrong when I read the first section. My sense was that it was branded as a straightforward unbiased news article about the debate, but the words chosen show an inherent bias towards Mitt Romney.

Examples include "(Obama) saw his presidential prestige clearly punctured" and "Obama did nothing to address his most serious problem: that Romney is now seen as a plausible president and the equal of the incumbent".

I found myself questioning the perspective, bias and "facts" as presented in the article because I do not trust the source of information, Fox News. This caused me to have a critical, judgmental bias against the article from the outset. Since my views are liberal, this goes directly against my general repertoire. I am uncomfortable reading conservative pieces because I am already predisposed to disagree with articles like this. As a result, I feel I can understand what information it is trying to convey, but view the text with a skeptical eye. It keeps me from buying fully into the message of the article.

I think to overcome my own bias, I would have to attempt to read the article in a different way. To read it neutrally and to gain information, as opposed to allowing my political views to affect my reading of it. As a political scientist, I can read it purely for point of views, arguments, support and evidence for arguments, etc. Although I might not agree with it, I can read it from an objective viewpoint and summarize the text simply for what it is. Essentially, that it is a viewpoint, not necessarily my own, that someone is making about how they saw the debate as it unfolded. I can respect someone elses' opinion, even if I don't agree with it.