:: Fresh Grist for the Imus Mill

A poll conducted by WaPo and ABC news on the Imus imbroglio finds - surprise surprise - wide disparities of opinion between the races and genders. The results - which appear to be raw, with further details promised later today - are: Whites are split on firing - 47% for, 49% against. Blacks - 70+% for, remainder (I guess) against. Of all women (all races) - 55% for, compared to all men (all races) 48% for.

This strikes me as being in line with the commentary I've seen on the topic - both from professional opinion leaders and the hoi polloi. Lots of comments by white men lashing out at all african-americans for not collectively keeping rappers in line. Lots of comments by black men decrying racism and sexism, but then only discussing the racism. And comments by women, where you can find them, saying its about damn time. And the elite of the elite - for example, Frank Rich, tap-dancing double-time to find a way to oppose the firing and oppose Imus, or support the firing while still supporting Imus. Put another way, one group of elites seems to dislike Imus but feels like the cat just walked over their grave, and another group likes the firing but wants to salvage a relationship with Imus and/or his friends.