Over at CBS and NBC, they mentioned the high economic growth number in passing, with about as much drama as an early-round Wimbledon play-by-play. They had more pressing issues to report. CBS had a full story investigating "who's calling the shots" on your Botox shot? Over on NBC, Tom Brokaw read a small item noting the 3.7 percent growth rate was "slightly better than in the spring, but it's not as strong as analysts had expected." Who are these "analysts"? NBC didn't say. What number beyond 3.7 percent would be acceptable? Who knows?

 What hypocrisy. Weaker economic growth reports in 1996 and 2000 were painted as good news for the Clinton-Gore team. "The economy was slow but steady going into the last quarter," NBC's Tom Brokaw reassured viewers after a 2.2 percent growth report that came out right before Clinton's re-election in 1996. "Many economists were encouraged by that, because it means inflation is under control and interest rates will stay low."

 Four years later, CBS's Dan Rather was pleased with the Clinton-Gore 2.7 percent growth rate reported right before the 2000 election. "There is a school of thought that says this is overall good for the economy to keep it from overheating," Rather told viewers.

 But under Bush 41 in 1992, the exact same 2.7 percent growth rate issued right before the election was soundly panned. ABC's Peter Jennings called it "more than economists had projected but, in many cases, less than meets the eye." Reporter Bob Jamieson warned that "many economists say the report is not proof the economy is taking a sharp turn for the better."

 The networks don't really care what the numbers are on the economy, but only about how they can be manhandled, manipulated and spun. Before voting, the networks ought to have allowed viewers to consider the raw data on the economy before they had the numbers cooked.