76% of Brooklyn Residents Want Walmart

I find it hard to believe that 76% of Brooklynites could agree on anything, let alone wanting a Walmart. The poll was commissioned by Walmart, and only interviewed 250 Brooklyn residents. There are no internals, and no margins of polling error. And best as I can tell, the question was not whether Brooklynites want Walmart in Brooklyn, but rather whether they favor Walmort coming to the city. As Nate Silver has taught us, it’s all in how you ask the question.

So, you know, take it with a bag salt.

But the Eagle seems to have swallowed the hook whole – they breathlessly report:

Based on these facts [the poll and NYers spending habits in Walmarts outside the city], it appears Brooklyn could soon have a Walmart store. But Steve Restivo, director of community affairs for Walmart and a spokesperson, told the Eagle yesterday that, despite the rumor about a possible site in Bushwick, the company has not announced any specific plans.

Whoa – Bushwick? Everyone else is putting their money on East New York. Either the Eagle doesn’t know the difference, or they have a scoop on their hands.