Critics have often pointed out the risk of such extrapolation inflating the figures, and although there is no reason to suspect a conspiracy among the information-gatherers (pregnant women are easier to test than others, because they present themselves at antenatal clinics), the resulting large numbers have given headline-writers an easy task.The need today, though, is for a few success stories.
Andrew Mitchell, the 56-year-old Conservative whose position as chief whip made him responsible for maintaining party discipline in the House of Commons, had clung to office after the tabloid The Sun and other newspapers had given headline prominence to the incident, last month.
It has been at the top of national newscasts, on the front page of newspapers and given headline space on major internet search engines.
First came a surprise in the announcement of the former England wicketkeeper Paul Downton as the new managing director of England cricket in succession to Hugh Morris, thereby simultaneously giving headline writers a field day and securing the populist vote.
Most of the popular press, but the Sun, News of the World and Heat magazine in particular, were willing to give headline coverage to the housemates and their departures, both from the show and the rules.
So far, we've seen General David Petraeus give headline interviews on NBC, CBS, BBC, FOX News and schedule an upcoming headline interview on ABC.
But pollsters warn that could quickly change, given the headlines generated by Mr. McCain's New Hampshire victory.
Given the headlines, and Bank of America's own executive reshuffling this week, "people were braced for it," one banker said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
