Rose Colored Glasses

And now that your rose is in bloom
A light hits the gloom on the grey
--Seal

Which of these rival hypotheses is more valid?

H1: Government officials and their political operatives will seek to manipulate information, including the reporting of events, in manners that favor their interests.

H2: Government officials and their political operatives will not seek to manipulate information, including the reporting of events, in manners that favor their interests.

Given no particular context, most people will likely choose H1. Government officials, like all people, will be prone to spin information in self-interested manners. Government officials have even more capacity to do so than Everyman, given their influence over media sources and the intellectual set. 

But here's the thing, insert the name of particular government officials and political operative into the hypotheses above and response profiles associated with the above question are certain to change. Respondents who are familiar with and oppose the political ideologies of the named official will still choose H1.

But respondents who are familiar with and partisan to the political ideologies of the named official will be more prone to choose H2. 

Among the theoretical bases for this prediction is social identity theory. Members of the 'ingroup' are most likely to be perceived as good and unbiased. They say, "Cut me some slack," and ingroup partisans oblige.

'Outgroup' members get no slack. No rose colored glasses for them.

Political affinity alters perception of general truths.