USAToday/Gallup Poll Finds Obama's Support Dropping to 50%, 46% Disapproving; Headline Reads: Poll: Hopes buoyed on race relations

6 in ten say that race relations will improve in Obama's America, presumably as the races unite in misery and in scorn of President Richard Hussein Nixon.

That, to them, is the big headline. As opposed to, say, this: the same poll -- happy race relations! -- shows a seven point net loss for Obama in combined job approval and job disapproval. September's poll had him 54/43. He's lost four in approval and 3 more have moved to the disapprove column.

But that's not the only key finding according to USAToday! You'll also learn that Michelle "Pat" Obama has experienced a "surge" in personal approval (popularity), and is even more popular now than her very popular husband!

A USA TODAY/Gallup Poll taken in the past week shows a surge in positive views of the first lady over the past year even as her husband's ratings have eroded. As the anniversary of the presidential election approaches, Michelle Obama is viewed more favorably than her husband, and her standing is 19 percentage points higher than Vice President Biden's.

"She has conducted herself as an educated, sensitive, down-to-earth woman — not a black woman, a woman — like when she does the gardening (to encourage healthful eating) and taking care of the family," including daughters Malia and Sasha, says Rosemarie Tate, 55, of West Hartford, Conn. "Those are values that everybody shares," says the registered dietician, who was among those called in the survey.

Let's compare the liberal media's reaction to this poll with their reaction to the WaPo/ABCNews poll claiming that only 20% of adults identify themselves as Republican.

Despite the cheesiness of that number, ABCNews' polling director put up a piece defending the result, and saying it was congruent with other liberal-media polls and past ABC poll findings. (He kept ignoring the question of whether it was congruent with Zogby, Gallup, or Rasmussen -- despite the fact he kept quoting Newt Gingrinch pointing out the divergence from those particular polls.)

So, ABCNews obviously buys that number.

Now... this number? It's pretty plain that USAToday does not stand behind it, or doesn't wish to push it out there. They do acknowledge Obama's approval has slipped to 50% in the race relations article, but it's mentioned as an afterthought. They are all but ignoring that finding as unreliable, and instead looking to some really minor findings about hopes that Obama will improve race relations.

Which is, by the way, old news: Every poll claims this. The six in ten figure is hardly remarkable; indeed, near the beginning of Obama's tenure, the figure was higher.

There has been some recalibration of the euphoric expectations expressed in a USA TODAY survey taken the day after the election, on Nov. 5, 2008. Then, 28% predicted race relations would get "a lot" better, compared with 15% now. Forty-two percent said they would be "a little" better, compared with 46% now.

A year ago, a record 67% said race relations one day would no longer be an issue in the United States. Now that has dropped to 56%, a tick higher than in Gallup polls taken before Obama seemed poised to win the Democratic nomination.

So, um... to the extent you find the race relation question big news, isn't that your headline?

So instead of pushing real poll news they push old poll news, and don't even headline the fact that even on the race relations question, Obama's lost ground, not gained it.

Curious, isn't it, which polls news agencies are willing to throw under the bus, and which they'll defend to the death. Funny that it always seems to be the polls that make liberals' hearts go all aflutter that are championed, and the ones they consider real downers that get barely a mention.

Thanks to AHFF Geoff.

posted by Ace at 04:41 PM

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