You’re likely to hear a lot about a poll indicating President Obama’s approval rating is sagging, and that there’s increased worry about the impact of health care reform on quality of care.
Much of the punditry will probably echo MSNBC political analyst Chuck Todd’s take, and read like a New York Times story that begins with this:
President Obama’s ability to shape the debate on health care appears to be eroding as opponents aggressively portray his overhaul plan as a government takeover that could limit Americans’ ability to choose their doctors and course of treatment, according to the latest New York Times/CBS News poll.
That’s some heavy lifting for one poll of 1,050 people with a plus or minus 3 percent margin of error. Intentionally or not, it’s a story lede sure to help energize business and political forces arrayed against health care reform — and discourage those who support reform.
The Times’ story could just as well have kicked off with the following, which was buried near the bottom:
Still, Mr. Obama remains the dominant figure in the debate, both because he continues to enjoy relatively high levels of public support even after seeing his approval ratings dip, and because there appears to be a strong desire to get something done: 49 percent said they supported fundamental changes, and 33 percent said the health care system needed to be completely rebuilt.
. . .By 55 percent to 26 percent, respondents said Mr. Obama had better ideas about how to change health care than Republicans in Congress did.
Granted, there would be dramatic news if a range of polls taken over a period weeks were to show Obama’s approval down 10 or more points, while in the background a large segment of the public was getting cold feet about reform.
It’s fair to say the drama in today’s Times’ story is more contrived than convincing, at least to those who read it with a critical eye.
MSNBC’s Todd explained the poll results as people being anxious and dissatisfied that Obama seems to be spending all his time and attention on health care reform, while they wonder (to paraphrase): “Where’s my job? How about doing something so I can get one?”
Some Americans probably do feel that way, but we doubt it’s most of those who gave pollsters a thumbs down on Obama’s job performance and the reform effort.
It seems more likely that what’s hurting both in the public’s estimation is how Republicans are chipping away at health care reform, while Obama and Democrats let them do it.
That spectacle, plus the inevitable GOP lies and distortions about health care reform, appear likely to continue and grow worse.
If so, look for a series of even more downbeat poll results to be trumpeted a month from now. That will be just in time to add horsepower to a bunch of Democrats-lite as they march their already cold feet back to the Capitol, determined to work even harder at weakening and watering down reform.
It’s that Liberal Media again. Conservatives are right, the media really does slant things and frame certain issues. But it sure as hell isn’t a liberal slant.
You’re right that the other part of the poll would have made a more accurate headline: 55% vs. 26% saying Obama has better ideas than Republicans on how to reform health care.
Tom, I don’t know if the writer did that out of some political notion or preference, or if it was just a case of setting it up to have a stronger, more-dramatic angle. Whatever the reason, the result was slanted.