Politico Making Things Up Again

By Big Tent Democrat, Section Media
Posted on Tue Dec 30, 2008 at 11:06:05 AM EST
Tags: (all tags)

Share This: Digg!

TChris noted Mitch McConnell's newfound love for oversight, but I was amused by Politico's take on the story:

McConnell may be likely to side with the growing public sentiment against the government's unprecedented use of federal dollars to jolt the economy . . .

(Emphasis supplied.) Growing public sentiment? Politico made that up:

A new national poll suggests most Americans favor an economic stimulus package even if it comes with an $800 billion price tag, although that support doesn't indicate the public wants to see a new era of big government. Two-thirds of people polled think Present-elect Barack Obama's stimulus package will help the economy. Fifty-six percent of those questioned in a CNN/Opinion Research Corp. survey released Tuesday said they favor the stimulus package that President-elect Barack Obama is proposing; 42 percent were opposed.

Facts are not important in some instances. For example, when you are trying to prop up a GOP talking point as Politico is wont to do.

Speaking for me only

< MN Canvassing Board : Franken By 50 Votes | Blago To Annouce His Choice For New Illinois Senator Today >

Legal

Nothing on this site should be construed as legal advice. TalkLeft does not give legal advice.

TalkLeft is not responsible for and often disagrees with material posted in the comments section. Read at your own risk.

Politico Making Things Up Again | 14 comments (14 topical)

Readers Must Login or Create an Account to Comment

I have long been (5.00 / 1) (#2)
by ai002h on Tue Dec 30, 2008 at 11:51:38 AM EST

suspicious of politico and their right leaning tendencies when it comes to reporting. I don't trust guys like Ben Smith

You could probably title the post: (5.00 / 1) (#8)
by Anne on Tue Dec 30, 2008 at 02:37:05 PM EST

[Name of Blog/News Outlet Here] Making Things Up Again, and make it a weekly (twice-weekly? daily?) feature, since it happens all the time.

:-)

i also like (none / 0) (#1)
by Turkana on Tue Dec 30, 2008 at 11:48:38 AM EST

"unprecedented use"...

i guess if you can't succeed in dismantling the new deal and the great society, you just close your eyes and wish them away...

Yes and no, (none / 0) (#3)
by bocajeff on Tue Dec 30, 2008 at 12:22:29 PM EST

The CNN poll isn't the exact authority of people's sentiment. It's A poll, not THE poll.

What Politico should have done is back up there assertion or not include it. Who knows, maybe they have another poll which suggests the opposite.

Didn't BTD in an earlier thread discuss how polls can be manipulated just by asking the question in different ways? I believe so, so why should BTD now use A poll to disprove something.

Incredible comment (none / 0) (#4)
by Big Tent Democrat on Tue Dec 30, 2008 at 12:25:06 PM EST

: 'Typical' is More Like It (none / 0) (#5)
by squeaky on Tue Dec 30, 2008 at 12:29:42 PM EST

One of our resident righties.

: BTD, you were the one who wrote, (none / 0) (#10)
by bocajeff on Tue Dec 30, 2008 at 03:51:13 PM EST

"I can produce any poll result you want on these type of questions", so I was simply quoting you.
I agreed with you that Politico either should have omitted their commentary or shown proof to back it up. But, I still quoted you directly.
In typical BTD fashion you simply dismiss those who disagree with your assertions rather than engage.

The article I read referred to (none / 0) (#6)
by ruffian on Tue Dec 30, 2008 at 01:38:03 PM EST

McConnell as currently 'the most powerful Republican'. I guess technically that is true. It almost made me lose my breakfast.

My hunch is we are going to see a lot of the disgusting liar Mitch, as the press seeks him out to "balance" Obama. Just when thought it was safe to turn on my TV.

That poll had another interesting question: (none / 0) (#7)
by steviez314 on Tue Dec 30, 2008 at 02:10:27 PM EST

Twenty-two percent of those polled said they trust the government to do what's right most of the time.

I guess people have been conditioned by the last 8 years.

: Hardly just the last 8 years. :) (5.00 / 1) (#9)
by Dr Molly on Tue Dec 30, 2008 at 03:20:59 PM EST

Is that 800 billion (none / 0) (#11)
by Wile ECoyote on Tue Dec 30, 2008 at 04:54:32 PM EST

On top of the 1.3 trillion already pledged? Is that enough?

I hope this (none / 0) (#12)
by lilburro on Tue Dec 30, 2008 at 06:41:00 PM EST

House and Senate Democratic staffers are trying to finish drafting a bill by the time the new Congress convenes in the first week of January. While Democrats have the numbers to push through a big bill, Obama aides say the new president wants the package to pass with broad bipartisan support, meaning they may seek McConnell's backing.

isn't as painful as it sounds.

CNN poll says Ameriicans back stimulus; (none / 0) (#13)
by businessworddotcom on Tue Dec 30, 2008 at 10:47:51 PM EST

It appears the Politico piece was published on Dec. 29 and the CNN poll was released on Dec. 30.

So Politico apparently was referring to other, older polls, which I haven't found.

But consumer confidence is low, which indicates Americans aren't sure the Obama plan will work. Nor are economists.

And if you believe in looking at how people are voting with their dollars, they're saying that they are more inclined to save and pay off debts than count on a successful stimulus bill. Spending is way down.

I think Politico is a great site and less biased than the Washington Post and NYT, but it's still pro Obama.

I Pray That Obama (none / 0) (#14)
by bob h on Wed Dec 31, 2008 at 05:40:44 AM EST

has the good sense to limit infrastructure projects to areas whose Congressional delegations support the stimulus package. Opponents must forego support for consistency and ideological purity.