So you take a look at the Washington Post this morning and notice a lengthy article on page A6 about Bush’s latest poll numbers. At first you’re discouraged, because the headline makes you believe the new data works in the president’s favor.
The headline reads, “President rallying support in polls.” The sub-head says, “Rebound sets campaign team into action.”
For those of us anxious to see Bush lose next year, this isn’t good news.
Then your frustration grows when you read the first few sentences in the article. “Heartened by opinion polls indicating President Bush’s six-month slide may have ended, his aides are working to reassure supporters that his standing is solid despite a fall full of setbacks,” the Post’s article explains. “Bush aides expressed relief at several polls this week, including a Washington Post-ABC News poll released yesterday, that found the president’s approval rating stabilizing after a steady drop since Iraqi President Saddam Hussein was ousted in mid-April.”
Irritating, right? Nearly all of the polls from the last couple of months have shown Bush’s support falling steadily, but the Post seems to be telling us that trend is over.
Then you look at the actual data and you realize the Post has completely misrepresented its own polling data.
While the paper references Bush’s “rallying support” and “stabilizing” poll numbers, the actual poll shows the president’s approval rating falling to 53%. Not only is this lower than Bush’s support in comparable Post polls from August and September, this is also the lowest approval rating Bush has ever had in any Post poll since his inauguration.
In fact, none of the results from this poll cut Bush’s way.
Americans still disapprove of Bush’s handling of the economy (46% approve while 51% disapprove), believe the Bush administration does not have a clear plan for handling Iraq (41% believe they have a clear plan, 54% believe they don’t), and a plurality now believe the White House is not cooperating fully with the investigation into the illegal leaking of a CIA agent.
Perhaps most importantly, when the Post asked respondents how they’d vote if the election were today, 47% said they’d vote for a Democratic presidential candidate while 46% said they’d vote for Bush. This is the first time a Post poll has ever shown Bush behind a generic Dem candidate on this question.
So, let’s review. Every relevant question shows Bush’s poll numbers going in the wrong direction, with his approval rating reaching a new low and Americans indicating they’re prepared to vote him out of office next year. The Washington Post sees these results and says Bush is “rallying support,” is experiencing a “rebound,” and announces that the president’s “six-month slide” is over.
Maybe some of my conservative friends can remind me again about the horrible biases of the liberal media.