Maddowblog - "Obama's not the one with a popularity problem" - Counters Mainstream Media Narrative

[TomCADem]

Last edited Thu Mar 14, 2013, 01:08 AM - Edit history (1)

The corporate media has been reporting some declining approval ratings for President Obama and have been pushing the idea that as a result the public is not happy with Democratic priorities, thus President Obama should move toward Republicans. However, as noted in this story, Republican support has continued to be abysmal. Yet, why isn't the mainstream media pushing the idea that Republicans should be moving toward Democrats? In other words, why are Republicans once again being given a free pass?

http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/03/13/17300386-obamas-not-the-one-with-a-popularity-problem?lite

For the Washington Post and ABC News, the key takeaway from their new national poll is apparently supposed to be President Obama's declining fortunes. The Post's lede reads, "The afterglow of President Obama's reelection and inauguration appears to have vanished."

And in a literal sense, that's true. On Election Day 2012, when Obama won by 5 million votes and earned 332 electoral votes, the president had a 50/46 approval/disapproval rating, and in today's poll, he once again has a 50/46 approval/disapproval rating. He got a bump earlier in the year, which has since gone away.

But I thought it'd be worthwhile to put together a chart showing the approval ratings for Washington's major players.

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But for goodness sakes, 72% of the country -- 72% -- disapprove of congressional Republicans. Among self-identified moderates, it's 81% -- and the poll was taken before the House Republican budget, which hopes to scrap Medicare and give millionaires another tax break, was released. What's more, GOP lawmakers receive the bulk of the blame for the sequestration fiasco.

If the political world is going to focus on "vanishing" levels of public support, to focus on the president, who remains relatively popular, is to miss what matters most.

[LiberalFighter]

1. Exactly! Until the other side matches or exceeds they need to slam the GOP.

[SunSeeker]

2. K&R

[donco]

3. Why would

the public think about moving towards a party with a 72% approval? That's why the "Washington Post" is on the floorboard of birdcages.Kinda sad because they used to be pretty good paper.

[Cha]

4. When I saw those polls from corporatemedia I thought

bullshit.. but others I see were happy to point them out for whatever agenda.

Could you post the link, Tom? Thanks

[Scuba]

5. Why do Republicans get a pass? Too easy ...