Don't take Bush's advice on horses (new lie)

[shockingelk]

The Bush/Cheney campaign just sent me an email. The first item reads,

A majority of Americans approve of President Bush's job performance. President Bush's job approval in the Gallup poll is now at 51% while his disapproval is at 46%, a net increase of 6 points since the beginning of August.

So now the Bush campaign likes the horserace. Let's check out the newbie's bet. The prior Gallup poll, taken July 30 - August 1 had him at 48%, which makes it an increase of 3 percentage points, not six. His disapproval percentage went down 3 percentage points between the same polls, from 49% to 46%. They are either combining the approval and disapproval and calling it a "net", or noting that going from 48 to 61 is a 6% increase. Either way, they're being duplicitous or stupid - take your pick, but not their advice.

[The_Casual_Observer]

1. Not only that , but it is in conflict with all the other polls too.

So the entire claim is nonsense.

[eyesroll]

2. Actually -- Gallup's right

He gained three points in approval (3 points in the direction he wants) and lost three in disapproval (again, 3 points in the direction he wants). "Net" is often used in polling to describe the total gain in one's favor.

[shockingelk]

3. welp, it fooled me

If it was wrong enough to mislead me, it certainly misled a lot more on the distribution list as Libmbaugh, etc, has taught the Right that polls are bunk.

The grammatically correct way of expressing the thought would to me would seem "an increase in net approval", but I do see it use that way from other sources after googling, although they all seem to be based upon Bush press release except for one about Gore. http://www.google.com/search?q=%22net+increase%22+poll