Conservative Media Grabs On To New Rasmussen Health Care Poll
Wow, that was quick. I noted below that Rasmussen Reports seemed to present its new poll on health care in a way designed to maximize pick-up by the conservative media, something that Ras seems to do on a regular basis.
As I noted, Ras emphasized the number that supposedly suggested reluctance to health care reform, rather than the one buried in their survey finding overwhelming support for the central argument in favor of overhauling the system right now.
Barely 15 minutes later, the Weekly Standard grabs on to Rasmussen’s poll and slaps this headline on it:
Rasmussen: Many Believe Health Care Reform Should Be Delayed Until Economy Improves
The Standard reads the poll and concludes that President Obama should “rethink” the argument that the current economic crisis is a “justification to reform health care.”
But again: The Ras poll also found that an astonishing 78% think that controlling health care spending is very or somewhat important to improving the economy. In other words, while it’s true that Ras’ top-line result does indicate some public hesitance, the poll also shows that a huge majority endorses Obama’s argument.
But you had to dig way down beneath Ras’ headline to find that out.
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Meh. It matters zip. Obama will chart his own course, whether the GOOPers overwhelming and deceptively polled by Rasmussen like it or not. Obama is not phased by wingnut trickery and deceit. He knows who and what they are, and thus far sees able to trump their petty childishness at every turn. None of their other right-wing scare tactics has worked; why should this one?
Uhmmm the Weekly Standard=Bill Kristol. See also your own post about the Kristol memo.
OF COURSE, TWS headline is misleading. The party that fixes healthcare is the party that will have power for a LOOOOONNNNGGGG time to come.
This is why Rasmussen is always the wingnuts’ favorite pollster. Notice how you can never find certain poll details, such as the political leanings of the respondents? Always a bright red flag, that.
Rasmussen polls likely voters. I would argue middle class professionals are the most likely to vote, they are also the most likely to have private insurance thus to balk against government run health insurance. Their opinion is important because they are the most likely people to make it to the polls.