Poll: More Say It’s Likely That CIA Misled Pelosi About Torture
An interesting new Rasmussen poll finds that a plurality thinks it’s likely that Nancy Pelosi was right to say that the CIA misled her about the use of torture:
How likely is it that the CIA misled Pelosi about the use of waterboarding when interrogating prisoners?
20% Very likely
23% Somewhat likely
19% Not very likely
22% Not at all likely
16% Not sure
So 43% say it’s “very likely” or “somewhat likely” that the CIA misled Pelosi about torture, versus 41% who say it’s “not very likely” or “not at all likely.”
Strikingly, this is almost completely at odds with the way the traditional news orgs have covered this dispute. Most have focused almost entirely on the doubts the competing claims of Pelosi and the CIA cast on Pelosi’s credibility, with very few giving anywhere near the same level of scrutiny to the ways in which the CIA’s credibility is now in question.
If this poll is to be believed, however, more people are focused on the latter, despite what the news orgs are telling them to think.
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I’m gobsmacked, Greg. The media has worked as hard as it could to plant the idea that this is all about Nancy Pelosi and even the left leaning press – like Slate – has jumped all over Pelosi for “picking a stupid fight she can’t win.”
Ha! And to Bill Maher, (and all the little liberal elitists who agree with him) who will not get his head out of his *** vis-a-vis Americans’ ability to think for themselves, I say again: HA!
You gotta believe that Rassmussen didn’t really want to put those poll results out.
Let’s trust the common sense of the “Average” American. In the end they always get it right. I am surprised Rasmussen got this. I have treated their polling with a pinch of salt. Am I accepting because I like what they found? Maybe.
sgwhite – It must have been a shocker to them, but let’s look at the history of the CIA in the media for the past several years. BushCO tried to pin the lack of WMD on bad intel, 9/11 happened, the revelations of torture, etc. I think the people mistrust the CIA as much as they do the politicians.
“I think the people mistrust the CIA as much as they do the politicians.”
I think people mistrust the CIA more. Americans are funny – we’ve been taught – nay, brainwashed – into respecting a uniform, so most Americans do. The CIA doesn’t wear uniforms and doesn’t have a sweet smell to anyone I know. Look how movies portray the CIA – a bunch of liars and people no one trusts, including other CIA; to judge by the movies, the CIA is full of rogue agents who have their own agendas.
Rasmussen should do a poll asking whether Fox and CNN have a policy of lying or misleading the public.
A plurality, by 2% points? COme on man. Have you ever heard of a “Margin of Error,” Gregg? You’re misrepresenting #s to suit your need to defend Pelosi. Maybe Media Matters is hiring?
“Rasmussen should do a poll asking whether Fox and CNN have a policy of lying or misleading the public.”
That only will work as a poll if one of the choices is: “ROFLMAO!”
Definition of plurality
.
Pelosi represents a district with many of Central Americans who came here in the 80’s who have good reason to believe her over the CIA. The CIA’s track record for following the law is not good, this is not a ’slam dunk’ for the GOP. Pelosi’s track record in her district is strong and reliable something that the CIA or the GOP can not say.
sgwhite – yeah, common sense is the thing – it’s not intellect. Whatever it is, it does kick-in, finally, every time.
I believe Pelosi, but the her press conference was not her finest hour. The press is really piling on and buying into the wired-for-Republicans spin, and I’m sick of it.
It is in my opinion clear that Nancy Pelosi has a selective memory ( read : is lying ) . She is changing her story every time she is asked. Also other people briefed by the CIA have heard that the enhanced interrogation methods were used in the briefing she was part of in 2002.Her arrogance also indicates that she thinks she can get away with anything and is basically above the law. They need to get to the bottom with this and if found guilty should resign.
Magnus
.
How did Pelosi change her story?
I think don’t find the poll results surprising the same split seems to exist in the media. Seems like online sources are siding more with Pelosi, while broadcast news is happy to side with the CIA. This video compares how multiple news outlets are covering the story pretty interesting to see the differences : http://www.newsy.com/videos/pelosi_vs_the_cia/
C’mon. Let’s see some good polling.
.
1) Is waterboarding torture?
.
2) Do you believe Dick Cheney was behind the push for waterboarding prisoners?
.
3) Do you believe waterboarding prisoners to find the link between Iraq and al-Qaeda, which was determined in the end to be non-existent, was the moral thing to do?
.
4) Was it the right thing to do?
.
5) Was it the legal thing to do?
.
6) Do you believe American’s should be pro-torture?
.
7) Now that Dick Cheney has determined Rush Limbaugh is a better Republican that Colin Powell, would you be more inclined to be a Republican or less inclined to be a Republican.
.
These are the answers I want know!
Is it possible the video and print media have determined that Nancy Pelosi wields power in such an authoritarian manner that they consider her devisive to the extent that they would like to see her replaced?
actuator
.
To the extent that Washington is wired for Republicans, yes. Nancy Pelosi doesn’t have the problems that Harry Reid has in the Senate with moving legislation due to the big margin the Dems have in the House. And because Pelosi is seen as a true liberal, and she is, most establishment media would much rather have a “centrist” like Steny Hoyer in her spot. And don’t dismiss the sexist angle also. FoxNews spent a fair amount of time joking about plastic surgery this weekend rather than the merits of the argument when Pelosi came up. But the problem for them is that she enjoys the support of her caucus and her constituents. Bigger than that quiet as kept she has the highest approval ratings of any of the Congressional Leaders from either party. She ain’t going nowhere and neither is this story.
When will one of the pundits pick up on the following facts. Porter Goss former congressman R Fla. was appointed by Cheney/Bush to head the CIA. Porter lasted one year due to his involvement with the convicted # 3 man in the CIA, , Dusty Foggo, convicted contractor Brent Wilkes and convicted congressman Duke Cunningham R CA. Goss has been after as many Dem’s in congress as possible. Yeah, where is the liberal media???
Greg chooses not to highlight some of the more interesting aspects of this survey:
“As for those not affiliated with either major political party, 38% say the CIA may have misled the current House speaker, but 48% say it’s not likely…
“Fifty-nine percent (59%) of all voters believe it’s at least somewhat likely that harsh interrogation techniques . . . helped secure valuable intelligence information. Eighty percent (80%) of Republicans hold that view along with 60% of unaffiliateds. Democrats are evenly divided.”
Who wrote this stupid poll? One more Leni Rifenstahl wanna-be? How about that last question for kickers: “How likely is it that waterboarding and other harsh techniques helped secure valuable intelligence information?”
Yea, real clever! Sell me some cocoa puffs! What is it trying to ask? Is it a) Did some CIA employees or contractors use torture–at Cheney’s direct demand [imagine the "man-infant", Cheney, laying on the floor kicking and screaming in a full tantrum mode, "Damn you! go back and torture him till you get the right answer!!!] (A: undisputed; CIA used torture)= Yes; or is the question b) Did the torturee respond with valuable information? A: Torture never works. = NO!
Oh dear! I’m so over-whelmed with cognitive disonance! What ever will I do!
As Obama tried to say, tactfully, “[It isn't the American Citizens that need the news dumbed down, it's the big media news editors and P.R. hacks!]“
Some of this may be due to the fact that the CIA constantly puts out bad information to further political agendas: Weapons of Mass distruction? Yellowcake? Al Qaeda working with Saddam? Their credibility is in the toilet. They can’t even get their story straight on Pelosi.
American’s aren’t completely stupid.
Honestly, I just don’t think it’s that important if she knew or didn’t know — Pelosi didn’t have any power at the time to do anything about it, and this whole thing is just a distraction to take the heat off the people who were directly involved. I’m tired of the superficial games. Bring on the formal investigation. Let’s root the real cancer out of our nation.
I’d say this is pretty straightforward, Greg, so obvious that even the average American can figure it out: spy agencies lie for a living; the CIA is a spy agency; therefore the CIA lies. I’m not necessarily saying the CIA always lies, but they lie so often that no rational being would ever trust their word. It doesn’t help their case that Bob Graham caught them lying in the matter of his briefings.
Wow, no one thinks that Rasmussen might STILL be lying? Given their track record, it’s more likely that 80 percent of the public think that the CIA is lying.
and this sample group LIKED the g—mn CIA a lot! 63% have favorable opinion (25% very) and they only had an extremely low “very unfavorable” FOUR percent!
It’s more likely than not, that people who would respond to Rasmussen in the first place, are goose-stepping, orders are orders, CIA-fanboys.
@Marge in Error:
My dear, has your pretty little head ever considered that “Margin of Error” could JUST AS EASILY MEAN that the difference is 5 points in Pelosis FAVOR????
This must have been hugely in favour of Pelosi for Rasmussen even to admit a slight defeat. My guess: Rasmussen is trying to build up streetcred by playing so-called “fair”: “hey, hey, look at us, you liberals, we ‘gave’ one to Pelosi, so how could we be lying to you all the time?”
I just don’t buy anything from a company that’s:
A) so heavily infested with repubes
B) still said McCain might win PA. by 3 points, 3 days before the election.
And all this fogs the larger picture:
Repubs wanna (like to?) torture people, and that is ILLEGAL!!! (yes, waterboarding is torture, and it’s NOT effective)
Their defense is childish: “She did it TOO!”
Doesn’t make it right.
And wait, for arguments sake, let’s say she DID know. How does that diminish the fact that Bush DID TORTURE? (IT DOESN’T) Could she have stopped it? (NO) If she had spoken up, wouldn’t she be crucified in the frenzied McCarthy-istic times of post 9-11? (YES)
“Political language is designed to make lies sound truthful . . .
and to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind.”
George Orwell, 1946
I would assume Mr. Orwell would consider the CIA’s “briefing” of Pelosi to be political language.