Why are Chris Matthews and Anderson Cooper Lying to the American People about Obama's poll numbers!

[FrenchieCat]

I was pissed, and wrote each one a letter.

I copied some Media watchdogs while I was at it.

Dear Chris Matthews,

I was quite aghast when I watched you mislead me on the television today. You stated, during your "Today's number" segment, that President Obama's polls had fallen 19 points. What you purposefully neglected to tell your viewers was that you were referring to two different polls in reference to two different questions being asked, and comparing the results in order to conclude that President Obama is losing support in the country.

I want to ask why would you did this? What's in it for you to mislead Americans about our New President that we should all wish to see succeed? Aren't his poll numbers falling fast enough for you? What was the agenda behind this exercise of sitting at your desk lying to the American people?

Here is documentation on the Gallup Poll(s) you compared:

Gallup FACT: President Obama's general favorable/approval rating was always around 64-68%....even back in December.

Gallup FACT: Confidence in Obama also ranged from about 73 to 69 throughout the transition.
Confidence Rating link to gallup at 68%: http://www.gallup.com/poll/112006/Gallup-Daily-Confidence-Obama.aspx

However, it is a FACT that you used a poll measuring President Elect Obama's Approval of handling the transition (which was measured only through the transition)

The 84 percent approval was in reference to his work on the transition specifically.



In reference to his current 'approval' rating, Gallup only started tracking this on the Saturday AFTER President Obama's inauguration!

Here is the article in reference to this. As you can see, it was never at 84% to begin with:

Gallup's first 'approval' rating for Obama due Saturday
http://content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/2009/01/61819696/1

So why the spin without accurate information? And why is Anderson Cooper on another Corporate cable station repeating the exact same lie?


A true patriot who wants her country to succeed,
XXXXXXXXXXXX

[ErinBerin84]

1. because it fits their narrative, I guess.

of the Republicans "finding their voice", and all that jazz. Blahhhh. And, I posted this in another thread but it annoyed me how Chris Matthews kept screwing up the name of the stimulus. He called it a "bailout", and then later said "budget....budge-they're calling it a stimulus", and then later said that it should be called a "jobs bill"...as if Chris would even be able to keep that name straight if it WAS the name of the package.

[FrenchieCat]

3. When are these fucked up Pundit going to finally say.....

"We Screw up routinely, and we do it with purpose!" ???

[ErinBerin84]

11. they're probably pissed

bc they kept anticipating that Blagogating would make his numbers go down a little, when they didn't at all.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

20. they work for MSNBC and they do what the boss says

[ErinBerin84]

42. yeah, I wasn't really being serious

But I do think they want a narrative. They giveth and they taketh away. They quote a poll and marvel how it's the second highest for a new president in history, and when it drops two points...admist the stimulus package bill, nomination drama...they need to present the poll numbers in a way that supports their "uh oh, what's happening?!" narrative. Two point drop doesn't cut it.

[Barack_America]

2. I'm just going to K&R.

This makes me so angry that I can't think of a response to type that doesn't involve cursing my head off.

:grr:

[FrenchieCat]

4. I'm about to contact CNN......cause Anderson Cooper did it too!

Thanks for the Kick. This is the kind of thing that someone in the media needs to bring up.

I want to hear the funky news pundits admit that they are attempting to control public opinion via their Lies.

They lied to get us into a war, and they are lying now to get us not to support Obama's Presidency!

[Clio the Leo]

5. Because they read it here......

(Which is not to JUSTIFY it but to say it wasn't their original thought. They just copied someone else's homework.)

http://thepage.time.com/2009/02/03/poll-obama-approval-rating-drops/

(and that was up on Time's site as early as 3:30pm today.)

[FrenchieCat]

8. That just proves colusion between the corporate media........

because that is how they do it.

They lie, and folks start to buy it.

They already fucked us enough. This has to stop!

[Clio the Leo]

12. I dont know about colusion....

.... I think it's more like they're not researching what they're reporting properly. Again, no excuse.

[FrenchieCat]

15. A 19 pt drop would require some research.......

There is a reason that they aren't doing the research......
most of it having to do with that being the story line that they want to push.

So yes, it IS EXACTLY COLLUSION!

[Uzybone]

18. Great point

if a president approval rating dropped over a point a day for 2 weeks you'd think the media would dig into the numbers. Bill Schneider and his glasses would be all over CNN giving explanations. The fact is that they know they are fudging the numbers and intentionally trying to deceive the people.

[uponit7771]

19. From an insider, They are sloppy and lazy. Best to get "scoop" than get story right, 1950's....

...mentality when it comes to news cause it's ran by old white men (not very diverse bunch).

The hate the tubes, we can check their work in seconds and doing so makes them look stupid.

[firedupdem]

6. K & R! Great Letter! n/t

[Parker CA]

7. Awesome letter, Frenchie, and perhaps there's a chance he will get the correct info

and retract his statement from today, although I am not too optimistic of that.

Kudos nonetheless!!

[FrenchieCat]

9. The entire Corporate Media apparatus is in on it!

They are so fearful of the man, this is all that they can do to try and sway enough folks.

This is blatant!

[Thrill]

10. Because this is what they do

[Still Sensible]

13. I have sent an e-mail

to CNN and Anderson Cooper as well.

[FrenchieCat]

14. Link to contact information for media.....

page down to see it!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=7971781&mesg_id=7971781

[Danger Mouse]

16. Lying puts food on their families.

[uponit7771]

17. From an insider, THEY HATE GOOGLE!!! They SERIOUSLY hate the tubes...makes them look stupid

[FrenchieCat]

21. They look stupid because they are.

I called both CNN and MSNBC. Wrote a letter to the White House too, alerting them to the fact.

I asked Anderson Cooper when he was going to admit when he screws up, which appears to be often and purposefully!

[eridani]

22. Besides writing to the media, you need to write to your congresscritters

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/2/3/121315/3223/133/692446

The word on the street here in Washington is that the right is killing us with phone calls to Congress on the Obama economic recovery plan. One congressperson said the calls are running 100 to 1 against it.

The legislation is now on the Senate floor. If senators perceive that Americans side with Obama in this fight—which several polls say they are—that will strengthen the power of progressives in the debate and we’ll get a good bill. If, on the other hand, senators are only feeling the heat from conservatives, then our advocates will be weakened and we’ll get a lousy bill. That’s just the way things go on Capitol Hill.

Those who worked for the election of Barack Obama and are currently sitting on the sidelines waiting to see how his economic recovery bill turns out—it’s time to stop waiting. Stand up and fight!

That means pick up the telephone and call 202-224-3121 (or use the toll-free service at 866-544-7573). Ask the Capitol operator to transfer you to one of your state’s U.S. senators. When you’re connected, say you’re calling to urge your senator to "support the Obama economic recovery plan and oppose all conservative amendments." Call back and repeat for your other senator. Then contact everyone you know and urge them to do the same.

[ddeclue]

23. The answer is simple: they are two DIFFERENT polls with two DIFFERENT questions.

the ridiculously high number 84% comes from asking how Obama was handling the transition. The more reasonable number (but still historically very high) of 68% comes from the more traditional "do you approve of how Barack Obama is performing as president".

There's no giant conspiracy and frankly I'm ecstatic at the high 60's number - even Reagan and Clinton very rarely visited this territory.

Doug D.

[FrenchieCat]

26. I guess that you missed the point then!

The difference between the 2 numbers are being framed as the President's poll numbers dropping by the number! It is a purposeful way, right when Pres. Obama's needs the public's support to sell the stimulus package, to affect public opinion. There is a giant conspiracy, and you obviously don't care.

[ddeclue]

59. There isn't a giant conspiracy take off the tin foil.

and any President with Obama's approval rates is unstoppable even at 64%.

This is a NONtroversy and a waste of people's time and energy.


Doug D.

[jenmito]

61. Why can't you understand the point? The media keeps saying Obama has DROPPED nearly 20 points

in THE Gallup poll of his approval rating. They're lying. He dropped TWO points in his approval rating. They keep using the 83% figure, rating his TRANSITION approval, to his PRESIDENTIAL approval rating and follow this "statistic" of his "big drop" by talking about all the things going "wrong." :eyes:

[janx]

24. Frenchie, it's one of my long teaching days, etc., but I want to

tell you how much I admire your penchant for sourcing and archiving things. I always have! This makes me go to sleep tonight with a smile on my face. I am laughing out loud in delight!

[FrenchieCat]

25. Thank you for that compliment. I very much appreciate it!

[laugle]

27. If people would just stop watching that Skunk, Matthews,

he would be off the air, which is where he belongs. He's doing what he has been doing for many years, starting shit and he's quite good at it!

Turn him off! He's has no integrity.

[FrenchieCat]

28. I try to limit watching him.......

I was trying to catch the President's interviews.

I'm glad I caught his lying ass though.

[laugle]

30. This is what he does! Barack has been president

two weeks, I mean two fricking weeks, please don't get worked-up over this, that's exactly what that skunk wants. I have always wondered how he has managed to stay on the air so long, my only conclusion is he's good at stiring up shit!

[Peace_Sells]

29. Write

Im glad you wrote them. If they continue to say this crap we should all write them.

[Golden Raisin]

31. I don't expect anything but blatant

propaganda and unsubtle agenda-driven "news" from any of these corporate media scumbunny shills. These days once you change the channel from Bill Moyers, with only a handful of exceptions, you're in shark-filled corporate waters where they are paid to tout the official corporate line.

[bbgrunt]

32. great catch. Please send it to media matters also. k and r

[FrenchieCat]

33. I did! FAIR as well.

I'm going to send to Politifacts too, although they ain't nothing but a corporate whore outfit.....

[FrenchieCat]

34. As of this morning, MSNBC was still spreading the big lie.

which would seem to confirm that it is indeed "intentional".

[ErinBerin84]

36. yep, advancing it with the narrative

"Is Obama losing his Luster?" And quoting freaking Maureen Dowd in the process. So typical.

[Cash_thatswhatiwant]

35. schuster just did too. nt

[jenmito]

37. I started a thread on the same thing last night. I CALLED MSNBC this morning about it, and at

first the lady claimed the 84% may not have been from Gallup, and I said that it WAS, that Matthews (and then all the THs today are repeating the false info., telling them that the 84% (83%) was from Gallup's poll of his handling of the TRANSITION while the 66% was from Gallup's poll of his APPROVAL rating, which started out at 68%, meaning the "big drop" in his approval is 2%. She said she'd pass the information along and I JUST heard David Shuster repeat it AGAIN.

[obiwan]

38. They are pundits. Like drug dealers, they will do whatever they need to do to sell their product.

[sohndrsmith]

39. It's not just them. All polls, by default, when viewed individually

without the context of trend or other polls - or if out of date... are not worth much in the grand scheme of things. They are more like an opinion of one or a few, not a consensus of many...

I have always tried to ignore polls (unless taken in the contexts described above)... unless they illustrated something that made me happy. (heee) : ). No, seriously, it's really hard to be consistent when you see polls that you REALLY like... but they really aren't more valuable or important (or accurate) than the others.

And polls thrown out - esPECially in corporate media - should be viewed with the caveat that they're, more often than not, presented to make news and conflict makes news. So if they can offer something that either gets people riled or indicates something "baaaad" or wrong or portentous, then they'll cull the poll that will do that so they can start an argument. I think maybe two thirds of what corporate news spews forth is specifically to instigate conflict, doubt, anxiety, however subtle that may be. But these things elicit a passionate response. When things are wonderful we appreciate that and move on, do it's not a constant debate.

They do this stuff for themselves (ratings/profit) more than anything. Sometimes they don't have the opportunity, but when that happens, you can pretty much guarantee they'll find something to fix that problem. : )

[FrenchieCat]

40. Right. But the media is touting the difference as a poll drop,

and that is just a plain out lie.

[jenmito]

41. I just called MSNBC AGAIN and I gave them all the facts AGAIN and said if I wanted to

hear false reporting, I'd listen to Faux.

[FrenchieCat]

43. I called again as well. She said that folks have been calling about this.....

and she's gotten the message out to the producers....and they will decide whether the numbers are false. I told her this wasn't about just getting a paycheck, but the news media attempting to blatently affect public opinion was nefarious and wrong. I told her that this manipulation from the media affects many Americans and that it needs to stop. :mad:

[jenmito]

44. All they have to do is read any of our emails to them which SHOWED the links and the

transition approval vs. his job approval. I can't believe they still haven't gotten around to "deciding" whether the numbers were false. :eyes:

[sohndrsmith]

64. yep. And it's more than annoying. Especially when it's so blatant.

I don't know what a solution would be, though, other than taking personal responsibility for being as accurately informed as possible. For me that usually means cross-checking things that are fact based. Opinions - those I can deal with those freestyle...
facts, especially when they're accusatory or don't seem to fit - are usually worth cross-checking to see if various sources line up for the most part. Sadly, news these days is 95 % opinion journalism - even when it's subtle it ain't straight reporting - 5% objective transmitting information unadulterated by gesture, expression or complete transformation by re-interpretation that relates extra information: the reporter's opinion.

But people don't like straight reporting, at least not on the teevees. Reading is good. Reading a lot is really good.

Even so, nothing can be considered absolute unless you see/do/participate in/say it yourself... : )

[jenmito]

45. Tamron Hall just repeated it AGAIN!

:mad:

[jenmito]

46. kick since they're now KNOWINGLY lying-call 212-664-4444 and/or 212-664-3499.n/t

[The Wizard]

47. The news chain:

Rove, Drudge, Limbaugh, Murdoch, corporate media. It's all so Orwellian.

[FlyingSquirrel]

48. Thanks FrenchieCat

Is this on the front page yet?

[FrenchieCat]

50. Yes!

Also might be good to recommend and dig Steve Leser's similar piece he wrote over at OpNews based on this op!
http://www.opednews.com/articles/Mark-Halperin-Chris-Matth-by-Steven-Leser-090204-188.html

[FlyingSquirrel]

49. Did he also mention that we're at war with Eastasia?

Not Eurasia?

:eyes:

[mvd]

51. Because they are the M$M!

The Republicans completely made the mainstream media a tool of the right wing. Despite throwing a couple bones like Maddow and Olbermann, the reporting's not going to change much.

[Mithreal]

52. Truth is too biased for corporate media. K&R

Made-up "facts" fit their prejudices better, same as usual when Democrats are in charge.

Good catch, FrenchieCat.

[Vattel]

53. Classic Tweety

He's always been a fool. Why do you think he'd change now.

[cooolandrew]

54. There seems to be a transition of people getting used to the idea he is prez but his numbers are >

gaining again. Yes, it's unfair to compare with the approval of the honeymoon period.

[Still Sensible]

55. Frenchie, we know they are hearing from us

have any of them made any move to correct their mistake?

I suspect all that will happen is that they'll go forward not comparing those two different polling questions. I doubt they'll admit an error on the air.

[Hello_Kitty]

56. Good job!

:applause:

[HOLOS]

57. K&R THANK YOU FOR THE GREAT LETTER!! nt

[mitchum]

58. Because it's part of their job description

[LiberalLovinLug]

60. Thanks for your work FrenchieCat

I just sent CNN this:

You are continuing to report falsely that President Obama's approval poll numbers have crashed 19 points.

From the Time CNN website:
"USA Today/Gallup poll shows 64% approve of the job the president is doing so far in office, down from a pre-Inauguration high of 83%."

http://thepage.time.com/2009/02/03/poll-obama-approval-rating-drops/

This is very misleading as the 83% poll was about how President Obama handled the transition and NOT his job so far as president. You pretend that they are both from the same question; about his performance on the job. This gives a false impression of a dramatic drop in support.

Why would you do this?

[FrenchieCat]

68. Thank you!

The more, the way better! :)

[rpannier]

62. Why does a cat chase a mouse or a lion roar to establish their territory

It`s their nature.
They can`t help themselves.
They lie by instinct.

[BrklynLiberal]

63. Thank you!!!

[FrenchieCat]

65. The Corporate media did this shit all day today.

You know they have a serious agenda and want to see our President fail, and our country fail!

Funky assholes! :mad:

[jenmito]

67. Since I'm home all day long, I watch the news all day long, and also saw them

throwing this BS out there all day long, too. I emailed, called, called again and again and again. They're so full of it, acting like they're "on the case" while they obviously couldn't care less. :mad:

[archiemo]

66. Perfect-o-mundo...n/t

[digidigido]

69. Chris Matthews is unwatchable. His politics are what one would call those of

a moderate Republican, back in the days when there were such things. He's not evil, but he's not progressive.
I can't stand him, he reminds me of the Phil Ochs line, 10 degrees to the left of center in good times, 10 degrees
to the right in bad times

[ejpoeta]

70. because they try to create their own news.

they say his numbers are down, and people, being sheep, then believe that they should be unhappy with how obama is doing. then his numbers DO go down.

[humbled_opinion]

71. This is part and parcel the problem in America

The PRAVDA press tells America what to think. They don't like it when Obama holds their Corporate sponsors accountable for their mismanagement so they go on the attack.

Watch out because they are going to try and destroy Obama and they will succeed if it is not for our diligence.

[FrenchieCat]

75. I find that so many of us are in our own war with the new administration

making our demands and criticizing away until we are not really "there" to support much of anything.

The media is testing Obama's bully pulpit strength, and I fear that due to our own infighting, we are going to let them know that there isn't the kind of support that there should be out there for the President's agenda. In the end, it will be us that lose, and corporate America, which includes corporate media who will win......

We are supposed to have his back, but we are too occupied studying the knife in our hands.

[saracat]

72. Not that you may not be correct but it is hilarious how praise was heaped on

Matthews just last week but now because people don't like his conclusions they want him "off the air" !
No one really cares what these folks say and they certainly don't care what we, a bunch of internet junkies, complain about! MSM is in the catbird seat and they have the exposure and the money behind them. They get the emails but they don't care and they don't have to.

This is a non issue right now and the real issue is the stimulus and many people aren't happy with it on both sides of the aisle all over the country. That is a "real" story and that is really scary. The drop in support of the stimulus plan affects us all.

[firedupdem]

73. I don't think anybody wants him off the air. People just want the

truth and not misleading information.

I just checked gallup for example and support for the stimulus plan is at 75%. Of course everybody has different ideas about what should be in or out, but Americans support something being done like yesterday!

[mentalslavery]

74. why would they tell the truth

they are protected by the 1st amendment to say whatever they want.

The invisible hand of information is self regulating.

[defendandprotect]

76. Many of us were doing this 20 years ago --- it didn't work then ...

and it's not going to work now.

What you need is to break up these anti-trust monopolies.

And, the Fairness Doctrine.

You need more people to understand corporate-media is not a "free press."

Meanwhile, I did notice as I went by channels yesterday that some station was playing

"Is the Honeymoon Over?" recording. So it's all part and parcel of the only themes

they can play. They lost but never acknowledge it. Bush claimed a mandate in 2000!!

MSNBC is GE --- more right wing than the John Birch Society -- more corrupt than the

Bush Family.

Meanwhile, re polls -- and I think they are quite subject to being rigged -- I will say

that when Obama does such violence to the trust that liberals and progressives had in

him with the many right-wing appointees then the polls could drop.

And, these very poor executive decisions have been in play for three months ---

so that's sufficient time for people to be absorbing these negative nominations.

[mnhtnbb]

77. Lying is what corporate media do. Quelle surprise!

[Top Cat]

78. Kick

[HOLOS]

79. K&R nt

[spanone]

80. media is owned by corporate america...they do not like democrats

we regulate