Fox cherry-picks a poll, then doesn't stop there...

[Cocoa]

cherry-picking alone isn't enough to help Bush these days, they have to distort Bush's best poll to make him look good.

http://mediamatters.org/items/200603010005

Fox News' Rosen misrepresented Hotline poll to suggest majority of Americans may approve of Bush

Summary: Fox News Washington correspondent James Rosen falsely claimed that a recent Diageo/Hotline poll, which shows President Bush's approval rating at 45 percent, could actually be up to seven points higher when the margin of error is taken into account. In fact, the Hotline poll's margin of error is +/- 3.5 percent, meaning that, when factored in, Bush's approval rating could at most be 3.5 percentage points higher.

During the February 28 edition of Fox News' The Big Story with John Gibson, Fox News Washington correspondent James Rosen contrasted a recent CBS News poll -- showing President Bush with a 34-percent approval rating -- with a recent Diageo/Hotline poll (subscription required) that shows Bush's approval rating at 45 percent. Rosen then falsely claimed that Bush's rating could actually be up to seven points higher when the margin of error is taken into account. In fact, the Hotline poll's margin of error is +/- 3.5 percent, meaning that, when factored in, Bush's approval rating could be, at most, 3.5 percentage points higher.

<snip>

ROSEN: John, good evening. No doubt the poll numbers are not where President Bush would want them to be, but most major surveys put him above 34 percent. The Hotline, for example, has him at 45 percent, with a margin of error that could go up to seven points, meaning theoretically the president could be at 52 percent approval ratings, by the Hotline's guide.

[gatorboy]

1. Well, hell!

While they're at it, why not just make it 100%...No! 120%!! :rofl:

[Cocoa]

11. that's Bill O'Reilly's job

the normal Fox people distort statistics, O'Reilly just makes shit up.

[Bushy Being Born]

20. Normal Fox people? Now there's an oxymoron!

But I get your point. ;)

I actually wouldn't be that surprised if soon we started seeing Fox publishing polls that give Bush approval ratings usually reserved for third world dictators; say, in the 95-99% range. Coincidentally, that would be about the same time Bush signed into law a proposal which restricts the organizations who can conduct polls to, say, Fox News and the White House PR branch.

[RagingInMiami]

2. Who the hell ever heard of a margin-of-error of seven points?

That poll would be useless.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

3. hey, that's how accurate my oscar guesses are.

[patdem]

5. Well, 3.5 + 3.5 is 7...duh! of course it could be 7 points LESS by his

convoluted logic also...putting it closer to ALL the OTHER polls out there!!!

[underpants]

10. +7=14

Which could mean, if that method was used John, that like most of his presidency PRESIDENT Bush is loved by 59% of the American people...John

[Cocoa]

13. +14 = 28

that takes Bush to 73. He's making his comeback!

[underpants]

14. It's a miracle I tell ya

:rofl:

[RagingInMiami]

16. Like the miracle in which ...

certain counties in Ohio had more votes cast for Bush than actual registered voters.

[obreaslan]

19. But 6+6+6 ...and that =18, and that equals Cheney's rating...

I'm just sayin'...coincidence? :rofl:

[RagingInMiami]

4. If they're using a seven-point margin-of-error, that means

Bush's ratings could also be seven points lower. Did they mention that?

[Cocoa]

8. it was a 3.5% margin of error

the best poll Fox could find showed Bush at a maximum of 48.5% approval.

[underpants]

6. Diageo/Hotline?

Never heard of it.

Margin of error is one way or the other. They added it TWICE. Wow who does there math, Hannity?

[burythehatchet]

7. friggin morons

[Hubert Flottz]

9. That's the same kind of shit Saddam's crew used to do!

Saddam stayed about 90% plus!

[gratuitous]

12. Remember who Fox's audience is

And the folks they're talking to will sit there, slack-jawed, and then start nodding as James Rosen elucidates the heretofore amazing factoid that Bush is still wildly popular with a majority of the population.

[Yavin4]

15. It's Like That Monster.com Ad With The Monkeys

The one I'm referring to is about the sales meeting where all the monkeys are celebrating the increased sales until the guy comes in to turn the sales chart in the right direction.

[underpants]

18. If you have poo fling it now

-MAdagascar

[RaleighNCDUer]

17. Ah, give em a break.

We should give kudos to Fox News for their proactive stand on hiring the mentally handicapped.