June 30, 2007

An Interesting CNN Poll

Jack Kelly recently wrote about a poll showing dubya's approval rating (bad as it is) still above the approval rating of the US Congress.

Now CNN has come out with a poll that offers some intruiging details. Here's how Greg Sargent over at TPMCafe sums it up:

With approval of Congress dropping sharply in polls, we've been waiting for a survey that tries to gauge public attitudes towards Congress in a bit of detail -- such as, where do people fall on the performance of each party, for instance.

Now we have some new numbers from a new CNN poll that takes a few baby steps in this direction. The verdict? The public is pretty sour on the Dem leadership's performance -- but is still happy to have Dems in control, views the party favorably, and plans to reelect Dems in 2008. And the Republicans? Well, they're still in the soup. [emphasis added

Here are some details. It's a bit confusing to me but here's how one question is phrased:
Next, we'd like to get your overall opinion of some people in the news. As I read each name, please say if you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of these people -- or if you have never heard of them.
The politicians' names were then, I guess, presented in random order. The poll lays out the favorable/unfavorable numbers by party. The Republicans had a 36/53 favorable/unfavorable rating, while the Democrats had a 51/38 favorable/unfavorable rating. That's what it looks like to me.

On the question:
Do you think it is good for the country or bad for the country that the Democratic party is in control of Congress?
57% of those asked answered that it was good for the country that the Democrats are in control of the congress. Only 31% said bad.

About the Democratic leaders of the Congress (not the Congress as a whole), those asked gave a sobering 42/49% approval/disapproval score.

If I am reading the poll correctly, I think Sargent has it right. The bloom is off the rose, but the people are still happy (overall) that the Democrats control Congress.

7 comments:

  1. Yeah, the people are happy....read the approval ratings, David.

    LESS THAN A YEAR after winning the election, their approval ratings are as low as they are.

    I gotta give you credit through, can put a spin on anything, I think if it were to benefit your political agenda, you'd even say that a piece of poop smelled good.

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  2. Anonymous should read the original post. I agreed with Sargent that people are "sour" on the Democrats in Congress.

    And I'll cut and paste this for our troll's benefit:

    57% of those asked answered that it was good for the country that the Democrats are in control of the congress.

    Who's spinning now?

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  3. You are, sir. You just said so.

    Oh yeah, do you realize that the Democrats have had control of congress for less than a year, and their approval ratings are lower than Dubya's? That alone speaks volumes about your Democrats, doesn't it?

    Spin that.

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  4. Our troll seems not to understand nuance.

    How it can both be true (as Sargent says) that the people are sour on how the democrats are running the show in DC AND yet are still happy with them running the show in DC.

    And the troll never did get around to saying what's in those "volumes"
    of which he speaks.

    I can say why *I* think the people are sour on the Dems. They were voted in to stand up to dubya - and they haven't yet done that.

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  5. pretty much how i feel. they were elected to make a stand.

    so stand already!

    that's why, not because they are worse than the president in people's opinion.

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  6. Allow me to make it easy for all of you to understand as to why they don't make a move. It's called "political motivation."

    The Democrats know if they defund Dubya's war, then the chances of them winning in 2008 would be extremely low. Why? Because a "Cut and Run" isn't what the American people would like to see. The Democrats don't want another "Vietnam" on them.

    See how easy that was boys and girls? But then again, David DeAngelo will put a spin on that and say it is "Halliburton" or some other shit paying off the Democrats to support Dubya's war (I wouldn't be surprised if I saw David DeAngelo say that at all).

    Oh how I wish Dubya's war was about oil! I am sick and tired of paying over three bucks a gallon at the pump!

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  7. Get used to the price of gas, Troll. Learn to love it. After all, it has been your Mr. Bush who has done so much to raise it, and Mr. Cheney who becomes wealthier and wealthier with your money as prices rise.

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