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Originally Posted by Preechr
.White Houses are ALWAYS taking heat for something. Yes, I'm sure there's a correlation between the message the media is sending and W's poll numbers, but I am also on record as saying that I believe the American public has figured out polls and use them to communicate more than just participate.
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I'm really interested in this statement. I have no friggin idea what it means, but I am intrigued.
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We can't just say that because his approval rating is down that most American's believe he's doing a bad job anymore. We have to ask, "What do they want to see here? What are they trying to say with these responses?"
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Um, I suppose you might be right, but why don't we try to answer those questions for him:
"What do they want to see here?"
1. The U.S. out of Iraq (i.e. war without casualties)?
2. Lower gas prices?
3. Competent judicial appointments?
4. Better handling of the economy?
5. Better handling of Hurricane Katrina's aftermath?
6. A better job on just about everything
other than the war on terrorism (which is even taking a dive)?
Now look at those possible questions that might be surmised from current polls, and tell me which ones you think this president is likely to tackly before 2008, let ALONE 2006???? I think i say this all of the time to you, but I'm a firm cynic and believer that politics generally has very little to do with substantive policy. I think when you ask a citizen if the president is doing a good or bad job, probably no more than 2 or 3 things pop into their head, and they're generally going to be the 2 or 3 most prominent things in the news media at that time.
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I really don't want to get into a tangental discussion about opinion polling. I think this way, and that factors into my own opinion making process in regard to how I weight polling data. Please don't feel that I'm trying to change your opinions on the subject. Please also don't think, though, that I'm wetting my pants over W's numbers right now. It's all just part of the game.
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Right, and the game is called "legacy." In the game of legacy, it often isn't about the particular things you did while in office, but rather, the mood of the country when you left it.
BTW, I hope you're not one of those polling naysayers who thinks that all polls are concocted in a liberal laboratory somewhere. I too am often critical of polling, and probably used to be one of those naysyers myself. But I think polling, if done right (and there are debates over what that is), can be an excellent way to get a feel of the general public's mood.
Conservatives however are totally right about exit polling, but I digress.
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Everything that's happening right now is stuff that was anticipated. When the whole Wilson/Plame thing opened up, Karl Rove did not sit back in his chair and say, "Well, we'll just cross that bridge when we come to it, fellas." A strategy was developed then, and all this is part of it. Yes, Rove is an SOB, and this is why. Libby's taking one for the team, though there's more to it than just self-sacrifice I'm sure.
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I think even you are buying a little bit too much into the media's version of Karl Rove. I think you're absolutely right about them having a strategy, but has it worked so far? The investigation isn't over yet, and while Libby is taking one for the team, the press is still talking about Fitzy. Again, poll numbers are down, and I think the hype around this scandal plays a big role in that.