Poll: Blago Mess Not Touching Obama
Speaking of polling on the Blago mess, another poll has now come out testing whether it's harming Obama, and the conclusion seems to be a pretty clear No.
From a new Washington Post/ABC News poll:
Do you think Obama has or has not done enough to explain any discussions his representative may have had with Blagojevich about the Senate seat?Has: 51%
Has not: 34%
No opinion: 14%
A majority says he's done enough -- and keep in mind that this comes in advance of his promised release of any and all info about contacts between the Obama and Blago camps. If pollsters were to ask whether people think the Obama camp has done anything wrong in connection with the Blago mess, it's our bet that the numbers would be still better.
Of course, we still don't know what the Obama team's internal probe will ultimately find or what else will come out. But so far so good: The poll also finds that 76% now approve of the way he's handling the transition, despite the roar of media coverage saying he'll inevitably be "dogged" by the scandal in some way.
Looks like the American people are smarter than the mainstream media thinks they are.
December 15, 2008 1:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
That's what Rendell said as to his reason why he thinks that Obama should have just released what he knew from day #1 since the public gets it.
December 15, 2008 1:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
Not so fast. From over at Huffpo:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/12/15/obama-blagojevich-scandal_n_151124.html
Funny thing, Illinois voters don't agree with that poll!
December 15, 2008 2:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
That's an interesting snippet to include. How about the 46% who don't think it's likely?
(from an earlier post here at EC...)
December 15, 2008 2:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think that most people think that this is more of an Illinois issue than a national issue. It's the media who is pushing this as a potential "problem" for Obama when it is not.
In that poll Obama's approval rating is very high at 67% with the same percentage who see Obama as honest and trustworthy.
However, I do agree with the MSM that the sooner that Obama releases the information the better because although this isn't a problem for Obama, the media will continue to focus less on Obama's important transition. Obama has great Energy picks today but I suspect the MSM will just focus on any new Blago info.
December 15, 2008 1:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
However, I do agree with the MSM that the sooner that Obama releases the information the better because although this isn't a problem for Obama, the media will continue to focus less on Obama's important transition. Obama has great Energy picks today but I suspect the MSM will just focus on any new Blago info.
Unfortunately, you're probably right. See CNN's current headline: Obama to announce energy posts as Blagojevich questions linger
It's downright embarrassing that the media continues to linger on this tabloid gossip when there are far more important things to discuss here.
December 15, 2008 1:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
The absolute WORST thing he can do is rush out some kind of statement, then have to qualify it later. It's much better to do what he's doing now, which is to carefully review who talked with whom and release a factual response later. There's no reason to be tied to the short-attention-span media's timetable.
December 15, 2008 1:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
The MSM is always in need of a lead story and this fit the bill. Note that there is little effort on the part of the MSM other than stirring up controversy and labeling as what the people want to know.
If they really what a scape-goat, the Chi-Trib is their boy. They printed the story before the FBI was able to bring their investigation to a conclusion and some of the individuals in the conspiracy were able to cover their tracks.
The publics' need to know trumps the governments' efforts to corral all perpetrators in the conspiracy.
December 15, 2008 2:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
Blago is little more than a nuisance but Obama not to mention this country don't need nuisance distractions.
The ChiTrib report that Blago would sign a special election bill is really dispiriting. Looks like a ploy to remove the most immediate obstacle to staying in office.
December 15, 2008 1:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
Glad to seen the headline on WaPo online which says that Obama not affect by the Blago mess. Having that headline there will help to get the MSM off Obama's back and will be the entrenched notion in the media that Obama's approval rating is unaffectd.
December 15, 2008 1:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
Were you looking at the same headline as me? Here's what it says:
Poll: Obama's Ratings Unscathed
Post-ABC News Poll | More than three-quarters of Americans approve performance, despite scandal.
No mention of Blago, no mention of what the "scandal" is. I read that, and the wording of the subhead made steam come out of my ears! It's just more hype and misrepresentation - the subhead, with that oh-so-open-ended "despite scandal", reinforces the right-wing insistence that Obama himself is mired in a scandal. Utter bullshit!
December 15, 2008 4:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
His ratings aren't affected, which again, isn't all that surprising. What do people know about this? Some moron governor in Obama's former state is trying to sell Obama's Senate seat. And John McCain and Lynn Sweet and every other reporter from Chicago can talk about the dirty nature of Chicago politics, but I'd bet that the typical voter under the age of 50 doesn't have that much of an opinion about Chicago politics.
Furthermore, that headline from earlier about whether the public thinks he's involved could just as easily have been worded "Nearly half think Obama and staff aren't involved".
December 15, 2008 2:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
The WSJ comments are all too typically repugnants insinuating Obama and the Chicago political machine are in cahoots Good comedy to read and not take serious.
December 15, 2008 2:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
This is ridiculous.
I came on hear to escape the MFers on Morning Joke who were all but saying that Obama was a liar. That Obama knew Blago was selling the seat.
I just thought you'd like to know that you kinda sound like Pat Buchanan this morning on Morning Joke.
So do you agree with him as well, that Blago MUST, MUST, have something embarassing on Obama.
What all this looks like to me is a bunch of people who have no idea what the hell they are talking about. They are not using any journalistic ability, they are just throwing things at the wall to see if it sticks. What that does is fsoter misinformation and misquotes? For example, it was reported that Rahm spoke with the governor's aides, not the governor, but what they were saying this morning was that Rahm spoke directly to the governor, which is true, no one knows, and it seems that no one is really trying to get at the truth.. EVeryone is just speculating, instead of taking Fitzgerald at his word: the Obama campaign was not involved in any pay to play scheme.
This whole thing is bullshit, and I personally am sick of it.
December 15, 2008 2:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
Here's the thing:
No one really knows the details of Fitzgerald's investigation. So to say that Rahm dropped the dime on Blago or Obama must have known something (as the Morning Joe crews put it) is just speculation at this point. If this is the case, then so be it, but the endless speculation instead of hardcore investigation by the MSM is sickening.
So unless someone here or elsewhere have some inside information, then all we are dealing in in innuendo and suspicion.
Also, if Rahm did drop the bomb on Blago, then that means he is a witness to the prosecution, and therefore he SHOULD NOT BE SPEAKING TO ANYONE ABOUT THE CASE...PERIOD!!
it is not Rahm's or Obama's place to say whether or not Rahm in a prosecural(?) witness. It's up to the prosecution to "out" witnesses in the cases.
Let's at least stop with all the speculation and in some cases (mostly Republicans) who are downrightt smearing Obama and Rahm WITHOUT ANY REAL EVIDENCE to support the case. Anything else without "evidenciary support" is GOSSIP, and last I remember, we are not reporters for the Enquirer.
That's all I'm saying.
December 15, 2008 2:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
obama's fixation on placing loyalists in positions of power has gotten him in trouble already and he isn't even president. what was he thinking? trying to bribe blago with his campaign booty. it is so seedy. obama must come clean and aplogize. john dean is right. the sooner the offender allows the public to know the truth, the better.
December 15, 2008 2:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
andygobacktobrooklyn and see if they will pay you for that worthless troll-post. I hope you get every dime it is worth -- oops! That means you'll only get 5 cents.
December 16, 2008 1:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
yes i was watching pat buchanan and bill oreilly and scarabourogh too. they are not gonna let obama skate on this one. trying to buy the senate seat.
i was in chicago for a weekend in 1988 to see the cubs and visit a friend. the bars outside of wrigley have big long sinks knee high that men just pee in to together all in a row. this is the sewer obama has created and befriended.
December 15, 2008 2:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'd like to know which sewer you got your education from.
December 15, 2008 3:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
if the media is still covering this scandal with the same fervor in two weeks as it did in the past week, then i would venture to guess that it will begin to erode those high poll numbers for the president-elect.
i certainly hope that the governor does the right thing and resign immediately.
December 15, 2008 3:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
The non-believers are the dopes who are getting bamboozled by the media. The MSM is trying awfully hard to manufacture a story here. As usual they replace facts and real journalism with innuendo and fantasy. Anything to fill the 24hr news cycle
December 15, 2008 4:34 PM | Reply | Permalink