NYT accentuates the negative in health care polling article

The New York Times' write-up of its new poll paints a dire picture for health care reform:

Poll Shows Obama's Clout on Health Care Is Eroding

By ADAM NAGOURNEY and MEGAN THEE-BRENAN

President Obama's ability to shape the debate on health care appears to be eroding as opponents aggressively portray the effort as a government takeover that could limit Americans' ability to chose their doctors and course of treatment, according to the latest New York Times/CBS News poll.

Americans are concerned that overhauling the health care system would reduce the quality of their care, increase their out-of-pocket health costs and tax bills and limit their options in choosing doctors, treatments and tests, the poll found. The percentage who describe health care costs as a serious threat to the American economy - a central argument made by Mr. Obama - has dropped over the past month.

Uh-oh!  Sounds bad, doesn't it?  But look how easy it is to write that article differently, based on the same poll (PDF link):

Poll Shows Strong Support for Reform; Obama More Trusted Than GOP

By BIZARRO ADAM NAGOURNEY AND BIZARRO MEGAN THEE-BRENAN

President Obama continues to enjoy significant advantage over his Republican counterparts when it comes to who the public trusts to reform health care, and the American people continue to overwhelmingly favor sweeping reform, even in the face of efforts by opponents to negatively define Mr. Obama's proposals, according to the latest New York Times/CBS poll.

The poll found that fully 90 percent of Americans think it is necessary to make "fundamental changes" or "completely rebuild" the health care system.  President Obama enjoys a 29-point advantage over congressional Republicans on the question of who has better ideas to reform the system.  The percentage of people who think the health care system needs to be fixed now as part of fixing the overall economy has increased in recent weeks, and the percentage who think the US cannot afford to fix health care now has decreased.

Seventy-six percent of Americans consider the rising cost of health care a threat to the nation's economy.  Sixty-six percent support the "government offering everyone a government administered health insurance plan - something like the Medicare coverage that people 65 and older get - that would compete with private health insurance plans?"  Sixty-five percent support tax increases on "Americans with high incomes" in order to pay for reform.

Eighty percent of Americans are concerned that if the government does not create a system for providing health care for all Americans, the number of uninsured people will increase.  Sixty-six percent are concerned that absent such reform, they personally might be without coverage at some point.  Seventy-five percent worry that absent such reform, the cost of their own health care will go up.

Keep that in mind when you see cable news freak out over the Times article tomorrow: The very same poll contains a ton of data that should be encouraging for those who favor significant reform.

UPDATE: Also worth noting: Much of the public skepticism the real New York Times article detailed is based on misconceptions -- like the concern that reform would "limit ... options in choosing doctors."  Well, it wouldn't.  So who cares if people think it might?  If such reform is enacted, they'll pretty quickly see that they can still go to their doctor, and that concern will dissipate.