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Looking at 2012, Fox News polls Obama versus employees Palin, Gingrich

January 21, 2010 4:11 pm ET by Eric Hananoki

In a poll released today, Fox News asked registered voters who they would vote for in the next presidential election:  President Obama or Republicans Newt Gingrich, Sarah Palin and Mitt Romney.  Both Gingrich and Palin are under contract with the channel as "political analysts"/"contributors."    

Fox News - the host, chief promoter, and favorite outlet of the tea parties - also asked voters to choose between Obama and an unnamed "candidate from the Tea Party Movement" (Obama wins 48 - 23). 

Fox News previously polled host Mike Huckabee for the 2012 nomination.  Last week, contributor Rick Santorum announced he's exploring a run for the nomination.      

As Media Matters' Karl Frisch, Crooks and Liars' John Amato and others have noted, it's looking increasingly like the path to the 2012 GOP nomination is through Fox News.  After all, the conservative channel provides a low-accountability forum for aspiring candidates to stay in the spotlight and blatantly promote their political interests - all while pulling a paycheck. 

While not on Fox's payroll, Romney is still a frequent presence on the channel.  Since the beginning of the year, Romney has appeared on Hannity, Fox & Friends (twice), On the Record and Fox Business Network's Cavuto.   

Tags: Fox News Channel, Newt Gingrich, Sarah Palin

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    • Author by Publius39 (January 21, 2010 4:19 pm ET)
         
      They didn't even broadcast the miserable results because they reflect the opinion Americans have of the GOP. While popularity for Dems is declining, people still can't stand the Republicans for what they did to the country from 2000 to 2006.
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    • Author by IRONY 101 (January 21, 2010 4:19 pm ET)
      1  
      You've got FOX yappers hammering Barack Onama non-stop from the time you turn the TV on in the morning until you turn it off at night - at least a couple of which saying Obama is a Marxist who is purposely destroying America - and Obama beats their candidates hands down in their own poll.

      Uhhh, FOX...maybe you're not doing a good enough job getting your message out. Perhaps you should be more aggressive in attacking Barack Obama. ;>)
      Report Abuse
    • Author by nerzog (January 21, 2010 4:30 pm ET)
         
      Imagine how the Troglodytes would howl if CBS had done this with Dan Rather?
      Report Abuse
    • Author by everettbme (January 21, 2010 4:39 pm ET)
         
      So let's see how this works. Rupert Murdoch owns Fox. He has Gingrich, Palin, Huckabee and Santorum working for him. He has decided to run one or all of these 4 for President in 2012. Wonder if Mr. Murdoch figures they would still be his employees if they were to win. Than who would really be in charge.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by highliter (January 21, 2010 4:51 pm ET)
        3
      How is this conservative misinformation? Those are the leading candidates at the moment. Are the supposed to exclude them because they contribute to Fox? If fox was half as evil as MMFA says it is this poll would have never been released or skewed so the fox contributors are winning. This site reeks of desperation.
      Report Abuse
      • Author by New Frontier (January 21, 2010 4:56 pm ET)
           
        This site reeks of desperation.
        The obvious (to most people) misinformation is that this Fox poll conveniently leaves out that the fact that Palin and Gingrich are Fox employees.

        It's not this site that reeks. Ever hear the expression, "he who smelt it, dealt it"?
        Report Abuse
        • Author by highliter (January 21, 2010 5:01 pm ET)
            3
          Everyone knows that they are Fox contributors no one is trying to hide that fact. What a desperate stretch.
          Report Abuse
          • Author by New Frontier (January 21, 2010 5:03 pm ET)
               
            Yeah. Brilliant. No one is trying to hide that fact, except for the fact that Fox is hiding that fact.
            Report Abuse
      • Author by nerzog (January 21, 2010 5:03 pm ET)
           
        And you reek of Right Wing KoolAid... Strawberry, I think.
        Report Abuse
        • Author by Reinhard (January 21, 2010 5:12 pm ET)
          1  
          The Kool-Aid is Jim Jones Grape.

          The fact that Fox viewers can't even see the problems with stacking the roster of a "news channel" with aspiring politicians seeking election means they are stupid.

          The fact that they don't understand what constitutes misinformation as far as a "news channel" is concerned means they are dishonest or disingenuous.
          Report Abuse
          • Author by PADutch (January 22, 2010 11:08 am ET)
               
            The fact is the only person you all mentioned who actually announced they were running for President is Rick Santorum, who's not even in this poll. Palin, Romney and Gingrich have not formally announced their candidacy yet. So, how is Fox News stacking the deck? Further more, no one pretends or believes that Fox News is anything BUT a conservative leaning news organization ... NO ONE. Why is it that liberals always feign outrage when they bring on a former republican politician or make a statement slamming Obama?

            BTW: How's Air America doing guys?
            Report Abuse
    • Author by only_myschly3567 (January 21, 2010 5:59 pm ET)
      2  
      What I'm interested in is that 5% Democrats voting for Republicans number... All the numbers change from question to question, except those 5% Democrats who'd rather vote for either Gingrich, Palin, or Romney than Obama. Republicans pretending to be Democrats? Hillary-supporters who really really hate Obama still? Racists? I'd love to hear some follow-up from them.

      Considering all the polls add up to 100%, I'd say it's looking pretty good coming from Fox.
      Report Abuse
      • Author by latichever (January 23, 2010 3:32 pm ET)
           
        foxnation does not trust foxnews. They have a headlined post about an outlier poll showing Huckabee and Romney ahead of Obama for 2012, but no reference to their own poll showing him beating all.

        Does foxnation consider foxnews to be far-left wing loons.



        Report Abuse
    • Author by DavidE7 (January 22, 2010 12:42 am ET)
         
      The article forgot to report how Huckabee stacked up against Obama. I wonder why.
      Report Abuse

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