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Tucker Carlson's Daily Caller peddles more bad polling news for Obama

February 24, 2010 10:04 am ET by Eric Boehlert

Here's the DC headline

Presidential approval ratings dip to all-time low as Obama moves to sell health care 

Well, that doesn't sound good for Obama. The Daily Caller's proof? Rasmussen (surprise!), and some survey that only polled Iowa independents. No joke: 

A new poll from Iowa-based Selzer and Company shows that since November, Obama’s approval rating among Iowa independents dropped sharply from 48 to 38 percent — reaching its lowest level yet.

Similarly, Rasmussen Reports’ latest release of its nightly automated tracking poll yesterday showed that the number of people who “strongly approve” of the president’s performance reached an all-time low of 22 percent, down from a high of 45 at the beginning of his presidency. 

Conservatives, as well as mainstream journalists, love to push the idea that Obama's polling numbers are in the tank and that he's fading fast. (I think at this point Peggy Noonan dreams about Obama's supposedly dreadful approval rating.) It's all part of the preferred narrative that the presidency is slipping away from Obama, etc. etc. 

But here's the truth about Obama's job approval ratings. If you look at Gallup, the polling gold standard, the president's approval rating has remained essentially unchanged since August. That's right, over the the past six months, Obama's poll numbers have not budged.

But that's not a tale the press wants to tell. 

UPDATED: Right on cue comes Rush Limbaugh: 

If Mr. Obama hasn't noticed, his approval numbers are in a free fall.  

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    • Author by mrhebert74 (February 24, 2010 10:21 am ET)
      1  
      Iowa! Like they're qualified to take a poll. What's next? Pollsters from Alabama? Good grief!
      Report Abuse
      • Author by mrhebert74 (February 24, 2010 10:26 am ET)
           
        Selzer & Co. is legit: http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2008/09/ann-selzer-on-youth-minority-turnout.html
        Report Abuse
      • Author by shaggles (February 24, 2010 11:21 am ET)
           
        Polling independants only in any one state doesn't tell you a whole lot about Obama's overall approval.
        Report Abuse
        • Author by mrhebert74 (February 24, 2010 12:30 pm ET)
             
          True, as the Daily Caller article acknowledges:
          Selzer admitted that it is hard to tell to what extent the latest Iowa poll will translate to the national level. In the midterm elections later this year voter turnout in many places will depend more on whether there is a contested Senate or governor’s race than how people feel about the president.
          “How much this will be nationalized is hard to tell,” she said.
          Boehlert's original post read "some poll from Iowa," I think, wheras now it reads "some survey that only polled Iowa independents." If I'm right about that, it explains my first asinine comment; if I'm wrong, I need to increase my medication. :)
          Report Abuse
    • Author by nerzog (February 24, 2010 10:42 am ET)
      1  
      Yeah, we know all about Iowa.

      [http://nighthawknews.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/musicman_l.jpg]
      Report Abuse
      • Author by txthinker (February 24, 2010 10:55 am ET)
           
        Yeah, we know all about Iowa.


        As the old joke goes, Iowa stands for Idiots Out Wandering About.

        :-)
        Report Abuse
    • Author by magnolialover (February 24, 2010 11:12 am ET)
         
      Thing is, if you go to realclearpolitics.com, they take averages from major polls conducted on approval of Obama's job. Current average is 47.4 Approval.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by nelser01 (February 24, 2010 1:40 pm ET)
         
      Good summary of the stats. I always stick with Gallup for most of my numbers. Thanks for the level - headed reporting.
      Report Abuse

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