Hume attacked Gallup poll showing majority disapproval of NSA call-tracking, ignored Newsweek poll with similar results
SUMMARY: On Fox News' Special Report, host Brit Hume compared a recent USA Today/Gallup poll -- which found that a majority of respondents disapprove of the National Security Agency's (NSA) reported collection of Americans' telephone records -- with an earlier Washington Post/ABC News poll -- which found that 63 percent of respondents said the program was acceptable. Hume told viewers that "USA Today's poll question does not mention that the NSA database program does not involve listening to or recording telephone conversations, while the Post poll question did mention that." However, Hume did not mention that a Newsweek poll found that even after being told that the program does not involve "listen[ing] to calls," a majority of respondents said the program "goes too far."
During the "Grapevine" segment of the May 15 edition of Fox News' Special Report, host and Fox News Washington managing editor Brit Hume attacked the wording of a recent USA Today/Gallup poll that found that a majority of respondents disapprove of the National Security Agency's (NSA) reported collection of Americans' telephone records. Contrasting the USA Today/Gallup poll with an earlier Washington Post/ABC News poll -- which found that 63 percent of respondents said the program was acceptable -- Hume told viewers that "USA Today's poll question does not mention that the NSA database program does not involve listening to or recording telephone conversations, while the Post poll question did mention that." Hume did not tell viewers that a Newsweek poll found that even after being told that the program does not involving "listen[ing] to calls," a majority of respondents said the program "goes too far."
From the May 15 edition of Fox News' Special Report with Brit Hume:
HUME: Fifty-one percent of Americans now say they disapprove of the National Security Agency's database of domestic phone calls, that according to a new USA Today/Gallup poll. The number from a Washington Post poll taken last week, just after the story broke, in which 63 percent of Americans called the NSA program an acceptable way for the government to investigate terrorism. The paper reports, USA Today reports its findings, quote: "may differ because questions in the two polls were worded differently." They sure were. USA Today's poll question does not mention that the NSA database program does not involve listening to or recording telephone conversations, while the Post poll question did mention that.
At the time of Hume's misleading report, three national polls on the NSA's domestic call-tracking program had been released.
The Washington Post/ABC News poll -- conducted on May 11, the same day the program was first publicly disclosed -- asked: "It's been reported that the National Security Agency has been collecting the phone call records of tens of millions of Americans. It then analyzes calling patterns in an effort to identify possible terrorism suspects, without listening to or recording the conversations. Would you consider this an acceptable or unacceptable way for the federal government to investigate terrorism? Do you feel that way strongly or somewhat?" Sixty-three percent of respondents said the program was "acceptable"; 35 percent said it was "unacceptable."
The USA Today/Gallup poll (subscription required) -- conducted May 12-13 -- did not assert that the NSA does not listen to the calls it tracks. The USA Today/Gallup poll asked: "As you may know, as part of its efforts to investigate terrorism, a federal government agency obtained records from three of the largest U.S. telephone companies in order to create a database of billions of telephone numbers dialed by Americans. ... Based on what you have heard or read about this program to collect phone records, would you say you approve or disapprove of this government program?" Forty-three percent of respondents said they "approve"; 51 percent said they "disapprove."
The Newsweek poll -- conducted May 11-12 -- was worded similarly to the Washington Post/ABC news poll; both told respondents that the NSA does not listen to the calls it tracks. However, Newsweek's findings were similar to USA Today/Gallup's findings. The Newsweek poll asked: "As you may know, there are reports that the NSA, a government intelligence agency, has been collecting the phone call records of Americans. The agency doesn't actually listen to the calls but logs in nearly every phone number to create a database of calls made within the United States. Which of the following comes CLOSER to your own view of this domestic surveillance program? It is a necessary tool to combat terrorism. [Or] It goes too far in invading people's privacy." Forty-one percent of respondents said the program was "a necessary tool"; 53 percent said it "goes too far."
Hume made no mention of the Newsweek poll, which appears to undermine his attack on the USA Today/Gallup results.
As Hume noted, a May 15 USA Today article suggested that differences in wording may account for the different findings of the USA Today/Gallup and Washington Post/ABC News polls. However, Hume omitted other possible explanations offered by USA Today:
The findings differ from an ABC News/Washington Post poll taken Thursday night of 502 adults. In that survey, 63% called the program an acceptable way to investigate terrorism. The findings may differ because questions in the two polls were worded differently.
Also, the USA TODAY/Gallup Poll includes more respondents -- the margin of error is +/- 4 percentage points, compared with +/- 5 points in the ABC poll -- and was taken after Americans had a day or two to hear and think about the program.
In addition, The Washington Post's own reporting suggests that the wording of the USA Today/Gallup poll is more accurate than the wording of either the Washington Post/ABC News poll or the Newsweek poll, both of which assert that the NSA program does not involve listening to the calls being tracked. As Media Matters for America has noted, the Post reported on May 12 that the NSA's call-tracking program is directly linked to the NSA's warrantless eavesdropping program, first publicly revealed by The New York Times in December 2005. According to the Post:
Government access to call records is related to the previously disclosed eavesdropping program, sources said, because it helps the NSA choose its targets for listening. The mathematical techniques known as "link analysis" and "pattern analysis," they said, give grounds for suspicion that can result in further investigation.
In other words, the Post's reporting suggests that the NSA may, in fact, be "listening to or recording the conversations" of at least some Americans as a direct result of its analysis of the phone-record data the agency is collecting.
You know how excited Brit and the right wingnuts and the 30 percent Bush base was when that WaPo poll was released? They were giddy, floating, happier than they've been since Dick Cheney told a Senator to "go **** himself.) The "liberal" Washington Post had a poll that showed support for the president. I am sure the story got lots of airplay on Fox. That is why they are bitterly attacking the USA Today poll. It deflated their balloon. The same newspaper that they believe now hates America and wants the terrorists to win because it reported on Bush's latest unconstitutional action, contradicted their WaPo poll news. It was devestating to the Bush base, they have so little these days.
"Brit the Twit" will tell us what is important, and if we approve of the president.
"Tony Snow-Job" or maybe just "Job," is in charge of coloring in the lines to make it all alright, whenever possible.
Do you not see, they would dictate to us how we should think, and we listen with little or no dissent??
Home of the Brave, and Land of the Free, eh??
Where is the Toby Keith now urging our young to tow the line, while he lives on room service, and groupies?? What happened to all that country music at the RNC Convention, where is the good Republican that was passing out “Band-Aid Purple Hearts” to mock a real American Hero.
These are the same pumpkin-heads that regaled the exploits of a couple of draft-dodger’s ability to keep American Safe. Does anyone actually still believe this rhetoric?
Be a good Republican and do the right thing. Please Save Democracy, and Vote for a Democrat. One mid-term congressional cycle would be all, just long enough that we may re-install democracy, and stem the efforts to make us an American Fascism.
Happy Thoughts;
Dan Grady
Hume: "USA Today's poll question does not mention that the NSA database program does not involve listening to or recording telephone conversations, "
Response: Of course not, one program is designed to gather the numbers and calling patterns, and another program can do listening and recording. And perhaps in a third secret room, another program puts the first two programs together as part of a third program. But most importantly for poll purposes, only ask questions for one program at a time. We don't want people to connect the dots.
conservatives discuss either wiretapping without a warrant, data gathering without a warrant, or even torture.
Conservatives argue that it is completely legal for the president authorize any of these things. Then they claim that the administration is not doing it.
I have not found one report on Media Matters, about the fact that each of the Telephone Companies have come out swinging, basically stating the USAToday lied in their story about them giving over the Customer Phone tracking histories. Why hasn't Media Matters said one thing about it. Not one Article?
First, it's not MMFA's mission to report on all news, just conservative misinformation. Factcheck.org tends to be (tries to be?) non-partisan, but they follow far fewer stories than MMFA.
Second, there is much regarding the call records story to be sorted out. Verizon and Bell South denied involvement and even being asked. Although I heard a report this morning including AT&T in the denials as well, the only statement from AT&T I've read thus far was hardly a denial. Even Pres. Bush avoided questions regarding call records.
Why would Qwest, who refused to comply, be asked for call records, but the others not asked? Is Verizon's denial just an attempt to protect themself from a $10 billion lawsuit? Why did their press release contain a rather pointless and potentially misleading statement regarding the generation of call billing records? Was USA Today was simply set up or used for some other purpose?
The Newsweek poll also found that of those who disapprove of Pres. Bush:
54% DON'T think that a democrat president would do a better job on health care.
55% DON'T think that a democrat president would do a better job on the economy.
56% DON'T think a democrat president would do a better job on the situation in Iraq.
57% DON'T think a democrat president would do a better job on the environment.
61% DON'T think a democrat president would do a better job on education.
65% DON'T think a democrat president would do a better job on fighting terrorism.
65% DON'T think a democrat president would do a better job on immigration.
Polls are for political pundits and wags trying to frame their agendas into legitimate news. The poll that really counts is looming...2006 midterms.
(He spins down rabbit trails.)
First of all, no one said Bush is running. The article's not about Bush, it's about Hume. But hey, I'll run down your little rabbit trail. I need the exercise.
Here is what the poll literally says:
When asked if they believed whether a Democratic president would do a better job than Bush in handling the same issues, 48 percent of those polled believe that a Democratic president would handle gas prices better. Forty-five percent feel that a Democratic president would do a better job handling the economy, 44 percent think that a Democratic president would do a better job handling the situation in Iraq, 43 percent said they would do better with the environment. Only 35 percent of those polled believe that a Democratic president would do a better job with terrorism and homeland security and only 35 percent believe a Democrat would do a better job with immigration policies.
The important thing to notice is what's regrettably absent from the results. The questions for such polls don't only have two sides ("Do you think that a Democratic president would do a better job, or a worse job?"), they have three ("Do you think that a Democratic president would do a better job, the same, or a worse job?"). That is, of course, if the poll's legitimately done.
When you say that 65% don't believe a Democratic president would handle the immigration question any better than Bush, it's not like that entire group thinks that they'd do a worse job--it's far more likely that a large percentage of that 65% thinks that there would be no difference.
If the questions had been more straightforward, such as "Do you think that a Democratic president would do a worse job than Bush?" you would get very small numbers agreeing on practically any issue.
But you are right about one thing, Wesley. The 2006 elections will be the reflection of what the people really think about the way our country's been managed. That's why we're looking forward to it so much.
That's the end of this rabbit trail. Nothing to see here, folks; back to Hume.
Thanks for making my point. The only important polls are the ones where you pull the curtain.
mmfa was citing a poll with dubious results...their stock in trade.