GMA touted Giuliani as "America's mayor," misleadingly claimed he is "beating" Clinton in polls
Narrating the introduction to the January 11 edition of ABC's Good Morning America, co-host Diane Sawyer announced that former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani (R) would be appearing on the show and described him as "America's mayor." Sawyer went on to claim that he is "already beating" Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) in polling on the presumptive 2008 presidential candidates. In fact, the results of recent polls asking voters to choose between Giuliani and Clinton vary:
- Fox News (December 5-6): Giuliani, 48 percent; Clinton, 39 percent
- Newsweek (December 6-7): Clinton, 48 percent; Giuliani, 47 percent
- CNN (December 15-17): Clinton 48 percent; Giuliani, 46 percent
- Investor's Business Daily (January 1-2): Giuliani, 48 percent; Clinton 43, percent
From the January 11 edition of ABC's Good Morning America:
SAWYER: As the president heads out to sell his controversial plan to the American people and the troops, America's mayor, Rudy Giuliani -- the man already beating McCain, even Hillary Clinton, in the polls -- comes to Times Square for the big questions.
Sawyer refers to Guiliani as "America's mayor" for obvious reasons, dating back to, as we all know, 9/11. This is what he was referred to and still is by some.......so what? He will need more than a slogan to get any support in any primary or an election.
As for the polls, the latest poll cited here taken early this month had Guiliani leading Clinton - no misinformation by Sawyer on that either, especially since she said "even" which would lead some to believe that it's not a slam dunk for him. Take another poll and another poll and they will be back and forth, no doubt.
because it is NOT definitively true...
>>>"No misinformation"
Imagine the up-in-arms reaction from petulant right-wingers like Tommy if Good Morning America called Hillary Clinton "America's Senator" on the eve, as she is, of presidential contention, just like Giuliani is.
she said "even" which would lead some to believe that it's not a slam dunk for him
"Even" isn't used as an adjective here, but as an adverb. I.e., the meaning isn't "equal," but is instead stressing Giuliani's (dubious) lead in the polls.
They upset the BELIEFS of others...
Frankly, I do not put much stock in polls anyways because they are usually such a small sample size compared to the population, but for Diane to just blurt that out is disingenous because she either, a: cherry picked one poll, or, b: is intentionally not telling the truth...
As far as these polls go, the only one, if at all, that is relevant is the most recent one taken - provided they are equally valid. The most recent poll had Guiliani leading Clinton, so that would and should be the one referenced - not one over a month old if there are several since.
Sawyer was perfectly fair.
That is the point...and, by the way, you can't just add up differences of percentages between different polls because statiscal analysis must be done to get all polls in the fold- which, unless ALL questions are EXACTLY the same, you cannot infer the numbers are valid as a whole...
>>"the only one, if at all, that is relevant is the most recent one taken"<<
B.S.
Relevancy goes to WHO is taking the poll, as well as when the poll was taken.
Any Republican lead in a Fox News poll is suspect, to say the least. And Investors Business Daily shows a Republican in the lead. Imagine that....
by your own admission any CNN, NBC, etc. polls must be suspect as well. Oh wait, Keith Olbermann is on NBC, so NBC would be the only legit poll.
And even if you look at the four polls taken, Clinton's lead over Guiliani in the two polls fall well within the margin for error - she leads him by one and two points.
As for the ones Guiliani leads, one is by nine points and the other by five points - NOT within the margin of error.
Guiliani leads Clinton. No misinformation.
(who really cares)
Hmm...what was the margin of error in the IBD/TIPP poll?
Since the poll's margin of error is not stated in the IBD article, nor does it appear to be documented anywhere else by IBD, TIPP, nor anywhere else on the web, did you just pull that comment out of your rear?
would you be able to check the questions used, sample size, and total responses for those polls..? It might help to see if the questions were more or less (or not) base-lined...I have a suspicion Fox's words can be slightly misleading...just a thought,
thank you
may well be "America's mayor" but he'll never be "America's president." His relatively liberal stance on social issues will make him radioactive to the Republican party. The Christian conservatives won't vote for him and without them, the Repubs don't have the votes to win.
You may be right - but at this point I cannot see a clear front runner from either party.........they all have their negatives and reasons why their primary voters wouldn't vote for them.
The country is yearning for a new candidate from both sides to energize things, I believe. Have no clue who that is but the current crop of candidates doesn't seem to thrill anyone when they are evaluated for electability.
America's Mayor, I think I'll go lose my cookies now.
As for those polls, it is way to early to read anything into them other than its way too early. Besides, Rudy might have a problem with the rightwing of his party. Something about his "Liberal" social values. Hmmmmmmm.
...vote for "America's mayor"?
I really am confused because I thought a "mayor" was elected for a city, not a country.
Oh well, maybe we can make it so George Bush can be President for as long as he wants while were at it and he will have the powers of an emperor too.
It's a euphemism formulated from the country's feeling toward NYC at the time. It has stuck with him for some.....
Hey they used to refer to the Dallas Cowboys as "America's Team"
Don't know who coined it or why, other than the Cowboys had legions of fans all over the country.
It was likely just shameless self-promotion. Same thing as the Atlanta Braves in baseball --"America's team". I get the same feeling of self-promotion about Giuliani as well. He has apparenlty managed to turn his professional eulogy sideshow into a cottage industry of sorts. Sorry if that sounds kind of harsh, but I am really over all of his wallowing in that terrible day and the aftermath. The world moves on. If Giuliani is gonna be a part of the nation's future, he needs to move on as well.
P.S. I used to despise it when they called the Cowboys "America's team" by the way (I have always been a Bears fan, but never presumed everyone else should like them nor whether devine providence ruled over them). It was also said that the hole in Texas Stadium's roof was for God to be able to watch His team play. It was kinda done tongue in cheek as I remember it, but it was repeated enough I got the feeling some believed it. Pompous a-holes! Still makes me mad! Lol.
:^)
I agree with your assessment ... although my vitriol below (as Tommy pointed out) may have been uncalled for...
This is fluffy nonsense that is free promotion for Guiliani... Baseless, in my opinion. Obviously, compared to Bush cowering in a Kindergarten classroom on 9/11 Guiliani looks like a hero. And, he did a good job...the right thing on that day. I won't take that away from him. But, "America's Mayor"? Come on... it's nauseating. And, despite what a few others have claimed, this is first I've heard it.
Yeah you're probably right about the Cowboys & Braves [I rooted hard against both of them], the Red Sox tried promoting themselves the same way BUT it didn't go anywhere. Anyway we all know the NY Yankees are truley *America's Team* ;-)
The America's Mayor thing will probably be mentioned in Rudy's obit, but I agree it's gotten old and is pretty much meaningless in whether he's fit to be America's President.
C'mon Jeter, o.k. you were being sarcastic, thats a good one with Steinbrenner and all... Best Seinfeld was George Costanza working for the Yankees..
Seeing I post here as JETER2, of course I believe the Yanks are "America's Team" :-)
I agree George Costanza's stint with the Yankees was among some of the BEST stuff on Seinfeld.
the Red Sox fan gets steamed when I mention I like Derek Jeter. Shia-Sunni got NOTHIN' on Red Sox-Yankees.
What the hell is that even supposed to mean? These folks try to get so cute, they end up sounding like idiots.
Dianne Sawyer is "America's Douchebag"...
Dianne Sawyer is "America's Douchebag"...
*******************
Is that absolutely necessary? She is only saying what many from all political ideologies said following 9/11. To hurl that slur at her is ridiculous.
...what I wrote is ridiculous. Just like calling Guiliani "America's Mayor". Meaningless, fluffy accolades give to Guiliani... Why? Because he did his job on 9/11? It's nonsense. Sorry if I offended anyone. Just trying to respond to Diane in kind.
Anyone remember that bit Rudy was slinging on cable news 2004 election season about what he was thinking about as planes hit the twin towers and people leapt from windows to die rather than burn...he said he was thinking about how great it was that W as president
F that cat! America's mayor my ass
about how bush and his administration ignored all the warnings during the summer of 2001, the period the commission said "the system was blinking red". if al gore had been president, i think the chances are pretty good the plot could have been stopped. after all, you had two fbi agents trying their hardest to get someone at the top to listen to their warnings about the flight schools.
that another mayor, say...Bloomberg would have found difficult to achieve? Speak through a megaphone?
I believe the firemen radios were not working that day. Why did Giuliani risk firemen's lives by not making sure radios were in good operating condition? [link to www.nbc4.com]
Giuliani just got lucky to be there on 9-11. Any mayor belonging to any party would have automatically received the lifetime lable of "America's mayor" after that day.
it was the press that hyped all this garbage that he couldn't be criticized because he was the big strong leader protecting us.
Am I the only one who remembers the fact that Rudy couldn't even STAY IN THE 2000 NY SENATE RACE against Hillary?? SO WHAT IN HELL MAKES THESE CLOWNS THINK HE COULD BEAT HER IN A PRESIDENTIAL RACE??!!
And for the last time, Rudy is not America's Mayor" . . . he beat Dinkins in 1993 with 49% of the vote to 46%, so he was BARELY NYC's mayor . . .