Ignoring polling to the contrary, NBC's Mitchell claimed "most people think ... Libby should be pardoned"
Discussing the recent conviction of Vice President Dick Cheney's former chief of staff I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby on the March 12 edition of MSNBC's Hardball with Chris Matthews, NBC chief foreign correspondent Andrea Mitchell claimed that polling "indicates that most people think, in fact, that he should be pardoned -- Scooter Libby should be pardoned." Mitchell did not indicate to what specific "polling" she was referring. But a CNN poll released earlier that same day indicated that an overwhelming majority of Americans do not believe Libby should be pardoned.
The CNN poll, released at 4 p.m. ET on March 12, found that 69 percent of respondents felt President Bush "should not pardon" Libby, while only 18 percent felt the president "should pardon" him. CNN appears to be the only major news outlet thus far to have posed the question in a poll since Libby's March 6 conviction on federal charges of perjury and obstructing justice in connection with an investigation into the leaking of the name of CIA operative Valerie Plame.
Mitchell's claim was originally highlighted by the weblogs Talking Points Memo, Eschaton (written by Media Matters for America senior fellow Duncan Black), and Crooks and Liars -- all of which noted the CNN poll.
Media Matters has previously noted several examples of Mitchell misstating or misrepresenting polling data as favorable to Bush or Republicans:
- On the November 6, 2006, edition of MSNBC's election special, Decision 2006: Battleground America, Mitchell cherry-picked polls to claim that Republicans were "gaining ground" on the generic congressional ballot. She ignored other polls -- including a poll taken by MSNBC partner Newsweek -- which showed Democrats with strong leads.
- During the January 25 edition of NBC's Nightly News, Mitchell claimed that polling on President Bush's authorization of warrantless wiretapping by the National Security Agency (NSA) showed "little public outcry over the program, especially when [the administration] tell[s] people it is limited only to those who talk to Al Qaeda." But Mitchell did not note is that the administration's characterization of the program as limited to Al Qaeda communications significantly understates its reported scope. Moreover, polling at that time demonstrated that support for the program was at best split, even when respondents were asked whether they approve or disapprove of the program based on the administration's limited and disputed characterization.
- On the September 24, 2004, edition of Hardball, Mitchell asserted -- contrary to numerous polls -- that President Bush was "a very well-liked, popular president."
From the March 12 edition of MSNBC's Hardball with Chris Matthews:
MITCHELL: Well, I think that they are going to resist those subpoenas, if those officials are subpoenaed, because they can dodge behind -- the appeals are still in play, the request for a new trial is still in play. I think they're going to try to really tamp this down and appeal to the polling, which indicates that most people think, in fact, that he should be pardoned -- Scooter Libby should be pardoned. There isn't a whole lot of American public sympathy in this whole thing, but it still will be a political issue for the Democrats.
Last week juror Ann Reddington also told Matthews that Libby should be pardoned. Matthews just loved that juror. Now he has been spewing that line ever since.
I saw part of that show. Until I saw the label at the bottom of the screen, I thought that juror was a White House spokesperson.
I guess Mitchell took a poll of Tommy's Room-Temperature-IQ crowd.
Only seven days after a memebr of the VP's staff is convicted of perjury and obstruction of justice (serious charges both), this "media" hack (Alan Greenspan's wife) falsely claims on MSNBC that:
"...polling... indicates that most people think, in fact, that... scooter libby should be pardoned."
Why?
Not why did this hack make the false claim... that's another question...
Why would anybody, let alone "most people", think that scooter libby should be pardoned?
If you were one of the "most people" who thought the convicted perjurer should be pardoned, you'd have to have a reason for thinking so, wouldn't you?
As for those who do not think the convicted perjurer should be pardoned, they don't need a reason for thinking that...
The conviction on the charges is reason enough, to want a sentence pronounced, and for the guilty to be punished.
I wouldn't say that anyone who thinks the convicted perjurer should be pardoned is a knuckle-head... but anyone who thinks that, and then has no reason for thinking it, is worse than a knuckle-head...
Such stupidity as that, not only disqualifies them from being taken seriously on this matter, but would (and should) disqualify them from being a juror in this perjury case (or any other trial)...
Not for being prejudiced, but for being irrational.
I have no idea why even one person (other than scooter's family and friends and co-workers and employer) would think that the convicted perjurer should be pardoned, let alone why "most people" would think such a thing...
But if even one person did think that, then there'd have to be a reason for it... and I'd wonder what it is.
This whole thing reminds me of 'Citizen Kane,' when one of his minions say..."the people will think..." Kane interrupts and explodes, "what I want them to think." This is how the corporate media works. I doubt Joe/Jill Sixpack cares about Scooter or the trial, but if he/she knew anything about it, they might be inclined to NOT want him pardoned. So the corp media makes a preemptive play and convinces the "not paying attention" crowd that this is vox populi. Big wheel keeps on turning...
Enough is enough already. Given Mitchell's record on "inaccurate statements" that always coincidentally support the GOP/Bush party line, why IS she appearing on MSNBC at all?
I'm stunned that David Gregory let it go - and disappointed at the same time. I've heard from those who have written to Andrea about her "mistake" who received emails in response that blamed her "poor eyesight" or whatever else excuse was made and that she would "try" to correct her statement. What other poll - outside of the recent CNN/Opinion Research poll that showed that 69% of respondents opposed a pardon for Libby - was there that Andrea read "incorrectly" or was quoting?
I don't recall her being all too swift on correcting her insistence that the whole press industry knew of Valerie Plames' status. In fact, many in RW punditry repeat Mrs. Greenspan's "mistake" as gospel to this day.
I know that corporate politic prevents anyone on MSNBC from calling Mitchell a deliberate liar, but that doesn't mean I can't.
MSNBC, don't BE that network.
Wow its just amazing the length some wingnut bloviators will go to avoid reality. Look for this to be a zombie talking point that keeps coming back no matter how often debunked. A whole lot of these people just keep saying what they WISH were true in the time honored rightwing delusion that if they say it enough it will magically become true
let me guess... he will be pardoned in order to "heal the country"in these divisive times...
Once again, a handful of multi-billion dollar conglomerates represent "most" people...
mitchell ripped into john kerry after he made some critical remarks about fed chairman alan greenspan in one of the presidential debates. without mentioning she is mrs. greenspan. as for pardoning libby, the right wing is scared to death he is going to talk. look at all the uproar over the prosecuter firings. this never would have happened with a republican congress.
Hey Andrea,
18% DOES NOT EQUAL "Most Americans"
You're married to the former Fed Chairman . . . basic math should be your strong suit . . .
I don’t understand how this issue is even debatable. Wasn’t the whole point of the leak to reveal that Mrs. Wilson worked for the CIA? Doesn’t the fact that her identity had to be revealed in the first place mean that she was undercover? Didn’t the CIA initiate the investigation? If it wasn’t wrong why did Bush say he would fire anyone found to have been involved until it was revealed Karl Rove was involved? Doesn’t the secrecy agreement Karl Rove and presumably Lewis Libby signed mean say you may not reveal something even if it has been revealed previously? And if he had special permission doesn’t that make both Cheney and Bush culpable? Didn’t Mr. Cheney and Mr. Bush initiate the outing in secret and pretend to know nothing? This is not rocket science. Either the politicians, think tank geniuses and talking heads are just playing dumb or those fancy degrees they all have are just missing a roll to wrap them on and a bathroom to set them in.