Blitzer Cites CNN Poll To Claim Obama Having A “Tough Time Selling This Nuclear Deal”

Blitzer: “A Majority Of Americans” Oppose The Iran Deal. CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer said that “a majority of Americans, 56 percent, want Congress to reject” the Iran deal. He went on to ask Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) why President Obama is “having such a tough time selling this nuclear deal to the American people.” From the August 21 edition of Wolf:

BLITZER: President Obama may still be on vacation in Martha's Vineyard but he's still pushing very hard for approval of the nuclear deal with Iran. The president made his point in an op-ed article that ran in about 30 newspapers nationwide. In it, he said, and I'm quoting now, “Here's my bottom line: if we are committed to preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, the choice we ultimately face is between a diplomatic solution and what would likely become another war in the Middle East in the near future. The idea that we can get a better deal by talking tough or squeezing Iran into submission with more sanctions is simply not realistic.” Let's discuss what's going on. Joining us from Orlando, Florida, is the senator from Florida, Bill Nelson. Senator, thanks very much for joining us.

NELSON: Thanks, Wolf.

BLITZER: I know you support the president, you support this nuclear deal with Iran but our new poll shows a majority of Americans, 56 percent, want Congress to reject the deal and they're not very happy with the deal. And if you go further, in our poll we ask -- how do you think the president is dealing -- approve or disapprove of the way he's dealing with the overall relationship with Iran, only 38 percent approve, 60 percent disapprove. Why is he having such a tough time selling this nuclear deal to the American people and selling his overall strategy as far as Iran is concerned?

NELSON: Because it's complicated, Wolf. I am convinced that this deal is in the best interest to protect the interest of the United States, of Israel and our allies. I boiled it down to that from the fact that if we do nothing, if we reject it, Iran will have a nuclear weapon in a few months and through this deal we have the opportunity for at least ten years, if not fifteen years, to hold off them developing a nuclear weapon unless they cheat and if they cheat we have an inspection regime that we will catch them and then we can deal with that with all the options that we have on the table.

BLITZER: I guess the question is why is he having such a hard time making that point to the American public? [CNN, Wolf, 8/21/15]

Blitzer's Cherry-Pick: CNN's Poll Shows Plurality Supports Deal If Its Details Are Described

CNN Polled The Iran Deal Question Two Ways, But Blitzer Ignored The Version Showing 50 Percent Support The Deal. CNN asked half of the respondents to its poll a question that detailed the “major restrictions on its nuclear program” and “greater international inspection of its nuclear facilities” to which Iran submitted as part of the deal. The other respondents were asked a question that provided no details about the deal but simply asked whether Congress should approve or reject it. CNN's poll found that 50 percent of respondents supported the deal when its details were provided, but Blitzer did not mention that poll response in his interview with Nelson.

From the poll:

[CNN/ORC International poll, August 13-16, 2015]