On the October 26 edition of MSNBC News Live, MSNBC chief White House correspondent Norah O'Donnell cherry-picked a new USA Today/Gallup poll in order to baselessly suggest that the public is divided over the prospect of a Democratic Congress. O'Donnell noted that the poll showed that 82 percent of respondents believed that, if Democrats gained enough seats in the midterm elections to take control of the Congress, they would set a timetable for U.S. troop withdrawal from Iraq -- something, O'Donnell said, “two-thirds of people” support. O'Donnell then noted that 63 percent of respondents in the poll believed Democrats would raise taxes, adding, "[T]hree-quarters of the American people disapprove of that."

However, O'Donnell did not address the fact that a larger percentage of respondents identified increasing the minimum wage, investigating the Bush administration, and rejecting President Bush's judicial nominees as actions that a Democratic Congress would likely take than identified raising taxes. Of those potential actions, the vast majority of respondents favored an increase in the minimum wage, while respondents were split over whether they approved of “major investigations of the Bush administration” and the rejection of “most of President Bush's nominations for federal judges.”

Overall, of the seven actions a majority of respondents believed a Democratic Congress would most likely take, four received strong support, two received split support, and only one -- an increase in federal taxes -- was opposed by most respondents. Therefore, by citing only the action least favored by respondents in addition to the issue of withdrawal from Iraq, O'Donnell baselessly suggested that the public has conflicting views about whether a Democratic takeover of Congress would be a good thing. O'Donnell used the cherry-picked poll results to advance the argument that Bush and Republicans “want the message to be 'T and T' -- terrorism and taxes.” She then asked Democratic strategist Michael Feldman, a former senior adviser to Vice President Al Gore, “And what about that optimism by the president? Are you guys dancing in the end zones before you've scored your touchdown?”

As Media Matters for America has previously noted, Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-NY) has said that a Democratic-controlled House “would not raise taxes” and “would not roll back” Bush's tax cuts enacted by Congress that are set to expire in 2010.

The poll showed that a majority of respondents believed that the following outcomes were considered likely to be taken by a Democratic Congress:

• Set a timetable for withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq: 82 percent said likely; 63 percent support, 34 percent oppose.
• Reject most of Bush's nominations for federal judges: 74 percent said likely, 46 percent support, 48 percent oppose.
• Increase the minimum wage: 74 percent said likely, 86 percent support, 14 percent oppose.
• Conduct major investigations of the Bush administration: 70 percent said likely, 51 percent support, 47 percent oppose.
• Increase federal income taxes: 63 percent said likely, 23 percent support, 74 percent oppose.
• Pass legislation to provide healthcare insurance to those who do not have it: 60 percent said likely, 79 percent support, 17 percent oppose.
• Allow Americans to buy prescription drugs imported from other countries: 52 percent said likely, 72 percent support, 25 percent oppose.

From the October 26 edition of MSNBC News Live:

O'DONNELL: There is this new Gallup poll also out today in USA Today newspapers, and they asked what happened -- would happen if Democrats controlled Congress, and 82 percent say they believe the Democrats would set a timetable to withdraw from Iraq, and two-thirds of people support that. But 63 percent also think Democrats would raise taxes, and three-quarters of the American people disapprove of that. You heard the president talk a lot about that yesterday -- certainly they want the message to be “T and T”: terrorism and taxes.

And what about that optimism by the president? Are you guys dancing in the end zones before you've scored your touchdown?

FELDMAN: No, I would say cautiously optimistic and working hard to turn out our voters as well. Look, I understand why the president came out yesterday to rally the troops, and I understand why Mark [McKinnon, Republican strategist] and his colleagues have to remain upbeat. They've got to turn their people out in two weeks also and Democrats have to contain that optimism and really focus on trying to turn out their voters, but it's a tough line to walk.

You know, the president goes out yesterday to rally the troops, that's essential, but there are an awful lot of districts and an awful lot of close races that are trying to distance themselves right now from President Bush, trying to navigate the waters of the issue of the war in Iraq, which really hangs over the electorate right now. And I think that generic number that you showed says it all. There's no doubt that it's going to be a change election.

The question that Mark rightly points out is: Is this going to be a “send a message” election? And if undecideds and independents break for Democrats or break against the incumbents, it's going to be a “send a message” election, and there's going to be a lot of turnover in a few days.