The Other McCain

"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler

Obama: Less Popular Than Syphilis

Posted on | December 17, 2013 | 37 Comments

“Obama: Anatomy of a World Leader,” by Alex Gray (detail)

OK, maybe the headline is exaggerating a bit, but Obama’s poll numbers have definitely cratered in the past ten weeks. These two headlines were an interesting contrast of how the polls get spun:

Obama’s Current Approval Rating
Is The Ugliest Since Nixon
— Business Insider

A Drop in Opposition to Obamacare
Helps Stabilize a Struggling Presidency
— ABC News

ABC offers the “glass half-full” interpretation, viewing the dead-cat bounce as good news for the President, although we don’t actually know whether the situation is “stabilizing,” because future events could make things even worse for the White House.

Show of hands: Who remembers ABC News doing this kind of upside spin for George W. Bush during his second term? Anybody?

No, of course not. Whether or not the ABC interpretation is accurate, it takes a lot of digging in the poll numbers lately to find any encouraging news for Obama. Yet ABC’s Gary Langer was willing to do that kind of digging, because . . . Yea, Democrats! Go team!

It’s as simple as that, really. The media reports poll data according to their own hopes and expectations, and what they want is the same thing Democrats want, i.e., for this to be a short-term decline in the President’s numbers as a result of the problems related to the HealthCare.gov website, not the policy per se. The media and the Democrats (but I repeat myself) are not prepared to accept the possibility that the President’s program is actually unpopular. ObamaCare simply can’t fail, from that partisan perspective, and so the reality of its failure must be explained away as a matter of misperception.

For the past five years, we’ve seen this blatant pro-Obama spin so often, in so many different contexts, that I fear we’ve begun taking it for granted, as if it is normal for journalists to engage in this kind of partisan rah-rah routine. And the stark contrast between the media’s reverential awe toward their idol and Obama’s sinking polls is a phenomenon that the media can only explain by saying that the people must be wrong!

 

 


Category: Health Care, Media Bias, Polls

Comments

37 Responses to “Obama: Less Popular Than Syphilis”

  1. Ken in NH
    December 17th, 2013 @ 2:21 pm

    Usually syphilis involves at least a few minutes of pleasure before all the unpleasantness. What does Obama have going for him?

  2. davidjacksmith
    December 17th, 2013 @ 2:24 pm

    RT @rsmccain: Obama: Less Popular Than Syphilis http://t.co/WBjEPFFwtd #tcot #tgdn #twisters

  3. M. Thompson
    December 17th, 2013 @ 2:27 pm

    Yep. And without the media covering for him, Mr. Obama would be hitting the lecture circut right now.

  4. freedomfightr61
    December 17th, 2013 @ 2:28 pm

    Obama: Less Popular Than Syphilis http://t.co/0MImqSS09J #tcot #tgdn #twisters

  5. rjacobse
    December 17th, 2013 @ 2:29 pm

    From Monty Python’s “Oscar Wilde” sketch:
    GEORGE BERNARD SHAW:Right. Your Majesty is like a dose of clap.
    (gasps) THE PRINCE OF WALES:What?!?GEORGE BERNARD SHAW:Before you arrive is pleasure, but after is a pain in the dong.

  6. raniecep
    December 17th, 2013 @ 2:30 pm

    RT @smitty_one_each: TOM Obama: Less Popular Than Syphilis http://t.co/93QEmXF8wi #TCOT

  7. rsmccain
    December 17th, 2013 @ 2:31 pm

    RT @freedomfightr61: Obama: Less Popular Than Syphilis http://t.co/0MImqSS09J #tcot #tgdn #twisters

  8. Patriot_Musket
    December 17th, 2013 @ 2:33 pm

    Oozy. RT @freedomfightr61 Obama: Less Popular Than Syphilis http://t.co/l3gpknCyoJ #tcot #tgdn

  9. strongtea1776
    December 17th, 2013 @ 2:33 pm

    RT @freedomfightr61: Obama: Less Popular Than Syphilis http://t.co/0MImqSS09J #tcot #tgdn #twisters

  10. BadtotheBohn
    December 17th, 2013 @ 2:35 pm

    RT @freedomfightr61: Obama: Less Popular Than Syphilis http://t.co/0MImqSS09J #tcot #tgdn #twisters

  11. G Joubert
    December 17th, 2013 @ 2:39 pm

    And the flip side of the coin is that when we get an R president again the MSM will return to sliming that R president just like they did Bush, Palin, et al on a 24/7/365 basis. It’ll be deja vu all over again.

  12. Neo
    December 17th, 2013 @ 2:41 pm

    Less Popular Than Secretary Syphilis ?

  13. GmahoganyX
    December 17th, 2013 @ 2:46 pm

    RT @rsmccain: Obama: Less Popular Than Syphilis http://t.co/WBjEPFFwtd #tcot #tgdn #twisters

  14. Conservativeind
    December 17th, 2013 @ 3:02 pm

    RT @rsmccain: Obama: Less Popular Than Syphilis http://t.co/WBjEPFFwtd #tcot #tgdn #twisters

  15. PhillipNLegg
    December 17th, 2013 @ 3:03 pm

    RT @rsmccain: Obama: Less Popular Than Syphilis http://t.co/WBjEPFFwtd #tcot #tgdn #twisters

  16. Matthew W
    December 17th, 2013 @ 3:09 pm

    Tough call.
    Would I rather have had VD for the past 5 years or have Obama??

  17. Evi L. Bloggerlady
    December 17th, 2013 @ 3:17 pm

    Hmmm, tough one. And now you might have to face it going forward with Obamacare…does that make it a trick question?

  18. concern00
    December 17th, 2013 @ 3:21 pm

    “Less popular that syphilis”

    That is so unfair on syphilis, which I understand is making a great comeback among his followers.

  19. President Obama’s popularity is shrinking… | Batshit Crazy News
    December 17th, 2013 @ 4:19 pm

    […] With Obamacare imploding, he can barely see these poll numbers now…TOM:  Let’s just say the President is not so popular anymore… […]

  20. Adjoran
    December 17th, 2013 @ 4:29 pm

    Note that the ABC poll never had opposition to OC above single digits when every other pollster had it in double digits, and their results have consistently been the outlier, being more favorable to Obama and OC than any other.

  21. Matthew W
    December 17th, 2013 @ 8:06 pm

    This has to sting:

    https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTHuap3xQkvOQALglYsf6ajwGjOdalQxgwsSuJyb2NQ-h9TaccIrA

  22. rmnixondeceased
    December 17th, 2013 @ 8:09 pm

    Heh. I’m dead so the pundits can kick me around all they want. I know where I’m spending eternity (once my stretch here in Purgatory is done …)

  23. Obama: Less Popular Than Syphilis | Dead Citizen's Rights Society
    December 17th, 2013 @ 8:21 pm

    […] Read the rest … […]

  24. WJJ Hoge
    December 17th, 2013 @ 8:52 pm

    Well, his numbers are nothing to clap about.

  25. Steve Skubinna
    December 17th, 2013 @ 10:28 pm

    I thought the deal was, they wouldn’t have you to kick around anymore.

  26. News and opinions for Wednesday | Walla Walla TEA Party Patriots
    December 18th, 2013 @ 2:47 am

    […] Obama: Less Popular Than Syphilis […]

  27. NeoWayland
    December 18th, 2013 @ 7:02 am

    It’s been fun watching Obama’s numbers fall as reality catches up.

    But it’s been more fun watching the traditional media squirm as they realize that they do not have a sacred calling to improve humanity.

    The pundits and the MSM are still adjusting to the rediscovery that they are not the Masters of the Universe and Grand Shapers of Public Opinion. They’re on the game board with the rest of us.

  28. tlk244182
    December 18th, 2013 @ 8:06 am

    If the trend continues, he may not win re-election.

  29. rmnixondeceased
    December 18th, 2013 @ 9:36 am

    No promises have been kept in Obama’s USSA …

  30. rsmccain
    December 18th, 2013 @ 11:03 am

    RT @smitty_one_each: TOM Obama: Less Popular Than Syphilis http://t.co/93QEmXF8wi #TCOT

  31. Lemuel Vargas
    December 18th, 2013 @ 1:48 pm

    “we get an R president again the MSM will return to sliming that R president ”
    We have the New Media now w/c could act as a counterbalance to the Old Media.

  32. Lemuel Vargas
    December 18th, 2013 @ 1:49 pm

    LOL there, tik!!!!

  33. tlk244182
    December 18th, 2013 @ 3:13 pm

    Thanks, man. Merry Christmas.

  34. PubliusNV
    December 19th, 2013 @ 12:38 am

    Obama: Less Popular Than Syphilis http://t.co/ucy9AfBulA

  35. Craigthepatriot
    December 19th, 2013 @ 12:39 am

    RT @PubliusNV: Obama: Less Popular Than Syphilis http://t.co/ucy9AfBulA

  36. roseattable9
    December 19th, 2013 @ 12:56 am

    RT @PubliusNV: Obama: Less Popular Than Syphilis http://t.co/ucy9AfBulA

  37. The Wisdom of Duck Dynasty: Or who are the real BSC ones? Update: The Gay Mafia does a hit on Duck Dynasty | Batshit Crazy News
    December 19th, 2013 @ 11:43 am

    […] TOM: Obama less popular than Duck Dynasty (and other things). […]