After Routinely Bashing Republicans in Debt Ceiling Debate, NBC Touts New Poll Showing it Worked
On Wednesday's NBC Today, chief White House correspondent Chuck Todd promoted the latest NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll, declaring that when it came to raising the nation's debt ceiling, "...it was a landslide as far as what the public preferred. 58% preferring the President's vision on that front versus 36% [for the Republican proposal]."
Todd went on to conclude that "most of this poll shows that the middle of the country and a majority of Americans basically don't like the Republican position on this debt plan." He blamed conservatives for GOP stubbornness: "But who does like the Republican position right now on all of these fronts and, you know, sticking to their guns on taxes? Tea Party supporters. And that is why you're seeing Republicans, they're caught between their Tea Party supporters who want them to do one thing and frankly independents who want them to do another."
On Monday, Todd had announced that the Republican 'Cut, Cap and Balance' Plan had "no chance of passage." On Tuesday, co-host Ann Curry dismissed the plan as "just show." In addition, NBC reporters have been constant in their demand that Republicans give in on raising taxes, as co-host Matt Lauer did when interviewing Laura Ingraham on July 12.
Reporting on the poll on Tuesday's Nightly News, Todd highlighted public opinion now being in favor of Republicans compromising: "...a large majority of the country is telling Republicans get off the no-new-taxes pledge and compromise, 62%." But not Democrats: "As for Democrats and entitlement reform, look at this one. A majority, 52% of everybody we tested, said to Democrats, 'Stick to your guns and don't allow cuts in Medicare and Social Security for deficit reduction.'"
Todd observed: "...it's a mixed political bag for both parties. But particularly for Republicans."
Here is a full transcript of Todd's July 20 report on Today:
7:14AM ET
ANN CURRY: Now to Washington and that fierce fight over raising the debt ceiling. Is there a light at the end of the tunnel? NBC's political director and chief White House correspondent Chuck Todd has the latest on the deal-making and the results of a new NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll. Chuck, good morning.
CHUCK TODD: Good morning, Ann.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Ceiling the Deal? Obama Endorses Bipartisan Plan on the Debt]
CURRY: Well, the President, as you know, is endorsing this emerging bipartisan so-called 'Gang of Six' plan. Promising?
TODD: Well, it's promising in this respect, is that it's clearly a vehicle to do a big deal on deficit reduction at some point this year. But this is not going to be the piece of legislation that raises the debt ceiling. Time is running out on that front. Even the President yesterday, when he came out and endorsed it, hinted at that, which is why this backdoor legislative gymnastic deal that Mitch McConnell and Harry Reid are coming up with is still going to be the thing that raises the debt ceiling.
But this – you know, one of the reasons the President endorsed this, conservative Oklahoma Senator Tom Coburn came out and endorsed it in the morning. Two hours later, the President did. The closest friend in the Republican Party the President has is Tom Coburn, Ann.
CURRY: Alright, okay. Now, at the same time, according to this new NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll, while 55% of Americans believe not raising the debt ceiling would be a, quote, 'Real and serious problem,' there doesn't seem to be a consensus on just exactly what Washington should do, Chuck.
TODD: Well, there isn't. Now, when we presented them the two options that were being debated last week, the President's idea of this 4 trillion – which is actually very similar to Gang of Six – a $4 trillion mix of some tax hikes plus some cuts and reforms to entitlements like Medicare and Social Security versus a cuts-only approach that House Republicans were pitching, it was a landslide as far as what the public preferred. 58% preferring the President's vision on that front versus 36% on theirs. So this is a case where the President and the White House, they're seeing the same numbers. And that's why they jumped so quickly and so fast on this Gang of Six proposal.
CURRY: Okay. But it's interesting because there's so much riding on this in terms of, you know, when you polled and you asked people who gets the blame if there isn't a deal, if, in fact there is – the debt ceiling is not raised. Let's take a look at the numbers.
TODD: It is. And that's a mixed bag. 35% would blame the President and Democrats. 39% would blame Republicans. But, you know, here's the thing here, most of this poll shows that the middle of the country and a majority of Americans basically don't like the Republican position on this debt plan. But who does like the Republican position right now on all of these fronts and, you know, sticking to their guns on taxes? Tea Party supporters. And that is why you're seeing Republicans, they're caught between their Tea Party supporters who want them to do one thing and frankly independents who want them to do another. In 2010, Ann, independents and Tea Party supporters were on the same page. They were all angry at the President and Democrats. They're not on the same page right now on this debt plan.
CURRY: Okay, well I think those are very true words. Chuck Todd, thanks so much.
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Comments
So you blame NBC news for the
Submitted by cathartic1 on Wed, 07/20/2011 - 6:35pm.
So you blame NBC news for the poll results... but where's the culpability on the part of the Wall Street Journal?
Well the poll was taken by NBC
Submitted by OldJarhead77 on Wed, 07/20/2011 - 6:40pm.
Nobody
But
Communists
But it's right there. No
Submitted by cathartic1 on Wed, 07/20/2011 - 6:47pm.
But it's right there. No really, look. Right there on the link: NBC/ Wall Street Journal. And when you click on the link, it says NBC/ Wall Street Journal. Why is NBC at fault for the results, but not its partner?
See http://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/kyle-drennen/2011/07/20/aft
Submitted by TheHistorian on Wed, 07/20/2011 - 7:03pm.
http://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/kyle-drennen/2011/07/20/after-routinely...
Nuff said.
Dennis Prager
I've said this before: media
Submitted by motherbelt on Wed, 07/20/2011 - 6:47pm.
I've said this before: media polls are like the reconnaissance missions the military does after a bombing run, to assess the damage done.
So then we're in agreement
Submitted by cathartic1 on Wed, 07/20/2011 - 6:55pm.
So then we're in agreement that the Wall Street Journal is just as responsible for the results of this survey as NBC when it comes to the public response to the Republican plan?
No one, cathartic,---
Submitted by matthewdean on Wed, 07/20/2011 - 7:01pm.
agrees with your stupid liberal ass.
MD
Absolutely is
Submitted by TheHistorian on Wed, 07/20/2011 - 7:02pm.
In case you forget, Henninger is really a "moderate". He believes in open borders and a whole host of this liberal clap-trap. So it is not totally surprising.
Neither is it surprising with 47% of Americans receiving some sort of Government check that they don't want their ox gored. And this was a poll of "Americans", not of likely or registered voters. I'm just surprised it wasn't higher.
BTW, the Republican percent in the poll was 24% was also reported this morning. Do you believe that is a real number of Republicans?
Dennis Prager
Okay. Let's say you're
Submitted by cathartic1 on Wed, 07/20/2011 - 7:14pm.
Okay. Let's say you're correct: one writer for the WSJ who, as a "moderate", is enough to tip the balance for everyone else writing for the WSJ, then how come the focus of this article (and the negative responses to the article) focused on NBC? Where are the original stories that show the WSJ "bashing" Republicans?
Childishness by cathartic
Submitted by Unsane on Wed, 07/20/2011 - 7:41pm.
Thanks, cathartic, by demonstrating the childishness of Leftism so perfectly.
"CONSUMED DEMOCRACY RETURNS A SOCIALIST REGIME" - Slayer, "Fictional Reality", from Divine Intervention (1994)
How about this poll?
Submitted by lsudolemite on Wed, 07/20/2011 - 7:17pm.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/07/20/fox-news-poll-majority-agains...
Or this one?
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/07/20/fox-news-poll-more-say-obama-...
It gets better. Because unlike CBS, they actually bothered to poll---wait for it---registered voters instead of "adults".
Oh wait, I get it, it's all part of a grand Rupert Murdoch conspiracy, he hacked into those phones to doctor the results, but not the WSJ's.
But I'm not talking about the
Submitted by cathartic1 on Wed, 07/20/2011 - 7:27pm.
But I'm not talking about the results of the poll and what they mean - but how, based on their result, only half of the partnership gets blamed. If I were to apply the same argument to the polls that you've just posted, then it's "Well, Fox clearly caters to a conservative crowd, so therefore the poll results are suspect". And to make it more precise, if Fox had partnered with Huffingtonpost for the polls youve posted, it would be disingenuous of me to only blame Fox for the result.
WSJ took part in the
Submitted by motherbelt on Wed, 07/20/2011 - 8:03pm.
WSJ took part in the polling.
It did not take part in the pre-polling bashing to tilt the numbers; that was NBC.
No. When you set out to
Submitted by amyshulk on Wed, 07/20/2011 - 11:55pm.
No. When you set out to create your own reality, with a megaphone to "surface voters", you can't be shocked when you poll and they agree with you. THAT is the point cathartic1
Ronald Reagan
Adults only
Submitted by Jerry Mack on Wed, 07/20/2011 - 10:46pm.
This is an adults poll. Adult polls have the same validity as Jay Lenos' Jaywalking surveys.
The debit plan for Fairy Land
Submitted by Mutantone on Wed, 07/20/2011 - 6:50pm.
Cut the debt by as much as $3.7 trillion over the next decade.” But “Raise the $14.3 trillion debt limit as soon as Wednesday”
What a sick con job this is. We will spread the true current debit out over ten years but increase spending immediately? What type of mathematics are they using more of that famous “New Math”?
If you can not pay for the $3.7 trillion dollars now, and you will continue to spend up to and past the $14.3 Trillion dollars every year, how in the world are you ever going to bring down the debit? Your not your just passing it along for the ten years, as well only growing it much faster then ever before.
Come on you dolts think for one second what your doing to the Nation. You have archived nothing at all.
How about I tell my bank that I am going to pay off my loan over the next ten years but I want a loan for three times the amount every year until then..do you think they would go for it?
It is time to fix the Tax rate at something very simple that every one can understand. Every one pays 15% of what they earn from any source, except the Military if they are serving our nation that is the least we can do for them, No exceptions other than that be it earned on a job or in stocks or in trading 15% no write offs no deductions. It is then so simple any kid in school beyond the seventh grade can figure out your taxes, no more tax lawyers needed no more IRS needed.
The form is simple How much did you make this year 15% of that you send in or else fines and prison time will follow.
Or how about instead we cut all the excrement out and cut payments to foreign nations, terrorist groups (the Muslim Brotherhood), all abortion providers, all payments to staffers that just got an average wage increase of more than 8%. Force all government employees to pay into social security and Medicare, no more free flights make they pay for themselves just like the rest of us, after all they make two to three times what normal people make. Force all government wages to a level with the real world equivalent, cut out all the duplicate jobs, lord know their are far to many staffers for each congress person they should be doing their jobs instead of taking trips to Fire Island or fact finding mission over seas their job is here.
NO more life time jobs in congress the limits were set in the Constitution but some how they butchered that to make it seem like it is a life time appointment read the Constitution it clearly states:
“Section 2 - The House The House of Representatives shall be composed of Members chosen every second Year by the People of the several States, and the Electors in each State shall have the Qualifications requisite for Electors of the most numerous Branch of the State Legislature.
No Person shall be a Representative who shall not have attained to the Age of twenty five Years, and been seven Years a Citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an Inhabitant of that State in which he shall be chosen.”
“Section 3 - The Senate The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, elected by the people thereof, for six years; and each Senator shall have one vote. The electors in each State shall have the qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of the State legislatures.
When vacancies happen in the representation of any State in the Senate, the executive authority of such State shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies: Provided, That the legislature of any State may empower the executive thereof to make temporary appointments until the people fill the vacancies by election as the legislature may direct.”
NO where does it say it is a life time appointment to the office or it would have said so just like the Judiciary it very clearly states that :
“Section 1 - Judicial powers
The judicial Power of the United States, shall be vested in one supreme Court, and in such inferior Courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish. The Judges, both of the supreme and inferior Courts, shall hold their Offices during good Behavior, and shall, at stated Times, receive for their Services a Compensation which shall not be diminished during their Continuance in Office.”
So from now on they serve their term in office be it two years or six but no more than that unless they run for a different office that is the law as written, it is not their right to keep in office to the detriment of the Nation.
“The truth is more important than the facts." - Frank Lloyd Wright
“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.” Ronald Reagan
ID 10 T error in the administration
Cokie Roberts was asked the same question as to why
Submitted by TheHistorian on Wed, 07/20/2011 - 7:06pm.
we need to raise taxes and the ceiling now, but cut in the future. She was told by her own panelists that the cuts proposed for 2012 were about $2 billion, which is 1/2 of the amount Obama intends to raise for re-election. Like all good liberals, she changed the subject.
Dennis Prager
Jarhead - I agree.
Submitted by drsamherman on Wed, 07/20/2011 - 6:50pm.
My dad used to say that the "C" in American network initials stood for "Commie". He was right. After losing family in Cuba during the revolution and in South America during Guevara's terrorism waves, we never had any faith in the main stream media.
According to the poll results
Submitted by Snappy on Wed, 07/20/2011 - 7:07pm.
According to the poll results then, the majority of americans support hot air, empty promises pie in the sky platitudes and higher taxes for folks richer than themselves, as opposed to actual plans to cut spending, reduce the deficit and debt, simplifying and cutting taxes for individuals and businesses passing a balanced budget amendment and reforming SS and Medicare to ensure sustainability so we dont get in this mess again?
Interesting....
The House passed their bill
Submitted by jkwtrading on Wed, 07/20/2011 - 9:11pm.
The House passed their bill today, so now the hot fire is in the hands of the Senate. These idiots on TV should follow the ball.
Tingly
Submitted by Jerry Mack on Wed, 07/20/2011 - 10:43pm.
Just awondering if a close up of Chuck Todds' goattee and mustach causes Andersen Cooper to go all tingly?
The poll was probably non
Submitted by dscott on Thu, 07/21/2011 - 12:39am.
The poll was probably non representative, stacked with Democrats but be that as it may we have come to a fork in the road, it's either right or left, there is no middle path. Either the public at large buys into the nonsense that raising taxes only to continue deficit spending will solve our problems OR the public believes it's time to reign in spending and cut up the credit cards.
I'll make this very simple for the moderates and independents, if you buy the Dems load of crap that they promise to be more responsible with your money if they are allowed to raise your taxes you are bigger fools than even Obama thinks you are. A spendaholic will promise you anything for more credit and more money because they are addicted to spending. After increasing spending by 24% since taking office, you really think the Democrats aren't going to further increase spending once they offset their last binge with tax increases?
While liberal foolishness may play in the US Congress, it doesn't play in the world at large, they are going to downgrade US debt IF no effort is deemed to have happened to reign in spending PERIOD. It won't matter how high taxes are raised since the track record of the ruling elites is of ever increasing spending without regard to income. The world has come to realize they are never going to get paid back their share of the $14 trillion the US owes. So there is only one solution for them, raise interest rates.
Once a downgrade of US debt occurs, interest rates will shoot up and any deal that Congress and Obama makes is out the door because the monthly payment will quickly surpass any tax increase. Note to all conservatives, once the downgrade occurs causing interest rates to rise, start stocking up on dry goods for a 6 month supply because hyper inflation is inevitable.
I just don't get how these 'journalists' can do this.
Submitted by Phryj1 on Thu, 07/21/2011 - 4:33am.
They tell blatant lies, smear the GOP/Conservatives, misrepresent and distort their proposals and ideas, and promote the Dems' positions and talking points, then do polls that really only show how effective their lies were...and call it journalism. Wow. No decency. No shame. Not even the slightest tinge of guilt.
There's something seriously wrong with these people.
I don't mean to sound melodramatic (and in my defense, it is getting late) but how can people do that and look at themselves in the mirror afterward?
Progressives seem to be completely averse to facts and logic. Apparently, reality has a conservative bias.
Chuck Todd-Obama's Poodle
Submitted by bobmac on Thu, 07/21/2011 - 12:08pm.
In a White House press corp over run with Obama cheer leaders Chuck Todd stands out as the leader of the pack.Most journalists would be somewhat embarrassed sniffing up to the administration as blatantly as Todd but not old Chuck.On the rare occasion when Chuck asks a legitimate question Obama recently admonished Todd by cutting off Todd saying,"Chuck,Chuck,Chuck" in the middle of the question.Todd's respsonse was to obediently clam up and lie down in the corner.We're proud of you Chuck!