Joe Scarborough: 'America Is Much More Conservative' on Social Issues Than Media Think
In the wake of the controversy surrounding the Obama administration's edict on contraceptives, you can't swing a dead cat without hitting some press member claiming Republican views on such matters are extreme.
Countering this nonsense Wednesday was MSNBC's Joe Scarborough who on the show bearing his name correctly stated, "America is much more conservative" when it comes to social issues than the media think (video follows with transcript and commentary):
The discussion began with MSNBC’s Al Sharpton saying Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum’s “weakness is that he’s very extreme” on social issues such as contraception and gay marriage.
This led Scarborough to observe, “The one thing I would only warn my friends in Manhattan and Washington and LA and in the mainstream media is that America is much more conservative – I’m not saying Rick Santorum conservative – but much more conservative on social issues than they would like to think.”
“The media is far ahead of the rest of America on gay marriage,” he continued. “You can look at any poll and it’s breaking pro-Life way – it’s about 50-50 now, but the trend lines in the long run are in support of gay marriage. But we’re not there yet over that 50 percent mark, and the trend lines also are in support of a pro-Life position if you look at polls over the last ten, fifteen years because of technology, because of medicine.”
“But the media I find,” Scarborough pointed out, “has always had a real blind spot on social issues just because, you know, it’s Manhattan, New York, instead of Manhattan, Kansas. It’s just a cultural thing.”
Not surprisingly, polls do support Scarborough’s view.
A January CBS News/New York Times poll found only 37 percent believe abortion should be “generally available” to the public while an equal amount feel there should be “stricter limits” with 23 percent claiming they shouldn’t be available at all. What that means is 60 percent of those polled say abortion laws should be stricter than they currently are.
Meanwhile, a just-released CBS News/New York Times poll found only 40 percent of respondents support same sex marriage while 31 percent are opposed and 23 percent instead favor civil unions. This means 54 percent are de facto against same sex marriage.
Add it all up, and polling data do indeed show the media far to the left of the rest of the nation on these issues.
But that’s not going to stop them from claiming Republicans like Santorum are extreme.
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Comments
The MSM doesn't care.
Submitted by c5then on Wed, 02/15/2012 - 1:16pm.
Their job (as they see it) is to fool the general public into thinking that everyone else is more liberal than them and thus "shame" people into becomong more liberal, just like the MSM.
When you are in control of how public opinion is reported (if at all) you can control that opinion to a great exetent.
Madison and Jefferson and Franklin built a Republic - Roberts killed it!
Joe refer to the potato chip
Submitted by LAM SON 719 on Wed, 02/15/2012 - 2:24pm.
Joe refer to the potato chip confisaction article you moron.
Joe and Meekugggh, Siamese Idiots
Submitted by Motormouth KOS on Wed, 02/15/2012 - 2:33pm.
Joe: I'm a Conservative!
Meekugggh: I'm an IMBECILE!!
Joe: I'm a Liberal!
Meekugggh: I can't afford good clothes for TV!!
Joe: I'm a Nazi!
Meekugggh: I can't find my kneepads and I have a meeting with the Boss today!
Joe: I'm a Libertarian!
Meekugggh: I have ADD and Tourette's Syndrome.
Joe: I 'm a 9-11 Truther!
Meekugggh: I want to go home. I have no idea why I am here.
Joe: great show, see you all tomorrow!
The Obamination... A crisis leading to a catastrophe..(please donate to MRC)
Gee, Joe, you'e just now realizing this?
Submitted by KyWriter on Wed, 02/15/2012 - 2:55pm.
Oh, wait a minute: I forgot you are subjected to Miss Airhead every morning. Stupidity can be contagious, you know.
I haven't watched this show
Submitted by marpel on Wed, 02/15/2012 - 3:51pm.
I haven't watched this show since December 2011. My New Year's resolution was to never watch this network again. So far, I've kept my resolution. I don't care what Joe or Mika say or do. They're of no consequence to the big scheme of things.
"Deep within my heart lies a memory. A song of ol' San Antone..."
Don't forget people like me
Submitted by amyshulk on Wed, 02/15/2012 - 4:02pm.
Don't forget people like me who didn't hold with C views on social stuff, believing and going along with the liberal idea when I was younger.
Yeah, stupid rube.
Now that I'm older, I can see how the foundation matters - can't get a good work ethic from *just* self preservation, it has to have purpose outside ones self. It all ties together.
That said? If the R starts thumpin' instead of toeing to the constitutional aspect, they'll lose people like me - fast.
Ronald Reagan
Voters are more conservative on most issues - not only social
Submitted by Gary Hall on Wed, 02/15/2012 - 5:03pm.
In fact - it's not just on social issues. How about illegal immigration reform? Strong majority support the AZ bill.
How about on the size of government; that a majority want a smaller gov't doing less and costing less - not more.
A majority did not support the Stimulus Bill, nor ObamaCare.
By and large, I'd bet that Obama doesn't have majority support on any of his major policy initiatives.
Not surprisingly, polls do support Scarborough’s view -- and the view I just expressed.
(;~> gary
Morning Shmoe is a complete freaking scumbag
Submitted by djwolf12 on Wed, 02/15/2012 - 7:12pm.
Ok Shmoe, if the American People are "Much more Conservative" than the media thinks, then why the hell are you preaching that the Republican Party needs to be MORE MODERATE and you consistently TRASH conservatives? I swear this guy wouldn't know what a conservative is if you beat him on the head repeatedly with the Limbaugh Letter.
Santorum will be a cake walk for an Obama second term
Submitted by cbeyer on Wed, 02/15/2012 - 7:38pm.
Santorum is the Obama team dream candidate. A candidate who has little in his resume other than being a career politican who has wrapped himself in conservative social issues. While I share most of his positions on social issues, he will be ultimately beatable by Obama. Moderates and independents want someone who can fix the economy. Romney has that background with a sterling background in business. Santorum will be seen as a one issue (pro life) candidate. Rush, Shawn Hannity and other conservative talk show hosts are pushing him (or Newt) to the peril of the party and those of us who see getting Obama out of the whitehouse as the ultimate objective. He is devistating our economy and country.
Ok so you are saying: 'Romney
Submitted by MightyMouth on Wed, 02/15/2012 - 7:42pm.
Ok so you are saying: 'Romney Santorum in 2012'? I think most of us can get behind that! The question is can those guys get behind it?
Santorum will be seen as a
Submitted by ckc1227 on Wed, 02/15/2012 - 9:30pm.
Santorum will be seen as a one issue (pro life) candidate.
Romney will be seen as a one issue candidate too: The author of Obamacare.
I agree with former RINO-Joe.
Submitted by ReaganRuled on Wed, 02/15/2012 - 11:23pm.
I agree with former RINO-Joe. I need to go take a bleach shower now.
You have been listening to Rush too much
Submitted by cbeyer on Thu, 02/16/2012 - 10:52am.
THE ECONOMY is by far and away the biggest issue with the American public. NOT Obamacare. Santorum does not have a strong resume to oversee the reinvigoration of the private sector...Romney does.
You conservatives who finally think you have the 'non Rino' super deal in Santorum can watch Obama for four more years....and just think what he will do in his last four years with Presidential mandates etc. It will be too late in 2016 to put it back together.
Santorum is a Weanie. Sounds like one, looks like one and can ride the uber pro life one plank policy all the way to oblivion along with any chance of beating Obama.
cbeyer
Submitted by amyshulk on Thu, 02/16/2012 - 4:17pm.
What about those of us who agree that the social issues AFFECT the economy? I finally figured that out a few years ago, and I seriously doubt I'm alone.
Surface voters, who only absorb the narrative the msm/left portray, will cringe from ANY R, but those who think just a tad deeper are realizing it's all connected.
Being on team R and badmouthing the R's is *worse* than when it comes from the D's. Hell, they are STILL using Bush I's "Voodoo economics" crack to beat up on the R's, all these years later - don't give them such potent ammo!!!
Ronald Reagan