ABC Touts Negative Palin Numbers; Skipped More Positive McCain Poll

On Wednesday's "Good Morning America," the program completely skipped an ABC poll that showed a tight, four percent national lead for Barack Obama. Thursday's show, however, prominently featured a new ABC survey that claimed 60 percent of Americans think that Sarah Palin does not have the experience to be president.

Former Clinton aide George Stephanopoulos, now the host of "This Week," proclaimed the results suggest that "Sarah Palin is becoming more and more of a drag on Senator John McCain as she heads into this debate tonight." He then authoritatively asserted, "If she has another moment like she had in her interviews with Charlie Gibson and her interviews with Katie Couric where she draws a blank or makes a significant mistake, that could be nearly fatal to the McCain campaign..."

At the top of the 8am hour, news anchor Chris Cuomo repeated the findings of the ABC poll: "Our new poll shows 60 percent of Americans now say that Palin is not experienced enough to be president. That's a sharp increase from just a few weeks ago. And only 46 percent say she understands complex issues, compared to 75 percent for Biden."

On Wednesday's program, GMA totally ignored a brand new ABC poll giving Obama just a 50-46 percent lead. Instead, the show twice touted rival Rasmussen's positive Obama numbers in Ohio, Florida and Pennsylvania.

While discussing the vice presidential debate with Stephanopoulos, co-host Robin Roberts blithely stated, "As far as Senator Biden, now, we know he's had his share of gaffes and verbal missteps, if you will." It's odd that Roberts would believe viewers of the network morning show know any such thing, as they certainly didn't learn it on "Good Morning America." The program did not report Biden's embarrassing contention that FDR went on television at the outset of the Great Depression. (He wasn't president and Americans didn't have TVs in 1929.) The show has also skipped a gaffe that included telling a crippled man to "stand up." (Both events occurred in late September.)

A transcript of the segment, which aired at 7:11am on October 2, follows:

ROBIN ROBERTS: Now, for the bottom line, we're joined by chief Washington correspondent, and host of "This Week," George Stephanopoulos. Good morning, George.

GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: Hey, Robin.

ROBERTS: So, the bottom line here: The Senate has acted. Will the House do the same?

STEPHANOPOULOS: Cautious optimism here in Washington, Robin. I just checked in with the White House and White House officials say that President Bush made several- more than two dozen phone calls yesterday to House Republicans. He's convinced several of them to go from no to yes. And they're confident, now, they're in the range of what they need to get this bill passed in the House. Of course, you know, there's a concern that maybe some Democrats will fall off. But from my conversations with Democratic leaders, as well, in the House, they believe they will hold most of the votes. So, Democrat and Republican leaders both believe this will pass in the House tomorrow, particularly after those unemployment numbers that Chris mentioned, come out tomorrow morning.

ROBERTS: They believe it will pass. But, George, what if it does not pass? What happens next?

STEPHANOPOULOS: The word you hear when you pose that question, Robin, is unthinkable. They simply can't imagine a world where this doesn't pass. It will be complete chaos. And they really- They will not bring it to a vote unless they're confident they have the votes.

ROBERTS: Let's move to tonight's great debate between the vice presidential candidates. There are new poll numbers out. What do they tell you?

STEPHANOPOULOS: That Sarah Palin is becoming more and more of a drag on Senator John McCain as she heads into this debate tonight. We asked voters, do you think she has the experience it takes to serve as President. And there's been a big shift. Look back, on September 7th, it was a close call. 47 percent said yes, and 45 percent said no. Now, today, on September 29th, 60 percent of voters say that she does not have the experience it takes to serve as president. That's a big jump. And that is starting to hurt John McCain, A third of voters, just about a third of voters now, also in our ABC News poll, say they are less likely to vote for McCain because of Sarah Palin. So, she is coming into this debate in an environment where her numbers have been slipping, where she's been hurting the McCain ticket. She's going to have to turn it around.

SNOW: We're going to hear from Kate Snow in a moment. And she's going to show us how both Sarah Palin and Joe Biden are preparing for the debate. But what does Governor Palin have to do tonight? What's her mission tonight?

STEPHANOPOULOS: Mission number one is make no mistake. That is far and away her number one mission. If she has another moment like she had in her interviews with Charlie Gibson and her interviews with Katie Couric where she draws a blank or makes a significant mistake, that could be nearly fatal to the McCain campaign, because these numbers on her are rising so much. Beyond that, I would expect her to be fairly aggressive against Barack Obama. And to try to show some of that feistiness and confidence that we saw in her debates in Alaska.

ROBERTS: As far as Senator Biden, now, we know he's had his share of gaffes and verbal missteps, if you will. What does he have to do tonight?

STEPHANOPOULOS: Most of all, try to ignore his opponent on the stage. He's got to be restrained. He's got to be gracious. He should focus first and foremost on John McCain. Not worry too much about Sarah Palin.

ROBERTS: All right, George, thank you very much. I know you look forward to, as we all do, to tonight's debate.

STEPHANOPOULOS: Absolutely.