Good Morning America journalists on Monday eagerly promoted good news for Barack Obama. Co-host George Stephanopoulos hyped an ABC News/Washington Post survey "showing the President going to a pretty high approval ratings, going up to 50 percent, the highest he's had in 18 months."
Jon Karl enthused, "With unemployment down, gas prices lower, Americans feel better about the economy. You know, just three months ago only 27 percent in our poll said that the economy was either excellent or good." He added, "That is the highest level of the Obama presidency." When the news wasn't so rosy for Obama, ABC reporters routinely ignored their own polls.
On April 29, 2014, the network devoted a scant 18 seconds to a new poll showing the President with the lowest approval rating since taking office.
On September 9, 2014, ABC skipped its own survey finding record low numbers Obama's leadership.
ABC on July 25 and 26th, 2011 ignored its own poll's finding that 37 percent of Americans believed that the Democrat's policies hurt the economy. No mention was made of the results on that day's World News or Nightline.
On Monday, GMA augmented Karl's reports with graphics trumpeting the good news. For ABC, some Obama polls are more interesting than others.
A transcript of the January 19 GMA segment is below:
7:07am ET
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: Meanwhile, the President heading to the State of the Union address tomorrow night. We have a new ABC News/Washington Post poll out today showing the President going to a pretty high approval ratings, going up to 50 percent, the highest he's had in 18 months.
JON KARL: Yeah, George, and what's driving these numbers, quite simply, is the economy. With unemployment down, gas prices lower, Americans feel better about the economy. You know, just three months ago only 27 percent in our poll said that the economy was either excellent or good. Now, that number is up to 41 percent. That is the highest level of the Obama presidency. So, George, going into that State of the Union, the President will be doubling down on the economy. He is proposing a mix of tax increases on the very wealthiest and tax cuts for the middle class.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Not likely to go anywhere with the Republican Congress. But trying to set the terms of the debate. Okay, Jon Karl, thanks very much.
