White House Polling Memo Omits Numbers Showing Support For Public Option - Plum Line

[WillyT]

THIS... is the shit that makes my blood boil!

White House Polling Memo Omits Numbers Showing Support For Public Option
The Plum Line
Greg Sargent's blog

<snip>

Okay, so the White House is circulating an upbeat polling memo citing a bunch of public surveys showing that public opinion still tilts heavily in Obama’s favor on health care.

The memo, by Obama pollster Joel Benenson, doesn’t mention the public option (the White House may not be committed to it) and largely cites general numbers showing support for action and for Obama’s plan.

But here’s the funny thing: We went back and checked, and virtually every poll cited in this memo also found strong support for the inclusion of a public plan.

* The memo cited a CBS poll from September 1st, saying it found strong support for action. What does it say on the public plan? Sixty percent support, 34% oppose.

* The memo cited a CNN poll done through August 31st, saying it found deep public dismay with the system. What does it say on the public plan? Fifty-five percent support, 41% oppose.

* The memo cited a Kaiser poll from August 11th, saying it found overwhelming support for consumer protections. What does it say on the public plan? Fifty nine percent support, 38% oppose.

The White House memo did cite one poll that didn’t find majority support for the public option: This MSNBC poll that found only 43% support for it. But that’s the one that generated all that controversy because it didn’t tell respondents that the public plan was a “choice.”

To be clear, it’s not surprising that the White House wouldn’t include these numbers, since it’s currently weighing whether to ditch the public option. But the fact that the very same polls the White House is citing also show very strong support for the public option should tell the White House something, shouldn’t it?

Special thanks to our reporter Amanda Erickson for the research help.

<snip>

Link (with links): http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/health-care/white-house-polling-memo-omits-numbers-showing-support-for-public-option/

Found this through EmptyWheel: http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/09/04/obama-doesnt-want-you-to-know-he-knows-public-option-is-popular/

:argh:

:mad:

[WillyT]

1. Kick !!!

:kick:

[flyarm]

2. Emptywheel has it as well, and here is her take on it..

Obama Doesn’t Want You To Know He Knows Public Option Is Popular
By: emptywheel Friday September 4, 2009 11:23 am

Greg Sargent has a really important find.

The White House is circulating happy poll numbers in favor of health care reform.

But the White House is not circulating the happy poll numbers--from the very same polls!!--in favor of the public option.

Okay, so the White House is circulating an upbeat polling memo citing a bunch of public surveys showing that public opinion still tilts heavily in Obama’s favor on health care.

The memo, by Obama pollster Joel Benenson, doesn’t mention the public option (the White House may not be committed to it) and largely cites general numbers showing support for action and for Obama’s plan.

But here’s the funny thing: We went back and checked, and virtually every poll cited in this memo also found strong support for the inclusion of a pulic plan.

Click through for Greg's numbers: the White House doesn't want you to know that 60%, 55%, and 59% (and 43% in a flawed MSNBC poll) of people surveyed want a public option.

So Obama is not just planning to ditch progressives and the rest of the majority of the country in favor of a public option. But he's willing to be dishonest in doing so.

[WillyT]

3. Yep... Remember When We Were Promised...

That the health care debate\discussions would be broadcast on C-Span so we could see everything they were doing?

Guess that was the first thing to go, along with single-payer.

:banghead:

:hi:

[jannyk]

4. They really do believe we are all dumb as rocks, don't they! k&r

[fascisthunter]

5. this is the shit thast makes me doubt the man's intentions

[slipslidingaway]

6. At least they poll the public option, most have stopped polling SP

because it showed the majority were in a favor of a national insurance plan for everyone.

Considering that the public option was an item that was sold strongly, the lack of any mention in this memo makes it hard to believe it was just an oversight.


Cui bono?

Posted by Andrew Coates MD on Monday, Dec 1, 2008

http://pnhp.org/blog/2008/12/01/cui-bono/

"Why Does Celinda Lake Oppose Single Payer?

Self-described as “one of the Democratic Party’s leading political strategists,” Celinda Lake has claimed that single-payer reform lacks meaningful popular support. Lake’s research, done for the Herndon Alliance, has consistently supported reform based upon private health insurance. She and the Herndon Alliance are largely responsible for the notion that a single payer Medicare-for-all healthcare system is ‘not politically feasible.’

Lake’s findings are in sharp contradiction to numerous polls showing that single payer is enormously popular.

* In a New York Times/CBS News poll in February 2007, 64% said that the federal government should guarantee health insurance for all Americans.

* In October 2003, 62% of respondents to a Washington Post/ABC News poll said they preferred “a universal health insurance program, in which everybody is covered under a program like Medicare that’s run by the government and financed by taxpayers.”

* These findings were repeated in a 2007 Associated Press-Yahoo poll in which 65% supported a Medicare-for-all system.

Kip Sullivan, an attorney and health systems analyst, has been at work on a soon-to-be published analysis of the research methods and methodology used by Celinda Lake to conduct her work on behalf of the Herndon Alliance..."


Here is the follow up article...

http://www.pnhp.org/news/2008/december/americans_support_si.php

[WillyT]

7. Kick !!!

I'm watching Olbermann... can you tell???

:banghead: