Mary Matalin: Honey, your facts are a "tad off"

[docmercer--banned]

Matalin falsely claimed that Reagan and Clinton's second-term approval ratings were "similar" to Bush's current low in the polls

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On the October 11 edition of the Fox News' The O'Reilly Factor, Republican strategist Mary Matalin claimed that President Bush's current low approval ratings are "similar" to those of presidents Reagan and Clinton during their second terms. In fact, while Reagan's Gallup poll approval ratings did dip below Bush's most recent Gallup rating of 45 (which is substantially higher than several more recent polls), Clinton's lowest approval rating was substantially higher than Bush's ratings in second-term polls by Gallup, NBC/Wall Street Journal and PRSA/Newsweek.

Bush's current approval ratings versus Clinton and Reagan's second-term lows:

<TABLE class=boxitem cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=2 align=center border=1><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top>George W. Bush

</TD><TD vAlign=top>Bill Clinton

</TD><TD vAlign=top>Ronald Reagan

</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top>39 percent

NBC/Wall Street Journal

October 8-10

</TD><TD vAlign=top>57 percent

NBC/Wall Street Journal

March 6-10, April 26-28, and October 25-28, 1997

</TD><TD vAlign=top>unavailable

</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top>40 percent

PRSA/Newsweek

September 29-30

</TD><TD vAlign=top>52 percent

PRSA/Newsweek

June 10-11, August 12-13, 1999, and April 13-14, 2000

</TD><TD vAlign=top>unavailable

</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top>45 percent

Gallup (subscription required)

September 26-28

</TD><TD vAlign=top>53 percent

Gallup (subscription required)

May 23-24, 1999

</TD><TD vAlign=top>43 percent

Gallup

March 6-9, 1987

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

[RobFunk]

Clinton's lowest approval rating was substantially higher than Bush's ratings in second-term polls by Gallup, NBC/Wall Street Journal and PRSA/Newsweek.

'Nuf said.

 

[koidog]

I've noticed Democrats care a lot about Polls.

I find it odd.

 

[RobFunk]

I dont get whats wrong with polls.

Should us libs disregard every poll just becuase we lost the 04 election by a few percentage points?

 

[Fidel]

I find that Repug's don't care alot about facts.

I find it odd.

:monsters-

 

[RobFunk]

Ya. Polls are not fixed. You right wingers watch fox news right "We report, you decide." Well that is pretty much how polls work.

Just becuase every single poll comes out making Bush look like a failure does'nt mean they do not hold any type of merit.

If they didnt hold any merit, you would occasionaly see something that favored Bush.

 

[koidog]

I dont get whats wrong with polls.

Should us libs disregard every poll just becuase we lost the 04 election by a few percentage points?

Sure, I think we all should disregard polls. I certainly don't want our President ot give a rats ass about them.

 

[RobFunk]

Koi, you're sending a mixed message there.

What will the kids think.

 

[docmercer--banned]

Robfunk: You right wingers watch fox news right "We report, you decide."
Good one! FOX is about as "Fair and Balanced" as Mary Cheney is straight