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February 18, 2009

Democrats (and Reporters) Too Quick to Assess Poll's Blame

Justin Katz

Rhode Island Democratic Party Executive Director Tim Grilo barely waited for the starting gun to charge through the gate and publicize new Taubman Center polling data concerning Governor Carcieri's approval ratings:

"These numbers reflect a resounding rejection of Governor Carcieri's failed policies and empty promises. We are in the midst of the greatest economic crisis in a generation - this is a time for ideas, not extremist ideology and the governor grows further out of touch with each passing day," said Grilo.

Earlier today, the Taubman Center at Brown University released a poll that found only 34 percent of Rhode Islanders approve of Governor Carcieri's job performance and 80 percent thought the state was headed in the wrong direction. By way of comparison, 74 percent of Rhode Islanders indicated a level of support for President Obama's stimulus package and said they believed it will help improve the American economy. Carcieri has joined the small partisan chorus of GOP leaders in speaking out against the Obama plan.

"If the governor doesn't get the message today, he never will. This poll should serve as a message to Mr. Carcieri that it's time to focus less on union and immigrant bashing, and more on solving the problems of Rhode Island's hard-working families. Until he does, his relevancy will diminish at a rate only surpassed by his falling approval numbers," Grilo said.

If his partisan blinders had slipped, however, Mr. Grilo might have accidentally read the following, as well:

Fourteen percent believe House Speaker William Murphy is doing an excellent or good job, and 15 percent feel Senate President Teresa Paiva-Weed is doing an excellent or good job.

Surely this poll should serve as even more of a message to members of the General Assembly that it's time to focus less on unions and other special interests, and more on solving the problems of Rhode Island's hard-working families!

Although I wouldn't go so far as to call it a redeeming factor, I will acknowledge that the numbers are made a little deceptive by the fact that 41.4% and 47.2% of respondents said that they "don't know" how good of a job Murphy and Paiva-Weed are doing, respectively, compared with only a 3.8% "don't know" for the governor. But even if we tease out "don't knows" and "no answers," those who have an opinion graded these key state-level leaders as Excellent or Good in the following proportions:

  • Carcieri: 37%
  • Murphy: 26%
  • Paiva-Weed: 33%

Katherine Gregg's top-of-the-front-page story on the poll takes the same approach as the Democrats, although she does mention the legislators' even lower numbers way down deep in the story. Curiously, the Providence Journal splashed the headlline "Poll finds Rhode Islanders oppose steep local aid cuts," even though readers who bother to follow the report onto page A4 will learn that:

... an even larger number (72.5 percent) are opposed to raising the income tax to avert steep cutbacks such as these, for anyone except the highest earners.

Of course, in a display of her own (and her paper's) credibility, Gregg goes on to highlight the redistributive inclination by contacting her prize go-to source, Patrick Crowley. Perhaps the next Taubman poll should have some questions about Rhode Islanders' opinion of news reporters and their affection for union talking points.

Comments

Where the heck is Gio in all this? Why do we have Grilo coming out and getting a free shot at the Governor with nothing being lobbed back in the other direction?

Let's even take Grilo's argument and look back to last year when Murphy and Montalbano had a 13 and 11% approval rating and President Bush was 26% in Rhode Island. Where was that information? President Freaking Bush had double the approval rating of Speaker Bill Murphy and more than double of the Senate President!

Where is Gio or someone on that level to explain that according to the poll, Carcieri's approval ratings are more than double those of Murphy or TPW? Wouldn't that make for an interesting part of a story too, about how much more favorable the Governor is compared to the Assembly? Imagine if any of us were considered to be doing a 14% good job by our employer? Would we still be employed? How is this not fodder for some up and comer in the State House to go after him and go for the Speaker's job in the name of improving the view of the Assembly and doing a better job for the people?

Posted by: Patrick at February 18, 2009 8:09 AM

I hope no one here buys that filthy rag.
60 layoffs next month.
What do you call 60 laidd-off leftist media blowhards?
A good start.

Posted by: Mike at February 18, 2009 8:35 AM

I simply can't believe anyone thinks for a moment that 60 newspaper people being laid off is any kind of positive (by those real leftists out in Dallas LOL).
Mmm...less information is better. Sounds very 1984 to me (and I'm sure many conservatives will agree, too).
Think about it: what would bloggers have to link to without the work of newspapers? 'Nuff said.

Posted by: rhody at February 18, 2009 1:57 PM

Are you surprised that many Journal reporters rush to quote union sources? Don't forget, they all belong to a union as well - one that has had its own contract scrapes with management in recent years.

Posted by: Lowell at February 18, 2009 2:49 PM

Rhody

You're right. The daily newspaper fuels the blogs and local talk radio. The reduction of political coverage in cities and towns is not a good thing. Many voters still rely heavily on the daily paper for local information that's unbiased.

Posted by: Phil at February 18, 2009 5:14 PM

"I simply can't believe anyone thinks for a moment that 60 newspaper people being laid off is any kind of positive"

Rhody-anything sane, rationale or unperverted goes into your "can't believe" file. I'll be happy to dance on the grave of that rag when the lights finally go out.
Steve People's
Kerr
Karen Lee Ziner
Jennifer Levitz
Kathy Gregg

Not many tears will flow when they join the non-union work force!Bye-Bye Baby.
LOL

Posted by: Mike at February 18, 2009 7:27 PM

Mike, I hope you don't mind being lonely and isolated in your glee.

Posted by: rhody at February 18, 2009 8:06 PM