Obama Blagojevich Scandal Involvement Believed By 45% Of Voters: Poll

Blogger Matt Yglesias has been in Finland lately, studying up on their education policy, but all it took was a single viewing of Morning Joe to bring him up to speed with the new way the political press corps has been abusing their platform:

[T]his morning on MSNBC there was a lengthy discussion of Obama's involvement in Blagojevich's corruption. Of course, there was no evidence of any involvement on Obama's part. Nor, despite this being a news channel, was there any original reporting of any kind whatsoever. There was, however, a ton of time spent criticizing the Obama campaign's PR strategy with regard to this issue -- the suggestion being that had Obama adopted a better PR strategy, then people wouldn't be on television making evidence-free guilt-by-association accusations against him.

This strong me as odd. The people making the accusations kept acknowledging that they had no evidence. One might think that communicating to television personalities the fact that there was no evidence of wrongdoing on Obama's part would constitute a good PR strategy. Given that they knew there was no evidence of wrongdoing, they should have ceased implying that there was wrongdoing. But they didn't do that at all. Not, I would submit, because of any failings on Obama's part, but because Joe Scarborough, Mika Brzezinski, John Heileman, Mark Halperin, and Pat Buchanan don't care at all about the accuracy of the impression their coverage gives.

I really can't sum up the past week of coverage any better. What I can do, however, is relate the effects of this coverage. Via Rasmussen Reports:

Forty five percent (45%) of U.S. voters say it is likely President-elect Obama or one of his top campaign aides was involved in the unfolding Blagojevich scandal in Illinois, including 23% who say it is Very Likely.

Just 11% say it is not at all likely, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey taken Thursday and Friday nights.

A key finding, by the way? "Voters nationally are more skeptical than those in Illinois."

What can I say? THE SYSTEM WORKS.

Comments

[brownforall]

As Jon Stewart would likely say!

Media elite your all douches!!!­!!!!!!!!!!­!!!!

I said it before and I will say it again.

RATINGS RATINGS RATINGS RATINGS RATINGS RATINGS RATINGS RATINGS RATINGS RATINGS RATINGS RATINGS ETC ETC ETC ETC!!!!!!!­!!!!!!!!!!­!!!!!!!!!!­!!!!!!!!!!­!!!!!!!!!!­!!!!!!!!!!­!!!!!!!!!!­!!!!!!!!!!­!!!!!!!!!!­!!!!!!!!!!­!!!!!!!

Lets take for Example Gov Palin. I didnt once hear the Media tie her to Convicted Felon Ted Stevens!
Besides her being a "Reformer" or "Maverick" from Alaska.
And she was on his 527! Thats was just an example.

When it comes to our President-Elect Obama, he sure can give the Media their "Ratings"
Media: President Obama would you still have invaded Iraq if you know what you know now?

LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ohh by the way anyone notice their not tieing Durbin US Senator from Illinoise, top ranking Senator in the senate to the Gov? STill proves their pushing a B.S. story on Obama. I say screw em!

[SouthernBlueBelle]

Yes, you are right about the Palin/ Uncle Ted Stevens association. Yes, the press leans to the left(ha what a joke).

[Robert2664]

I thought that in the U.S.A. one was innocent until proven guilty.The problem is not most of the media it's the people who only hear what they want to hear whether it's the truth or not or don't want to wait for all the evidence comes out.

[bbridges1962]

You're only innocent if your net worth is more than 1 billion.

[jeanrenoir]

The media has been as absurd in desperately trying to "tie" Obama to Blago as they always are about all "scandals.­" No wonder they are so royally hated by all sides of the political spectrum. They care nothing about the truth; all they want is their stupid games for hooking eyeballs. Who cares? If Obama succeeds with the economy, he'll be in a fine position ot tell the media where to go.

[kylie]

The media is controlled by Corporate and the GOP.
They are going after Obama like they did with the Whitewater-invented scandal and Clinton.
They want to take away as much credibility and power as they can.
The oil companies, the pharmaceutical companies, the insurance industry and weapons/defense are very worried how much money, power, wars that won't be started, and tax cuts that won't happen for corporate when Obama takes office.
It is boring and disgusting to see the whipped msm feed on the story like a group of hungry vultures.
Where were they with a relevant tragedy like Katrina? How many died? We still don't have a clue.

[suntzu]

The reason the media keeps pushing the idea that Obama was finagling with Blago is for the simple reason that they need a sensational story. Once you announce that Obama had nothing to do with Blago's indiscretions, end no story. Anything to keep the story going.

[Mahi Joe]

45% of the voters still think the moon is made of cheese.

[MadJeffersonian]

And the Earth is 6,000 years old, and man (lunchables) and dinosaurs coexisted, and the Earth is flat.

[mattwion]

It's quite shocking that so many are so willing to believe that Obama and/or his people are involved with Rod Blagojevich's Illegal and immoral actions in Illinois.
Given that the governor was recorded as damning Obama for not being "corruptable" and the fact that there is no data whatsoever to link Obama to this, we are dealing with the truly absurd.
It seems that divisive politics and smearing are already hard at work EVEN BEFORE THE MAN TAKES OFFICE!!
http://mattwion.blogspot.com/

[AndyDandy]

It's not that shocking..­.. those are the 47% of the ppl that voted for McCheese.

[bbridges1962]

Aren't those the same ones that think cows talk at night to each other?

[microcosm]

Fox won the Florida Appeals Case that ok'd lying to the public in news reporting rendering journalism unrecognizable.

http://FixNewsNow.org - Democracy needs responsible journalism, free press, accountability in the media - Take a stand folks. Capitalism and Journalism can coexist. Temper the "greed" factor.

If we save journalism, we'll save democracy.

Support a News Quality Rating System - sign the petition

[PuppaX]

Are you really trying to save a FREE PRESS by having it rated by the government? Pravda much?

[ceasespin]

I don't know where you're getting gov't rating from? The rating is an independent rating - see ethical code of Society of Professional Journalists - they have a website.

[LeLoup]

Time to reactivate the Fairness Doctrine I guess.

[AlaninElkGrove]

What!? No inappropriate contact between Obama and Blagojevich? Go back and keep looking until you find some.

sincerely,
WMD's

[benman]

45% of the people in this country are Republicans. Doesn't that explain this headline?

[Chlowina]

And you are correct!!

[sullyinstlou]

How would you explain the fact that only11% think it is "not likely at all"?

By your reasoning that means that dems make up only 11% of the populace.

[AndyDandy]

No those 11% are probably liberals, I'm guessing Dems voted not likely and since there's 44% missing, not likely is probably 44%.

[rogerse]

That's funny since more people are "conservative" than "liberal".

[TomTheAlmostUgly]

"That's funny since more people are `conservative' than `liberal.'­"

Yesterday's news, my friend. Hasn't been true for at least a month.

The liberals won, the conservatives got their ***es handed to them.

[MaximMaximus]

The media seems to be desperate for ratings in the weeks following the election. Now they're trying to create a bubble which has no bearing to neither President-elect Obama not reality itself!

[AlaninElkGrove]

If Obama's denying it, he must be hiding something.

morons...

[Jim238]

The way to shut up the media is to shut them off for a week. If their ratings drop, they pay attention as do their advertisers. But the word has to go out over all the blogs to pick a day, say December 26 to turn off the news reporting channels.

[StopThePress]

We need to let our feeling be known.....­email/call and tell them what you think o the BS coverage! Here is a website with media contact info: http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=111

[tm68]

And c'mon, we had to see it coming that the Republicans would be all over this. They've been starved for something to hit Obama with and this is close enough to home to qualify. Evidence? All we need is that it's happened in is home state. It's Ayers and Rev. Wright all over again- just a new face is all. Guilt by association. Honestly, is there nothing to hold journalists accountable for this kind of behavior, or can they hide behind the Constitution and call it Free Speech and Free Press? I don't get it.