Top Ten Reasons Why the Media Should Stop Citing Obama's "Most Liberal" Rating

Lists are fun.

They are a great way to judge the best songs of the year, the relative strength of college basketball teams, and stuff white people like. People enjoy reading lists -- hey, you clicked on this headline, didn't you? Lists are not, however, an appropriate way to measure presidential candidates' political viewpoints.

Nevertheless, the National Journal continues to release their annual senate vote ratings, listing the 100 U.S. senators from most liberal to most conservative. Many media outlets cite this list as if it were a certified mathematical fact. It's not.

This year, National Journal ranks Barack Obama as the single most liberal senator of them all. Why? Because he's running for president.

National Journal's list is flawed because it takes into account how often senators vote with and against the majority of their party. But running for president is unfortunately a full-time job, and senators doing so end up missing many votes. They only return for the most important votes, when they are likely to make the difference for their party. So Democratic senators running for president have fewer chances to vote against the rest of their party, and thus, by National Journal's measurement, they are more liberal.

Any casual observer of the Senate knows that Obama isn't more liberal than Russ Feingold, Barbara Boxer or Bernie Sanders. For that matter, Hillary Clinton isn't the Senate's sixteenth most liberal senator, as National Journal claims. Clinton has spent her seven years in the senate positioning herself as a moderate, and her overall record should rank her much closer to 50 than to one.

It's not that Obama shouldn't be called a liberal -- that much is a fair enough claim. But the "Number One Most Liberal" tag is an inaccurate one, and a dangerous one too, because it's tailor-made for a GOP general election advertisement.

The same thing happened in 2004, when John Kerry was running for president, and National Journal ranked him as the number one most liberal senator. The Republican National Committee ran an advertisement pointing out this important 'fact' to voters. It's safe to say most television viewers didn't look up National Journal to assess the methodology of their rankings. Now that he's back in the Senate full-time, Kerry has slipped from number one all the way down to number 20 -- which just goes to show how ridiculous these ratings are.

National Journal (which in general is an informative and nonpartisan publication) should stop publishing this silly list -- or at least adjust their methodology to reflect reality. But more importantly, it is irresponsible for the nation's leading news organizations to report on this list without noting its obvious flaws.

Just in the last week, both the New York Times and the Washington Post have used the National Journal claim as supporting evidence in articles about Obama's political philosophy. To their credit, both papers point our the possibility that the label may not be the most accurate -- but then why even include it?

Lists like these are easy for reporters to use. They back up an argument with a clear and succinct numerical statement. There's just that whole problem of accuracy.

Hey, lists are fun. But we should stop covering the presidential race in a style more suited to a VH1 countdown.

Brendan Spiegel is a former reporter for Congressional Quarterly and the editor of Endless Simmer.

Comments

[danceswithyids]

TOP ONE REASON TO CITE IT

1. It is the truth.

What is the big deal with that, why defend something that needs no defense?
You are adding to the poor outlook on the word liberal.

[rwe]

taxes, bigger government, taxes, bigger government, taxes .. he despises the military and is for socialism... Hey folks look at Ilinois, Cook County , Chicago .. highest sales taxes, most corruption, 1 of 2 don't graduate highschool, 20 highschool students murdered this year(guns are illegal in Chicago) The racism antisemitism anti Italian, anti American bigotry of the good Reverend Wright that is defended , and all democrats in power.. SO Yes His Liberalism is an issue

[aceholiday]

hey guy, don't knock socialism. theres many libertarian and minimalist-government socialist ideas that are the complete opposite of authoritarianism.

[mouselion]

HRC and Obama seem about on par with other -- barely left of center, progressive moderates. If Obama truly was the most liberal senator, he would not be the Democratic front-runner. It's impossible to be that liberal and make it to the presidency, that's why certain voices are trying to portray him that way. The National Review is a political prop for the right-winger, and, as commenters have pointed out, whichever Democratic senator is running for president gets the label of "most liberal". In truth news publications should not be in the business of rating politicians on a liberal/conservative spectrum, that is a subjective judgment.

[mhoiles]

oh for christsakes! He's got endorsements from Ted Kennedy and John Kerry. Who would you like this spun? The media is already guilty of totally irresposibility on their honest reporting on Obama.

[mnmm]

this is one of the reasons that I don't like Obama on - he shuns his liberal-ness. The republicans made the word liberal a dirty word, and we should take it back as a positive.

but no.

[rjean]

he cant take back his very liberal ----ness

just like hillybean tried to change her left wing habits to fool the folks...

you liberals are hypocrites...propose one thing and then get in the public eye and pretend to be CONSERVATIVE....

obama is the most liberal senator on the hill...rated #1.....that isnt going to change...he can bs all he wants....it is still there.....look at his friends and his voting record....

good freaking grief...we arent all deaf and dumb.......................

[rwe]

no, Webster made liberal a dirty word

[dontomas]

I thought being the most liberal meant Obama is to bring the most change. I am so for turning things in the US to a liberal agenda that I cringe anytime Obama is the slightest bit conservative.

[martina1965]

Only in America a politician who does not stand for death penalty abolition, gay marriage and legalisation of new slaves- illegal immigrants, can be called "liberal".

[dontomas]

Amen, totally agree

[1will]

Even Liberal groups rate Obama as very liberal. It's his record. He shouldn't run from it. Does he think voters are going to be suprised in 2009 when he takes over and proposes massive entitlement programs, gun control and guts the military?

[slootinus08]

Not surprised, but pleased.

[1will]

I agree (somewhat). I don't plan on voting for the man but he should at least take pride in his record. That's the work he's put his life into. If you're a Lib then say you're a Lib. I'm sick to death of these politicians on both sides running from their records. Haven't they heard of Google and YouTube?

[jstock]

He is a liberal, but he's not going to put any new gun control legislation into effect, and he's certainly not going to "gut" the military. Don't lie, folks. This is supposed to be a PROGRESSIVE site; save the lies for the conservative side where they belong.

[RuthAlice]

Well, it's a misnomer when Obama who is more conservative than Hillary gets named most liberal.

Does anyone really believe that this is a coincidence? They choose the votes they count and clearly they deliberately choose votes to taint and yes, whether we like it or not, at this moment the word liberal taints candidates, to taint the likely Democratic nominee. It's illegitimate and staged - a partisan hack job and discredits the entire organizaiton.

[MajorKong]

I find it interesting that the National Journal always picks whichever Democratic Senator that happens to be running for President that year as the "most liberal". Funny how it always works out that way.

[Americancitizen]

I am so sorry that so many liberals have drunk the KoolAid on the word liberal. The Conservatives deliberately set out to demonize the word thirty years ago, and they have succeeded. I was born in 1941 when "liberal" meant compassionate caring for the least among us through social programs and strong unions. "Conservative" was the word to be condemned. In the early sixties,John Kennedy gave a speech in which he proclaimed how proud he was to be a liberal. What has happened to our strong and proud liberal thinkers? Where are you? Please speak up now, and proclaim how proud we are to have liberals in our government. I am liberal and proud, and I will not let anyone tarnish my beliefs.

[1dogs2]

Answer to your question, Americancitizen: Many (most?) liberals have taken to calling themselves "progressives." But I'm with you. "Liberal" is not and never will be a four-letter word in my lexicon.

[ProudLiberalDan]

I would think being named the most "liberal" Senator is a source of pride.

It's time for liberals to stop hiding behind the word "progressive", because the American people aren't giving up use of the word "liberal".

Both "liberal" and "progressive" and wonderful words that go together. "Liberal" values inspire "Progressive" policies. Using the word "progressive" by itself isn't working and allows conservatives to define what a "liberal" is. Many people are "liberal" and don't even realize it because other liberals won't do the hard work of standing up and defining what they believe in for themselves. If you support freedom of religion and separation of church and state as a virtue and beneficial to both, you are a liberal. If you believe in equal opportunity for everyone, and not just the already rich and powerful, you are a liberal. If you believe there is such a thing as a common good and a common welfare, you are a liberal. If you believe that it is the role of the government to guarantee equal opportunity by helping people access universal health care, education, and social security, you are a liberal. If you believe "ability to pay" should be part of taxation, you are a liberal. If you think cultural diversity and variety preferable to cultural conformity, you are a liberal.

Sooner or later, liberals are going to have to start using the word "liberal" again with pride, because it isn't going anywhere. Better we define it than conservatives.

[GeorgeP922]

The problem is that WE THE BLOGOSPHERE should get to dish out that honored title and respected as the source.

I blame the media and ourselves with playing along that Liberal is something negative for a Democrat, and being labeled Conservative is a loft goal of all Republicans.

I for one chose Obama initially and continually because I know he is the more liberal candidate.

I for one am damn proud to be Liberal, and feel great patriotism saying it.

Please watch this for more context to my views
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JsQ3ZAW1E_8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDlaf0ChoE0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFUwsg_54fQ

[ErinBerin84]

Did anyone watch David Gregory's Race For the White House last night? Rachel Maddow and Joe Scarborough got into a big thing about it. Joe was citing the National Review survey and Rachel was dismissive of it and used the "John Kerry got this title four years ago, coincidence?" Joe did his usual intimidation and condescending thing he does with Rachel like "Oh, Pleeeeease. Give it a REST". Rachel wouldn't let it go and I was really proud of her. She said "How do you explain it, Joe? Explain to me how John Kerry incidentally got the same title from the National Review four years ago" and Joe started called her a conspiracy theorist, and then the other Republican ganged up on her and changed the subject with "While I let Rachel spew her conspiracy theories all over the place.." Rachel just quits arguing at some point because I think that she knows that when Joe doesn't have a good response, he just starts saying "Oh pleeeeease. Pleeeeeese."
That's one thing that pisses me off about the primary coverage. Pat Buchanan and Joe are usually SHOUTING over people while Eugene, Rachel, or whomever are trying to get a word in edgewise but are too polite to start screaming.

[Wilburrr]

Why is it that, every four years, the most liberal senator just happens to be the Democratic Party presidential front runner? It was Kerry, according to the National Journal, 4 years ago. I believe Al Gore got the nod 8 years ago. Bernie Sanders should sue the National Journal because he has worked too hard for too long to secure that position and shouldn't have it jerked away. This should not be a partisan issue -- people on the left and right side of the isle should certainly be able to recognize a socialist!