People misinterpret poll question on "Right direction / Wrong direction"

[BlueStreak]

We have seen this over and over. The public has consistently said the country is headed in the (generic) "wrong direction". The MSM almost always says "Oh very bad. Very, very bad for Obama."

That is a complete misreading of the results. Look at the AP poll released today. It says we are on the "wrong track" with a huge difference of 25%. But that same poll says that the judgment on Obama is equal approve = disapprove. Moreover, it gives Obama a strong favorability rating of 53 to 44%, compared to Romney being underwater at 44 - 46%

http://ap-gfkpoll.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/AP-GfK-Poll-August-2012-Topline-FINAL_politics.pdf

This makes perfect sense when you see that while 49% of the people approve of Obama's performance, despite all the serious problems the nation faces, they have only a 10% favorable opinion of Congress in general (measured in multiple polls. And in this AP poll, we see that 66% of the public disapproves of what the Republicans are doing in Congress.

When Congress is approved by only 10% of the public, no wonder they say we are on the wrong track.

What will it take to get the MSM to tell the whole truth here?

P.S. -- there are several very interesting items here that may ultimately be decisive for a truly undecided voter:

Who is the stronger leader? Obama 52 to 40%

Who is more honest and trustworthy: Obama 45 to 34%

Who says what he really believes: Obama 52 to 35%

[calimary]

1. Yes. Anyone here who gets approached by a pollster or survey group

THINK CAREFULLY when you answer questions like these. The "right direction/wrong direction" question will always be read as affecting the status quo, presumably, the incumbent, whoever he/she is. I realized that when I wanted to say "wrong direction" when I was called for one of these things awhile ago. I didn't. I knew it'd be misinterpreted as my thinking Obama was responsible for that. I blame the rise of the teabaggers and other closet racists on the GOP's extremes for our country lurching off in the wrong direction, NOT Obama!!!! But I said "right direction" because that's what I wanted them to interpret relative to Obama as the incumbent.

[Kalidurga]

2. Yep that is a tricky question...

I tend to say right direction as well. Even though recent events have scared the crap out of me. I don't like that a blatant liar is running for office. I don't like that there are so many tea baggers in public office. I really don't like the tone of politics these days. But, I think things are getting better a bit and will continue if Obama gets a second term. If Romney gets in batten down the hatches and hold onto what ever resources you may have.

[BlueStreak]

3. And notice in this Georgia poll

http://big.assets.huffingtonpost.com/BGAugustA.pdf

Poll respondents said the nation is on the "wrong track" 62 to 33%

But when asked about GEORGIA, it was much worse: 62 to 27%

They feel worse about Georgia than the nation as a whole. That is another indicator that the "wrong track" business is not strongly connected to President Obama, but is a more general concern.

Don't like billionaires buying our elections? That's the wrong track.
Don't like professional climate change deniers holding up progress? That's the wrong track.
Don't like all this war mongering? That's the wrong track.
Don't like what the banksters are doing in Wall Street and London? That's the wrong track.
Don't like the war on women? That's the wrong track.
Don't like a party that is willing to shipwreck our economy just to try to hurt the president politically? That's the wrong track.

[JRLeft]

4. That poll is an outlier.

[BlueStreak]

5. We'll see. It is not unusual for polls to tighten as election day approaches

The way you will know is if you see either Ryan or Romney doing events in Georgia. If they do, this thing is over.