NBC/WSJ Poll: 48% want a Public Option

[Thrill]

As Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid moves forward crafting a Senate health-care bill that contains a public option -- with a state "opt out" -- the latest NBC/WSJ poll shows support for a government-run insurance plan at its highest level since the debate began.

According to the poll, 48% say they favor a public health plan administered by the federal government that would compete with private insurers, compared with 42% who oppose it. That's a shift from last month, though within the margin of error, when 48% opposed the public option and 46% supported it. And it's a 10-point swing from August, when 47% were in opposition and 43% were in favor.

In another question asked a different way -- is it important to give people a choice of a public option? -- a combined 72% answered that it was either "extremely important" or "quite important," while just 23% said it was "not that important" or "not at all important." Those numbers are virtually unchanged from last month.

The NBC/WSJ poll, which was conducted Oct. 22-25, has a margin of error of +/- 4.4% on these two questions. The full poll will be released on Nightly News, and MSNBC.com, beginning at 6:30 pm ET.

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2009/10/27/2109332.aspx

[jefferson_dem]

1. Nice.

I suspect support for health care reform, generally speaking, has climbed also. Momentum is definitely with the good guys... That's us. :)

[Dr Robert]

2. agreed. Niiiiice.

[Parker CA]

3. That 72% figure is quite compelling. Chuck Todd was doing his best to spin that this morning

by saying that "it only means people believe that others should have a choice, not necessarily that they believe a choice would be in their best interests." Absolute garbage. The public interest is heavily on the side of the PO. Moving forward.

[Spazito]

5. Geez, even for Todd that is an inordinately stupid comment...

Saying because "many people believe others should have a choice" and proffering it to try and marginalize the strength of support being shown for the public option is, in essence, saying empathy is a negative that should dilute the strength of the 72% number. Beyond bizarre as well as galactically stupid, imo.

[Parker CA]

6. The best part was that there was a very pronounced pause before he went into that

"analysis" as if he had to prepare himself for the upheaval of toxic bile he was about to spew. It made me laugh though.

[Spazito]

9. I suspect there are still some brain cells not being held hostage to spewing...

propaganda and they were giving him the alert as in "I can't believe I am even going to say this!" just before he said it, lol.

[Captain Hilts]

4. I've seen it as high as 62%. I'll have to read the specific questions. nt

[goclark]

7. The WSJ? Arem't they pro Republican?

48% --- I don't get it.

[Atman]

8. NBC and WSJ are very Republican...remember who NBC's parent company is...

General Electric, which happens to be huge in the insurance business, largely as a re-insurer. Re-insurers insure the insurance companies from losses. Why would GE want to let its media outlet be out there promoting the public option?

.

[goclark]

10. Got it and they pay Todd and Pukecanan's salary

They pay Tweety's too -- maybe that's why he was talking double talk today.