The liberal disaffection myth

[NNN0LHI]

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/09/14/7760560-the-liberal-disaffection-myth

By NBC’s Domenico Montanaro, Political Reporter, NBC News

09/14/11

President Obama’s base has abandoned him – so goes the conventional Beltway wisdom.

The problem with this accepted narrative: There’s no data to back this up, according to the most recent NBC News-Wall Street Journal poll.

The survey, which was conducted in late August, was abysmal for the president, save for his head-to-head match ups with GOP presidential contenders. But it also included these numbers:

-- By an 81%-14% margin, Democrats approved of his job performance, essentially unchanged from his 82%-14% score in July.

-- Among liberals, it was 74%-21% -- exactly the same numbers from July.

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Read the update at the bottom of the page for the doubters that contacted the writer about this article.

[Mr Deltoid]

1. What percentage of liberals still call themselves Democrats?

[LWolf]

9. What percentage of Democrats calling themselves liberal actually are?

For that matter, what percentage of centrist/corporatist/dlc/3rd way/"new" democrats call themselves "liberal" when they are anything but, in their persistent propaganda effort to re-brand the party and the term "liberal?"

[hulka38]

11. +1

[Shandris]

2. I wonder where the split occurs.

I went from 'Extremely Positive' before HCR to 'Somewhat Positive' -- I mean, the man's not GWB. He's just not the champion for liberal causes I thought he was, either. Maybe it's the family philosophy. Where you can say what you want about your family, but if someone else says it, well, it's about to get ugly. Dunno.

But my level of optimism about his could most certainly be described as 'disaffected'. It doesn't make me opposed to him if he's the only horse in the race, but I won't be going out betting $500 on him to win either.

[vi5]

3. Bingo. I've said the same thing....

Of course the "clap louder" crowd dismissed me every time I pointed out that a lot of the popularity could be the "family" phenomenon you mentioned.

I think most Democrats will vote for him. And yeah, if you ask me compared to the Republicans....sure he's better. Hard not to be.

But that sure as shit doesn't translate to "I'm going to go out and wear out some shoe leather stumping for him" or "I want to donate whatever money I can scrape together" for him or even "I really should push back on this person who is talking about how bad a president Obama is" (even if I disagree with them in theory, I don't like him enough to even want to bother getting aggravated arguing with someone over it).

Obviously Obama and his advisers have done their math and clearly believe that they don't need my active support or my money, or my defense of his policies and positions. And that's fine. Good luck to them. But if they are seriously expecting folks like myself to do any of that stuff then they are seriously delusional.

[NNN0LHI]

4. Repeat a lie enough times and you can get some people to believe anything

Even after it is proven that they were lied to people just won't let it go.

Weird isn't it?

Don

[Shandris]

7. Here's a novel concept!

Reality as a whole doesn't differentiate itself along the lines of 'Approve/Not approve'. There are many varying shades of gray that lie between each point at the far end of the spectrum. You might consider not grouping each person as being in either COMPLETELY APPROVE or COMPLETELY DISAPPROVE AND THEREFORE MUST BE SOCKPUPPET and recognize the gradation.

Or, you could keep doing what you're doing. This is the first, last, and only comment I'm making on that particular...belief.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

5. I'm pretty amazed, particularly in light of the fact that he's given in to the GOP

consistently, placed GOPers in posts consistently, and refused to rally his base around him.

[bluestateguy]

6. It's Georgetown Cocktail Party tripe

nt

[applegrove]

8. The GOP want complete control of Obama's narrative.

[NNN0LHI]

10. GOP?

What explains the lack of interest in this thread on a supposedly Democratic website?

I thought this information would be real popular here?

But it isn't?

Don