GOP Still Failing To Capitalize

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_11/021015.php

GOP STILL FAILING TO CAPITALIZE.... Plenty to chew on in the new WaPo/ABC poll.



Looking through the internals, there are some interesting angles to keep an eye on.

* Reform: Asked for their "overall" impressions of the health care debate, 48% support the reform plan, 49% oppose it. That's a pretty even split, though it's worth noting that 48% support is the highest it's been in several months -- there's a clear division, but it's not getting worse for reform advocates.

* Reform specifics: While the public is evenly divided on the larger bill, a 53% majority still supports a public option; a 66% majority supports an employer mandate; and a 56% majority supports subsidized health plans that cover abortion procedures, so long as there's a division between premiums and taxpayer money.

* President Obama: The president's level of support is showing some durability, despite the difficult times. His job approval rating is 56%, one point lower than October, but two points higher than September. His personal favorable rating is even higher, at 61%.

* Republican Party: The GOP is still failing badly to capitalize on the changing landscape. When respondents were asked who they trust to handle the nation's challenges, Republicans trailed Democrats by 16 points, 47% to 31%. The margin is similar when it came to GOP vs. the president on issues like the economy and health care. Just as important, Democrats enjoy a 10-point lead on which party "better represents your own personal values," and a 15-point on which party is "more concerned with the needs of people like you."

* Party of No: Respondents were asked, "Do you think leaders of the Republican Party are mainly presenting alternatives to Obama's proposals, or mainly criticizing Obama's proposals without presenting alternatives?" A 61% majority said the GOP is just criticizing.

—Steve Benen

Re-writing their nonsensical screeds, cleaning up their inflammatory language, overlooking their batshit crazy pronouncements, the major media still can't seem to get the GOP off the schneid and moving again. Those stupid people in flyoverland stubbornly refuse to abandon this pipe dream of a single payer health care system or recognize the inherent evil of the Democrats in general and President Obama in particular. It almost makes the popular media want to give up on the Mighty Republican Wurlitzer, if this is as ineffectual as they're going to be.

Almost.

As has been said by an eminent philosopher, the media just don't know how to quit the GOP.