So last week's
Newsweek poll supposedly found that more Americans oppose censure than support it. But compare the wording of the censure question in the Newsweek poll to the wording of the censure question in the ARG poll, which found that a plurality of the country supports censure.
Follow the flip.
Newsweek's censure question, via polling report:
"As you may know, Senator Russ Feingold has called for Congress to censure, or formally reprimand, President Bush over the issue of his warrantless wiretapping program. Censure is a way for Congress to express strong disapproval of a President's actions without going so far as impeachment. Would you support the censure of President Bush by Congress, or not?"
.
Support Wouldn't
Support Unsure
% % %
ALL adults 42 50 8
Republicans 20 75 5
Democrats 60 30 10
Independents 42 51 7 [boldface added]
Here's ARG's wording:
Do you favor or oppose the United States Senate passing a resolution censuring President George W. Bush for authorizing wiretaps of Americans within the United States without obtaining court orders?
3/15/06 Favor Oppose Undecided
All Adults 46% 44% 10%
Voters 48% 43% 9%
Republicans (33%) 29% 57% 14%
Democrats (37%) 70% 26% 4%
Independents (30%) 42% 47% 11%
Based on 1,100 completed telephone interviews among a random sample of adults nationwide March 13-15, 2006. The theoretical margin of error is plus or minus 3 percentage points, 95% of the time. [boldface added]
Newsweek just mentions "warrantless wiretapping," no mention that American citizens have been subjects. ARG mentions Bush "authorizing wiretaps of Americans within the United States without obtaining court orders."
Mention that it is American citizens under warrantless surveillance, and you get plurality support for censure.
Even without this context, the Newsweek poll has been spun fairly favorably for Democrats, by no less a purveyor of Beltway conventional wisdom than Cokie Roberts. Make no mistake, though: the signs are clear that we aren't just doing okay on censure; the majority of the public is with us. Whenever you hear about the "contradictory" polling on censure, do whatever you can to slap down another false meme.