Abramoff Scandal Fails to Ignite Sharp Rebuke of Washington (Gallup)

[sabra]

http://poll.gallup.com/content/?ci=20836

Abramoff Scandal Fails to Ignite Sharp Rebuke of Washington
Relatively few Americans call members of Congress "corrupt"

PRINCETON, NJ -- The evidence from the latest CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll suggests that public reaction to the scandal swirling around former lobbyist Jack Abramoff continues to be muted. A majority of Americans call the case "a major scandal," but thus far they report only moderate attention to news about it. Despite reports of strong links between Abramoff -- who pled guilty last week to charges that include bribing public officials -- and some in the Republican Party, the American public tends to think the scandal will hurt the two parties equally (43% say this). However, among those who do perceive a difference in the potential impact of the scandal, the Republicans are far more likely to be seen as vulnerable: while 38% say the Republicans will suffer the most, only 6% say this about the Democrats.


According to the same poll, conducted Jan. 6-8, Americans do not throw the "corruption" charge around easily. Only 22% believe their own member of Congress is corrupt, and just 38% think most members of Congress are corrupt. At the same time, a far greater proportion of Americans believe that special interest groups wield considerable power.

When asked whether their own member of Congress is focused more on the needs of special interests or on the needs of the people of the district, not quite half (49%) credit their member with giving priority to constituents, but 40% say their member caters more to special interests. As for Congress as a whole, a majority of Americans believe that most members of Congress focus more on special interests than on their constituents (54% vs. 40%).

[myrna minx]

1. How is this shocking when the likes of Blitzer and Russert

are working overtime to make this no big deal? :puke:

[Born Free]

24. where are the democrats?

Dean does a good job but where are the rest? If the shoe was on the other foot, the GOP would have everybody out there ranting and raving - you would think the world is coming to an end, whereas the democrats sit back and are still deciding what issue they want to stand up for. After sitting back doing nothing they will expect Americans to trust their lives to them...

[myrna minx]

28. But but but-they're keeping their powder dry. n/t

:eyes:

[JuniorPlankton]

2. As they say in the capital markets

the information about how corrupt the politicians are was already "priced in".
Add to that media's spin about Abramoff giving money to both parties.....

[Blutodog]

3. Ur Right

It's already been discounted as they say. The real crime here is how the MSM talking heads have amplified the D's role in all this knowing damn well that this is a 99% Repuke scandal.

[anotherdrew]

15. he gives millions to rePigs but a few $500 donations to dems makes it OK?

This is what we call public discourse in this country? These rePigs are asking for justice to come from the people, since the system is corrupt beyond repair. Why in hell we don't pay private investigators to follow rePigs like abramoff around 24x7 is beyond me. All the people they're shaking down should be known and warned and publicized.

[Catrina]

26. He did not give one dime to Democrats, anotherdrew.

I know it's not your fault that you thought he might have given even a small amount to Dems, that's what the lying media has been telling viewers, which accounts for the poll, the results being false since the info given to the public, was false. But check the FEC chart. Abramoff NEVER gave a single dime to any Democrat!

I and others have posted the chart over and over here. But it gets lost before people read it. Maybe Skinner needs to put it on the front page, along with a list of the indicted, convicted and under investigation Republicans which the public is not informed about either.

Democrats need to get on television and do what Dean did. Yell, scream, bring the list with them as well as a list of all those convicted and indicted Republicans, and then, after a week of that, take another poll. Even Democrats I know have fallen for the spin. What an outrage this is. The most blatant lies the MSM has told since the WMD lies.

[TankLV]

19. Correction: It's a 100% REPUKE SANDAL. No Democrats are involved.

I repeat.

No.
Democrats.
Are.
Involved.

Stop playing the repuke spin game.

[fishnfla]

29. Oh OK, They should just let the pigfuckers off, forget about it then

la-tee-da nothing to see here.whats for lunch?

[JuniorPlankton]

36. Of course, the people just don't give a shit

One reason: fucking MSM :grr:

[NJmaverick]

4. Until there are more details and charges

There is little to hold the interest of the general public. Give it time and this thing will grow and destroy the evil empire, I mean republican party.

[0rganism]

7. congresscritters are replaceable

That's why I don't see indictments or even convictions destroying the republican party, even if they result in unseating most of the bastards. Their easily-duped constituents will simply vote in another republican and business will continue as usual.

[anotherdrew]

16. give it time, like what 3 years, 4 years? nothings is EVER going to happen

no one will do shit. rePigs are now fully untouchable.

[mazzarro]

18. I do agree

It is still early and as more indictments of rethugs come to light, the condemnation will befall squarely on the rethuglican party - I say!

[radfringe]

23. THREE things working against the scandal

1. Most believe Congress is corrupt anyways and taking bribes/favors is standard procedure. Tell "joe" his Representative/Senator is taking dirty money and "Joe" will shrug and ask "so what else is new - they are all dirty"

My response to this is "So just because 'they' all do it - does it make it right? Do you really want a criminal representing you and passing legislation that impacts your life?"

2. Specific to Abramoff scandal: it involves gambling money - this is the centerpiece. People do not see how it impacts their lives. Yes, Abramoff had his fingers in alot of legislation - but the biggie is - gambling. If "Joe" doesn't gamble, he doesn't see how this effects him directly.

People need to see that dirty back-door deals do effect them - no matter what the issue. Money has to come from somewhere, and one way or another the expense of lobbying/bribery will be passed down to the consumer. This also applies to legal donations to political campaigns - if a drug company gives candidate "x" a couple of thousands dollars, it becomes part of their operating expenses and eventually "trickles down" to the cost of their products. So clean or dirty - those "donations" effect the cost of a product, i.e. YOUR WALLET

3. The Abramoff "affair" is complicated and tangled. There is no connect Dot A to Dot B. It looks more like a "brazzillion" cats have gone rabid in a yarn factory. Coupled with that is that some the "donations" were perfectly legal - so how do you sort out the clean money from the dirty money? People want nice simple easy to understand scandals. This isn't one of them.

Watergate was boiled down to simple terms - Nixon bugged Dem headquarters, Nixon tried to cover it up.

With Clinton - he got a blow job and lied about it.

Both in a simple nut shell - easy to understand.

With the Abramoff "affair" - we have Indian Casinos, postal rate hikes, the Russian connection, Christian Coalition, Congressmen, Congressional Wives and Aides, Sun Cruz, the "mob". It's in tooo many nutshells.

[sampsonblk]

5. Our Party leaders are miserable

This is disheartening. There is any easy case to be made for how and why the GOP is corrupt to the core - not only in their behavior, but in their way of "thinking" also. We need people who can make this case, and who have the guts to do so.

[Kolesar]

10. Who is this "Our Party" you are talking about?

[progressivebydesign]

22. I do recall Howard Dean totally kicking Blitzer's ass over this. n/t

[stepnw1f]

6. Don't Buy It!!!

I have talked to plenty of people and they are all disgusted. This poll is bullshit!

[leveymg]

8. It's another push-poll, soon to be be cited in GOP talking points.

Gallup has been the main Republican pollster for six decades.

[BlueInPhilly]

9. Just give it time

Nothing is that known right now, and not everybody reads Time. Once the particulars are out there, this thing will take on a life of its own. Just wait till the public hear of The Lion King ticket demands and 4 Seasons London requirements for mere congressional aids. And they can make this as bipartisan as they want, but the truth remains that this isn't.

It took the Feds 18 months to get a plea deal out of Abramoff - you cannot expect people to get the full taste of this in just a week.

[Spazito]

11. Gallup overpolls the repubs and under polls the dems so anything

they publish isn't worth "crapt".

[AndyTiedye]

12. Gallup is OWNED by Fundies

[Bob3]

13. Give it Time - things like this take a while to settle in

And hell nobody other than Abramnoff has been indited yet. Let's see what happens when congressmen get to do the perp walk.

[anotherdrew]

14. gee, maybe because the media have been covering up the facts?

they have reported on nothing on the nightly news. This story shgould get 15min twice a week. instead most of the idiots polled probabyl knew next to nothing about it!

[0007]

17. This is a laugher from the two biggest whores for the White House.

[HuffleClaw]

20. well, gee i can't imagine why that is?

maybe it is because the media has taken the republican talking point about the 'abramoff-LINKED money' and run with it? maybe its because fox and cnn and the usual pundits have been SCREAMING the same thing?

[progressivebydesign]

21. Because the corporate media refuses to REPORT IT CORRECTLY!!

If the stupid ass media corporate whores actually did their job, and if people actually read the newspaper rather than watch Dancing with the STars.. then perhpaps it would take hold. How utterly fucking stupid to have a poll like that... really... as IF Fox News or CNN News actually reported it fairly and accurately, so people would realize what a MONSTROSITY of a crime it all is. Stop the planet, I wan't to get off now.

[oasis]

25. I would support and participate in an informational picket of CNN on

their policy of intentionally misleading Americans.

Six months later we picket another so-called MSM outlet.

They'll get the message when local news stations are forced to report on the reason why hundreds of protesters are surrounding CNN.

[Binka]

27. I Predict 30% At Least Of Those "Both Equally" Will Join Us

By April. I would make book on that but I think that is illegal.:evilgrin: The corporate media WILL NOT be able to ignore this story once Abramoff uncovers the bodies. And Rove is indicted. And Frist gets his ass busted. And the Republican house of cement cards crashes on their pointy heads. I am so HAPPY. This is going to be such delicious schadenfreude. Trust me, really trust me on this. I have been having dreams about 2006 since December 2000, right about the time I nearly miscarried my baby when the SCOTUS installed Lord BunnyPants.

2006 is OUR YEAR. Legendary Lady Says "My Mommy And All Of DU ROCK."

[gtar100]

30. Gallup polls are a tool to manipulate public opinion

I don't have any stats on this but I swear in these last years polls have become such highlights in "news" reports. And I get this queasy feeling that the wording and results are attempting to manipulate opinion, mainly to support right-wing talking points. Now when I see the word "poll", I am immediately suspicious. They have been touted as some sort of objective temperature-taking of current events, but I smell a rat here.

[robbedvoter]

31. Gallup to GOP: keep it up, it works! (we are doing our part)

This entire cycle - perpetrating lies then testing "the class' to see if they caught is making me sick. i would be simply bored by it but I see how many DU-ers revere polls - so :puke:

[spanone]

32. Maybe indictments and some jail time will.

[jsamuel]

33. When even Freepers won't vote for "hurt democrats more" then you KNOW that

it is hurting the republicans more... hahaha

[SoCalDem]

34. That's exactly what the media wants..so that's what they get

Polling questions are always structured to give the desired result..

By the time the elections are looming large, the scandal will have either been minimized, or the dems will have been "given" a larger profile in it.

Without a steady access to "fair" media, our side will always end up looking like contrarians, just out to bash the republicans.:(

[zann725]

35. Once again, what ARE the demographics "Gallup" is polling...if at all?

Let's hear from Zogby at least. His last "figures" on the scandals and Shrub were slightly closer to reality.