Froomkin on WaPo NSA poll numbers --- actual language of questions

[grasswire]

Here's the language from the Washington Post/ABC News poll :

"What do you think is more important right now -- (for the federal government to investigate possible terrorist threats, even if that intrudes on personal privacy); or (for the federal government not to intrude on personal privacy, even if that limits its ability to investigate possible terrorist threats)? Sixty-five percent said investigate threats; 31 percent said privacy.

"It's been reported that the National Security Agency has been collecting the phone call records of tens of millions of Americans. It then analyzes calling patterns in an effort to identify possible terrorism suspects, without listening to or recording the conversations. Would you consider this an acceptable or unacceptable way for the federal government to investigate terrorism? Do you feel that way strongly or somewhat?" Sixty-three percent said acceptable, 35 percent said unacceptable.

But aside from creating an unfair and false conflict between national security and privacy, these questions simply aren't the most appropriate ones right now. How about asking something like this:

* Do you feel you know enough about how this program works to reach a definitive conclusion?

* Do you think the public should know more about this program and others like it?

* Should the government be able to launch programs like this in secret?

* Do you think President Bush should have asked for approval from the courts or Congress before taking this action?

* Do you trust the Bush administration not to abuse a program like this, when there is no independent oversight?


More at link: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/linkset/2005/04/11/LI2005041100879.html

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. Thanks for posting this

As I suspected, the questions asked didn't match with what had come out about NSA spying.

[Vinnie From Indy]

2. I agree! Thank you !

Send this to EVERY blog you know. These polling questions are crafted to SKEW THE RESULTS. It is not an accident!!!! Rove gets WaPo and ABC to put out a bogus poll IMMEDIATELY after the story breaks. Step two is to have every BushCo operative and outlet hammer it home 24hrs a day. Tune in to ANY radio station at the top of the hour today and you will hear about this bogus poll.

[Douglas Carpenter]

10. I'm afraid you're right: "questions are crafted to SKEW THE RESULTS".

I would prefer to believe that the media is only biased not intentionally deceitful. But, it would take a huge leap of undying faith to believe that in these circumstances.



http://www.dontattackiran.org

[Douglas Carpenter]

11. and I second the motion to pass this info on to every blog, E-mail list

middlesex, village and farm



http://www.dontattackiran.org

[LilyLibber]

3. Yes, thank you!

Besides starting off with a vastly generalized question based on a false premise, this poll is useless on its face without more detailed context, IMO. I knew I smelled BS, especially when all of the online polls (yes, online polls, not "scientific," but neither is this one, per se) listed in another thread (from MSNBC, CNN, and AOL, I believe) heartily oppose this one. Thanks for the info!

[Vinnie From Indy]

4. K & R !

This is an important post. I hope it gets voted and kicked!

[Contrary1]

5. Just sent it to Olbermann. n/t

[Mr_Spock]

6. WOW! That's a TOTAL BULLSHIT POLL! Mother fuckers!

This is complete and utter bullshit.

I hope everyone is prepared for civil disobedience - I am so fucking infuriated by this violation of our Constitutional democracy.

[Vinnie From Indy]

7. kick

eom

[grasswire]

8. shameless kick

this is important stuff

[grasswire]

9. shameless kick

this is important stuff

[ShortnFiery]

12. Yes! This makes more sense.

Kickity Kick!

:dem:

[Awsi Dooger]

13. Just look at the way they end the second question

Instead of just asking if they consider it acceptable or unnaceptable, they throw in the words "to investigate terrorism."

They know damn well, or should, that any question using that loaded word, especially as the final word, the last thing the person hears, will alter the result. Not many people are going to give the answer that makes them sound like they are opposed to investigating terrorism. I'd love to see numbers from a more simple question, one that balances the privacy and terrorism aspects. Privacy isn't even mentioned in the second question, the one where the networks are quoting the 63% result.

[blondeatlast]

16. I had the same thoughts about the use of the word "terrorist" in the poll.

Sixty million potential terrorists in the US?

They've reframed the issue to make it seem like there were a few thousand of these potential civil rights violations.

There were at least SIXTY MILLION.

Nearly 3 hundred million people in the US--I'm not liking the fact that they think someone I know reasonably well is likely enough in their eyes to be a terrorist to be worthy of a freaking WIRETAP.

I don't like this at all.

[BrklynLiberal]

14. Sure hope attention is paid to the fact that this poll is crapola...and

someone does a REAL poll to measure the people's true feelings about this breach of our Constitutional rights.

[PATRICK]

15. The real result for them

is to cleverly check if the "terror" card is still working. This hedging may be from their own fear the Bush can suddenly and easily revive his position by some "incident". Therefore, they are afraid of taking
another side in the DC power struggle. That is the KINDEST explanation I can come up with for the blatant dishonesty.

[TacticalPeek]

17. K & R

Reasonable, insightful, well communicated. Surely Froomkin will be fired any minute.

:kick:

[Stinky The Clown]

18. Better poll questions:

1. Do you accept that the President can knowingly commit, or order others on his behalf to comit, a crime?

2. Do you support the notion that a President can lie to the American public about actions he has taken that were in violation of the law?

[AX10]

19. K&R

[central scrutinizer]

20. better questions

"What do you think is more important right now - stopping ragheaded, slobbering, lice-infested terrorists from raping and murdering your daughter or possible intrusions on personal privacy to stop them over there before they get here?"

"Do you love America, or do you have something to hide?"