Rasmussen Poll, America Believes Media Trying for Obama Victory

Lots of bad feelings regarding the Media announced today by Rasmussen. Not only does the public think that the media is going out of their way to help Obama win (49% vs. 24% who say reporting is unbiased), they also feel that the press is exaggerating the US economic problems only 25% of the country feels that the economic coverage is accurate:

HELPING OBAMA WIN-The belief that reporters are trying to help Barack Obama win the fall campaign has grown by five percentage points over the past month. The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey found that 49% of voters believe most reporters will try to help Obama with their coverage, up from 44% a month ago.

Just 14% believe most reporters will try to help John McCain win, little changed from 13% a month ago. Just one voter in four (24%) believes that most reporters will try to offer unbiased coverage.

A plurality of Democrats—37%-- say most reporters try to offer unbiased coverage of the campaign. Twenty-seven percent (27%) believe most reporters are trying to help Obama and 21% in Obama’s party think reporters are trying to help McCain.

Among Republicans, 78% believe reporters are trying to help Obama and 10% see most offering unbiased coverage.

As for unaffiliated voters, 50% see a pro-Obama bias and 21% see unbiased coverage. Just 12% of those not affiliated with either major party believe the reporters are trying to help McCain.

In a more general sense, 45% say that most reporters would hide information if it hurt the candidate they wanted to win. Just 30% disagree and 25% are not sure. Democrats are evenly divided as to whether a reporter would release such information while Republicans and unaffiliated voters have less confidence in the reporters.

Republicans and unaffiliated voters are more likely to trust campaign information from family and friends than from reporters. Democrats are evenly divided as to who they would trust more (full results at the bottom of post)

REPORTING ON THE ECONOMY AND IRAQ-Only 34% of Americans believe the United States has the world’s best economy, but 50% believe the media makes economic conditions appear worse than they really are, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.

With the Federal Reserve Board chairman making gloomy predictions this week about the country’s short-term economic future, gas now over $4 a gallon and numerous other negative indicators, 52% of adults believe the U.S. economy is not the best in the world.

Only a quarter (25%) think reporters and media outlets present an accurate picture of the economy and 18% believe they actually portray it as better than it is. Just 34% trust reporters more when it comes to news on the economy, and 32% see stockbrokers as more reliable.

A plurality of Americans (41%) similarly believe that the media has tried to make the war in Iraq appear worse that it really is, while 26% say reporters have made it look better than reality and 25% think they’ve portrayed it accurately.

National Survey of 1,000 Likely Voters
Conducted July 19, 2008
By Rasmussen Reports Election

1* When covering a political campaign, do most reporters try to offer unbiased coverage or do they try to help the candidate they want to win?

16% Offer unbiased coverage
71% Try to help the candidate they want to win
13% Not sure

2* Think for a moment about the three major presidential candidates this year. Which candidate received the best treatment from the media so far—Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, or John McCain?

57% Barack Obama
11% Hillary Clinton
21% John McCain
10% Not sure

3* Looking ahead to the campaign between Barack Obama and John McCain, will most reporters try to help Barack Obama, offer unbiased coverage, or try to help John McCain?

49% Try to help Barack Obama
24% Offer unbiased coverage
14% Try to help John McCain
13% Not sure

4* Suppose a reporter learned some news that might politically hurt a candidate they wanted to win. Would most reporters hide that information to help the candidate?

45% Yes
30% No
25% Not sure

5* When it comes to information about the Presidential campaign, who do you trust more—news reporters or family and friends?

29% News reporters
43% Family and friends
28% Not sure

Economy-Conducted July 16, 2008
By Rasmussen Reports

1* Despite current difficulties, does the United States still have the best economy in the world?

34% Yes

52% No

14% Not sure

2* When covering economic issues, do most reporters and media outlets try to make the economy seem worse than it really is, better than it really is, or do they present an accurate picture of the economy?

50% Worse than it really is

18% Better than it really is

25% They present and accurate picture

7% Not sure

3* Who do you trust the most when it comes to news on the economy—reporters or stockbrokers?

34% Reporters

32% Stockbrokers

34% Not sure

4* Do most reporters and media outlets view American society as generally fair and decent or do they see it as basically unfair and discriminatory?

39% Generally fair and decent

44% Basically unfair and discriminatory

18% Not sure

5* Okay… When covering the war in Iraq, do most reporters and media outlets try to make the War in Iraq seem worse than it really is, better than it really is, or do they present an accurate picture of the War in Iraq?

41% Worse than it really is

26% Better than it really is

25% They present and accurate picture

8% Not sure