Blind eye: Fox touts poll showing Obama trailing tea parties, ignores contradictory result in its own poll

Written by Matt McLaughlin

Published

Fox News highlighted a Rasmussen poll to suggest that the views of the American public were closer to the tea party movement than to President Obama, but in presenting findings of its own polling a few hours later, Fox News did not disclose that its poll undermined that suggestion. Indeed, the Fox News poll showed that Obama is viewed far more favorably than the “Tea Party Movement.”

Fox News: Polling says Americans' views “closest to” tea partiers; Fox polling disagrees

Fox touts Rasmussen poll showing Obama trailing tea party movement. On the April 8 edition of America's Newsroom, host Martha MacCallum said she wanted to “pull up a poll that shows the breakdown of the tea party.” On-screen text referred to a Rasmussen poll in which 48 percent of respondents said the views of the “average tea party member” are closer to their own than to Obama's views. Forty-four percent said their views were closer to Obama's than those of the “average tea party member.” During the discussion, the following on-screen graphic appeared:

Kelly highlights Fox News polling on Obama's approval, ignores that he's viewed more favorable that tea party. On the April 8 edition of Fox News' America Live, host Megyn Kelly discussed a poll released that day showing Obama with a 43-percent approval rating. Kelly stated:

KELLY: This is just in literally from Fox News-Opinion Dynamics polling. This is a first look we're getting at this. On everything from health care to military action against Iran, the president's approval ratings not -- not that great. This one is perhaps the biggest news. It shows a 43-percent job approval for the commander in chief -- 43 percent. And our polling unit tells us that that is not just a new low for the Fox News polling. It is a new low, they believe, for all polling.

Kelly made no mention that the Fox News poll found that Obama is viewed far more favorably than the “Tea Party Movement.”

Tea partiers trailed Obama, IRS, and Democratic and Republican parties in Fox poll. The Fox News poll Kelly cited also asked viewers about whether they have a “generally favorable or unfavorable opinion” of several individuals. Obama was viewed favorably by 50 percent of respondents, followed by the IRS, the Democratic Party, the Republican Party and the Tea Party Movement -- viewed favorably by 36 percent of respondents.