Skewing the Numbers

So, CalCon links to a rightwingnut "news" source under the guise of a Gallup report, which itself does not include a link to the Gallup poll, but instead offers it's "reporter" for interviews? And this is Proof that the public thinks that Petraeus didn't mislead the Congress and American people about the situation in Iraq.

Now that's what I call a stretch.

First, and setting aside the quotation of another rightwingnut as a evidence of anything, this particular wingnut gives away their bias by simply suggesting that they would give an interview, or at least the last time I checked the Columbia School of Journalism didn't offer that as a course. Reporters do the interviewing, as when you cross that line, you become a defacto pundit.

Second, Randy didn't link directly to the report because the report says nothing about why Petraeus favorable ratings went up, but rather, simply reports that they did. Co-incidentally, the "unknown" percentage decreased at the same time, while the "unfavorable" rating remained constant. What this tells you is that as people became aware of who he is, they had a "favorable" impression.

And, a favorable impression does not necessarily translate into a belief that he is right on the war.

The people may look at him more favorably and view him as a good spokesman for the war, he has not done much to change the public's opinion on the war.

But only if we're looking at the matter from an objective point of view.

After reading the comments on this post, it came to me that there is just too incredibly vast a difference between liberals and conservatives. From the Top 10 Differences Between Progressives and Conservatives list:

Number 9
• Progressives believe in facts.
• Conservatives believe that anything that does not explicitly favor them is biased against them.

For example, this post claiming that Petraeus' favorable ratings increasing means that the public believes him, that the war is going just great and we should stay for another 10 to 50 years. And the presnit is going to ask for $200 Billion for the continuing war effort next week, making 2008 the most expensive year yet.

Don't worry; the weak and worthless Democrats in the Congress will fall all over themselves to give Bush every last dime, because the neocons and republicans have somehow managed to make funding the troops the same as supporting the troops and vice-versa. Nevermind that the liberal founding fathers set up the system specifically giving Congress the purse strings to check the president's power. Or, at least that was their stated goal.

The bottom line, as clearly evidenced on this blog over and over:

And, the Number 1 Modern Difference Between Progressives and Conservatives
• Progressives believe that “we are all in it together.”
• Conservatives believe that “you are on your own.”

Am I wrong?