The MRC recently pointed out a perfect example of why the media cannot be trusted to objectively present political polling data.
A 2-12 CBS poll about the resolution against the troop surge showed that Americans are evenly split (44% in favor, 45% against). This figure didn't support the media's campaign to inform us that we are turning on the war, so it was omitted, and instead, they combined two sets of results from the poll that made the public look more against the war and only presented that figure.
Here's how the poll was presented:
"KATIE COURIC, anchor:
Tomorrow the House will begin a three-day debate on a nonbinding symbolic resolution stating its disapproval of President Bush's Iraq troop buildup, but our new CBS News Poll
shows a majority of Americans want Congress to go even further. A total of
53 percent say Congress ought to block funding for additional troops or for the war entirely."
Only 8% of the respondents thought funding should be pulled
entirely, 45% wanted Congress to block funding for MORE troops, while 42% wanted full funding.
Here are the CBS poll results, without the manipulative presentation:
http://www.cbsnews.com/htdocs/CBSNew...q_feb_poll.pdf