Putting 'Obama' in Poll Questions Makes Everyone More Fired Up

Do you support an assault weapons ban? What if Obama didn't?

Call it the "Obama effect."

Business Insider reports on a new poll showing the effect that mention of the President's name has on support for X and Y. A joint effort by the Washington Post and ABC twice asked respondents if they'd support a range of policy proposals: once without "Obama has proposed...," once with it. And on everything from immigration reform to an assault weapons ban, Democratic poll-takers became more supportive of the plan when the President's name was attached while Republicans became less agreeable.

The biggest dip in support was seen among Republicans on the proposal to create a "path to citizenship" for currently undocumented workers and their families. A whopping 21% drop was seen among conservative respondents when Obama's name was coupled with the idea.

BI's Brett LoGiurato puts the findings in context:

The results revealed two things: First, what topics and proposals Obama should avoid in tonight's State of the Union address and in subsequent speeches later this week. And second, the poll showed that Republicans will likely never support a measure with Obama's name attached to it - even if they support the proposal overall.

Via Business Insider.

Are you ever swayed by hearing that Obama supports a policy goal?

[thatgirl]

And to think, someone actually spent $ to figure out what everyone already knows.

[Denizen_Kate]

I could have done this one myself. And I REALLY need the money!

[thatgirl]

@Denizen_Kate I know, right?

[DogLady_1]

A good idea is a good idea, no matter who proposed it... a bad idea is a bad idea, no matter who proposed it... how about we stop acting like we are voting for candidates when this is the time to be supporting or opposing legislation???

[DARSB]

I'll steal a good idea anywhere I can find it - except from Neo, 'cause that would make him sad.

[PolitixMary K]

It's my anecdotal impression that putting Obama into headlines increases the partisan nature of comments by 200%.

[thatgirl]

More like 2000%.

[jessejaymes]

that's a great photo. It would work on a billboard in Vegas advertising some casino's Illusionist. Unfortunately, it's starting to look like when it comes to the economy that is all he is.

[martydotcom]

Just like of any poll the outcome can be predetermined by the verbiage used in the questions, the "heat level" in comments are totally determined by the controversial nature of the verbiage employed. Putting "Michelle Obama" in the title vs "Obama" will produce a totally different level of intensity reply

[Knightkore]

I think you're right....

[MaxPain]

And yet you do it day in and day out for the Sheer Drama or for the GOP money you get Paid.

[marine1]

i would say the same could be said about bush only the respondents would be reversed.

[jessejaymes]

I'm coming to the point that I am influenced by the name obama. When I hear he's "appealing to the public" I expect that his agenda is guns gays or illegals and nothing else. I think the job of President is to balance running the country in a responsible manner along with social issues. I have come to associate the name Obama with social issues and poor money management.

[marine1]

I would think the biggest problem he will have tonight is his trustworthyness. He has a history of not doing as he says which makes him no different than most politicians, BUT he is the man of the hour and his untruths are staring him in the face before he ever opens his mouth. Whatever he says will be a hard sale and his track record isn't going to help him.

[jessejaymes]

@marine1 Well some of the things he promised like closing gitmo the GOP stopped. But he's been very ineffective, wasting billions in stimulus and bailouts which were given without any assurance of being full repaid. The man may be a great liberal on social issues and he may well be a Law expert but he has ZERO financially credibility with me.

[marine1]

@jessejaymes The GOP put the same hurdles in front of Clinton but by be a leader he seemed to get the job done. Some people are ment to lead and some are not.

[jessejaymes]

@marine1 I totally agree. I hate to put it this crass but Obama either has no balls or he's totally owned by the same people that own the GOP.

[marine1]

@jessejaymes I think he is owned, just like the ones before him. There is a power in this world like you and I will never know or understand.

[mwr]

No, but the people who are dont read this web site. They listen to 40 second news clips of his speaches, do no research, and form the opinions he tells them to have..

[Denizen_Kate]

Seems to me that many, even those who frequent this site, listen to 40 seconds of opinion disguised as news from Fox and form the opinions that Fox News tells them to have. See how that works in reverse? Don't mistake me, I'm not a Democrat or an Obama supporter, but I have noticed quite a few of his detractors repeating Fox News talking points on many subjects on this site, even when unrelated to the story at hand.

[Romney2012]

Bull crap

[Hireman]

My kneejerk is that if he supports an idea, I probably won't as I just can't find many of his ideas that are good. However, I'd be a hypocrite if I didn't first try to understand his point and the back-story first.

[Denizen_Kate]

Agreed. A good idea is a good idea no matter who proposes it.

[Hireman]

@Denizen_Kate absolutely! I'm just waiting for one from Obama.

[Denizen_Kate]

@Hireman - I may not agree with that assessment, but I have to give you the "chuckle factor" vote up.

[bsking]

Of course I'm swayed... when I hear Obama's proposal I am immediately swayed in the other direction... I guess that thinking is if you just say some communist wants to take your second Amendment away... but you don't mention Obama's name... 80 percent of the United States gun owners will say oh okay yeah that's different

[martydotcom]

swayed??? You start frothing like a mad dog at the mention of his name

[bsking]

@martydotcom oh I do not .. I am glad however there will be something more interesting to watch on television tonight . I'm going to opt out of the Presidents fairy tales and go with the more reality based programming... I'm going to watch a cop killer get what's coming to him

;-[

[martydotcom]

@bsking Sitting in front of a TV watching talking heads trying to fill dead air time talking NONSTOP BS because they have to make up what is going on is perfect for you

[bsking]

@martydotcom no Marty I said I wasn't going to watch the President's fairy tales. I'm going to watch the LAPD SWAT team take out Chris Dorner . I assume you will probably be watching Barack Obama give the same speech he gave in 2009.. and 10 11 and 12...lol

[martydotcom]

@bsking I know what you said you'll be sitting listening to talking head who are far removed from the scene make themselves experts on psychopaths with. Gee the suspense is a killer. He's trapped in a cabin and has sworn nit to be taken alive? Think the cops will interfer with speech? Tactics I think will dictate this be over before dark . Maybe you'll get to see both. LMAO

[Chromalord]

I didn't know they actually READ proposals. But yeah, this only strengthens my long-time assertion that there really isn't a two-party system. Its all a giant smoke screen to give the illusion of battling ideals when the real reason is that congress needs to blame someone for the problems as a result of public demand and outcry, and that person is usually the president first, then the party as an ideal. They cant blame big business, as they get paid much more from them than they do from us. Its not just a coincidence that most of the largest companies pay little to no taxes: congress voted to make it that way. They cant hold their own actions ( or rather, lack of them) accountable because they passed laws to protect themselves while giving them opaqueness and legitimacy. So, who else are they going to blame?

[Quick]

Was that image photoshopped?

[Denizen_Kate]

You think?:) Kinda creepifying, isn't it?

[Dan_Tien]

No, that is the psychic image that he sends you in your dreams.

[OhWiseOne]

It certainly sways black peoples opinion of things. Once the Dear Leader came out for homosexual marriage they flip flopped like a fish out of water and started showing support for it. Some folks have to have a leader to think for them and some folks are able to think for themselves.

[Denizen_Kate]

Support for same sex marriage has been growing in all demographics over the last few years.

[DARSB]

@Denizen_Kate Right you are - steadily increasing since at least 1996 - and accelerating during the Bush administration. http://goo.gl/9Pvox

[jessejaymes]

Same sex marriage has never had any real support in the the ghettos and barrios and it doesn't today. But nobody cares what those people think because they don't vote.

[OhWiseOne]

@Denizen_Kate The black community had been against it until Dear Leader came out for it.

[commonsense51]

If Obama said he was not supporting more controlling gun laws I would say it's about time this control fanatic came to his senses.

[jmiller94]

Doesn't the saying go that if you put a typewriter in a room full of monkeys one would eventually write War and Peace?

[Denizen_Kate]

I believe it was the complete works of Shakespeare, not "War and Peace." Same concept, though. Like Tom Cruise's character said at the end of the movie "Tropic Thunder": "a nutless monkey could do your job."

[jmiller94]

@Denizen_Kate exactly 99% of all politicians ideas are stupid, I treat them all equally.

[wangotango]

Is the messiah about to raise dead or heal the sick in that photo???? I think maybe its a photo taken by fienstein with him saying "please let me touch them once" as he looks the leather clad nancy pelosi up and down....

[harold_lloyd]

I don't understand the result so far.

There are so many people here whose response is,"Obama is the spawn of Satan!!" to just about any question that is raised.

Q "Will the sun rise tomorrow?"
A "No, Obama, that scum, gave the sun to the commies!!"

Know what I mean?

[BelinKS]

I have my own view on topics. If Obama was against banning assault weapons, we would agree. If Obama's immigration reform makes common sense, I would agree with him. That he has drones flying over our own country we completely disagree. His name has no impact on my beliefs. He just happens to be doing many things I disagree with.

[DrFunkenstein]

If the poll question were "Do you support Ronald Reagan's support for the Assault Weapons ban?" then you would get less rambling from the ones that know that Reagan supported the ban but standard ignorant rambling from Teabaggers that know nothing of history.

[Jack-Black]

If Barry ever said or did anything I agreed with I would support it.