ABC Headline & Tweet Touts Poll Blaming Big Oil and Putin, Not Biden for High Gas Prices

The tendency of network news divisions to dismiss public opinion polls is seen in President Biden’s terrible photos. ABC’s latest Ipsos poll was reported under the headline: “POLL: The high price of gasoline is the reason Americans are most angry at Vladimir Putin and other oil companies..”

Both sent the exact same message to Twitter 

Meredith Deliso wrote the online story: “As politicians debate who to blame for rising gas prices, a vast majority of Americans think that both oil companies, and Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to a recent ABC News/Ipsos Poll.”

The headline is, technically true — but it’s not an either-or choice. Although “Most” are blaming Putin and oil firms, the majority also blame Biden (51%) and Democrat policy (52%). In terms of “a great deal of blame,” the results for Dems/Biden/Oil companies are pretty much the same: Biden 33%, Dem policies 31% and oil companies 35%, and Putin at 39%. 

Plus, 68% of those surveyed said they don’t approve (much more than the 51% that blame Joe Biden for rising gas prices). It’s basically the same 68% disapproval as a month ago (70%), which is within an unusually large margin of error (4.9%).

Deliso admits in the second paragraph that this is what he meant:Across party lines, Americans tend to be more inclined than Republicans to attribute the rise in gas prices to Democrats.The poll also revealed that Republicans are more enthusiastic about the November elections than Democrats, according to this survey.

However, you won’t understand this notion if your only reading headlines or tweets. 

This poll appeared briefly within the last five minute of This Week Sunday. Jonathan Karl was not trying to make people blame Putin for raising the prices. The poll revealed “many intriguing data points,” such as 60 percent disapproval of Biden’s approach to immigration.It was also his lowest approval rating, other than inflation and gas prices..”

 

Craig Bannister offers research assistance ABC’s polling was partially funded by CarMax.

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