Another Poll, Another Spin

A new USA Today/Gallup poll finds that - despite all of the sound and fury about the end of the justice system and the abolition of law and calls for impeachment - a mere 20 percent of Americans were willing to even make the claim to pollsters that they had been following "the news" concerning the commutation of Scooter Libby "very closely." Of course, "the news" here is best translated as: "the relentless negative commentary in the aftermath of the commutation."

Interestingly, 20 percent is just about the exact same percentage of respondents that thought the commutation was "right" or a "full pardon" should be granted.

As for the 80 percent who had not followed the reporting "very closely," but were willing to express an opinion to pollsters about the whole thing anyway, 15 percent had "no opinion" and 66 percent said Bush should not have "intervened" on Libby's behalf. "Intervene" huh? Interesting word for a poll to use. The phrase "prison sentence" was also provided as a cue in a question for the 80 percent who were paying attention to other things. See my previous commentary here .

Among Republican-leaning respondents, 80 percent said their opinion of Bush was not affected at all by the commutation, or they gained confidence in the President.