Why Fox News ‘impeach Trump’ poll doesn't add up

Analysis by FPI / October 11, 2019

Corporate media pundits and entertainers could not contain their glee over a recent Fox News poll in which 51 percent of those polled said they favored impeaching President Donald Trump.

The poll, however, seemed off, and even “schizo,” Washington Times columnist Cheryl K. Chumley noted.

“This same poll then asks participants to name their favorite among a list of people — to express either favorable or unfavorable opinion of each — and guess who wins in a field of nine? Curiosity of all curiosities: Trump,” Chumley wrote.

“So the takeaway message from this poll is we love ya, Trump — but ya gotta go?”

Chumley added: “But here’s a clue to the mindset of these polled individuals.”

Question No. 3 states: “I’m going to read you the names of several individuals and groups. Please tell me whether you have a generally favorable or unfavorable opinion of each one. If you’ve never heard of one please just say so.”

Topping the list with a favorability rating of 49 percent was the Democratic Party. Trump was second, at 43 percent. Nancy Pelosi was at 43 percent; Hillary Clinton, 41; Mike Pence, 40; the Republican Party, 40; Rudy Giuliani, 31; Adam Schiff, 27; Mitch McConnell, 26; and William Barr, 24.

“Either the poll’s a bit politically slanted or — well, not or. It is what it is,” Chumley wrote. “The margin of error for subgroups section sheds a bit more light. The poll was conducted by landline and cellphone interviews of 1,003 registered voters, between Oct. 6 and Oct. 8, with an overall margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.

“But the margin of error for blacks and Hispanics was plus or minus 9 percentage points. The margins of error for non-white men and non-white women were plus or minus 8.5 percentage points and 7.5 percentage points, respectively.”

Chumley continued: “And on the question ‘Do you think President Trump should be impeached and removed from office, or not?’ — it was the black, Hispanic, and non-white subgroups who delivered the most decided yays. Fully 76 percent of blacks said yes, impeach; along with 64 percent of Hispanics and 70 percent of non-whites. Typical Democratic Party voting blocks; typical Democratic Party supporters.”

The same poll also found that just 38 percent of those surveyed said the economy was getting better, versus 37 percent who said it was getting worse. At the same time, in a separate question, 72 percent said they were either very or somewhat confident about their own personal financial future.

Chumley noted: “How’s that work, in an economy that’s supposedly growing worse?”

“Schizophrenia. All over the map,” Chumley wrote of the poll. “Perhaps the public is truly sick of Trump and wants to see him impeached. But then again: maybe not. After all, in terms of favor, Trump is far ahead of those who are actively working to impeach him.

“According to the numbers from this poll — from the actual poll, not the news reports about the poll — it looks like the public would actually rather see Pelosi and Schiff gone, than Trump. And once again, they still hate Hillary.”

Free Press International