Think Progress

First censure poll released.

By Nico Pitney on Mar 16th, 2006 at 12:33 pm

First censure poll released.

46 percent of Americans (48 percent of voters) support Sen. Russ Feingold’s censure resolution, while 44 percent (43 percent of voters) oppose the idea, according to an American Research Group poll.



59 Responses to “First censure poll released.”

  1. Flamethrower says:

    What % do our guys and gals need to pull the trigger? 75, 80?

    I wish the pollsters would ask if the Democratic party is just weak, or the weakest party ever?


  2. Terry says:

    If the numbers hold up maybe that will get a few Democrats to come forward–the pussies


  3. Jesus Christ God of WAR says:

    This is pretty good support. Seemingly in line with polling concerning impeachment.

    The question for 2006: Will Dems grow a spine and stand up to the Bush Cabal?


  4. WiscoDuk says:

    Anyone see “The Daily Shows” take on censure last night? I know it’s a comedy show- but Stewarts belittling of Sen. Feingold was reprehensible.


  5. The Anteater News Blog says:

    AOL Poll puts Feingold’s apprival rating at 71%


  6. Willie Buck Merle says:

    I think Bush should be censured for wearing a wire at the Presidential Debates. Anybody seen Jim Lehrer and those six kiwanis club members that ok’d the auditorium?

    sincerely
    HRC’s presidential chances


  7. RedPretzel says:

    Obviously, 46% of Americans are traitors.

    Round them up! Lock them away in camps out in the Arizona desert where Ann Coulter will don 8″ stiletto heels and dance the Watusi on their bare backs until they swear loyalty to Jesus H. Bush!!!

    I’m starting to wonder if this nation doesn’t deserve everything that’s going to happen to it in the next 10 years…


  8. Dem02020 says:

    #5 I hear ya, J.S. is only a .500 hitter at best; not even that.

    And I missed what it is you referred to, because I watch Keith from now on at that time slot.

    And Colbert has retained his bite, probably cause he didn’t sell out to be Oscar host, and he doesn’t incessantly promote and hack for books and movies, as J.S. does.


  9. Dem02020 says:

  10. JIMBO says:

    Bush will do anything desperate to take the focus off the good senator from Wisconsin. Looks like he’s finding a way. A censure is more than needed for wiretapping. It should be for every atrocity he’s committed around the world.


  11. Alvord says:

    If the polling on censure follows the pattern of other Bush problems, his numbers are only going to get worse as people focus on the issue. He will always have his hardcore base but everyone else will move away from him.


  12. Bruce Gorton says:

    What did the other 10% say?


  13. bobcat_grad says:

    46 percent of Americans (48 percent of voters) support Sen. Russ Feingold’s censure resolution, while 44 percent (43 percent of voters) oppose the idea, according to an American Research Group poll.

    I read this as:

    46 percent of Americans (48 percent of voters) have been paying attention to politics for the past couple years, while 44 percent (43 percent of voters) have been asleep, at a ho-down, or kissing George Bush’s feet, according to an American Research Group poll.


  14. katy says:

    wisco – i saw that too and wasn’t quite sure what to make of jon’s attitude – sorry that he didn’t have the evidence to really hammer like he could have … the problem being – and he let them have it – the dems who didn’t back up feingold… but i wouldn’t say jon belittled feingold, as much as he did the dems…

    watch that clip here …scroll down 1/2way to “Motion Censure” – worth it


  15. bobcat_grad says:

    What did the other 10% say?

    Comment by Bruce Gorton

    They mostly grunted. And drooled.


  16. kindness says:

    btw – Jon’s schtick is comedy. He makes money making fun of obvious current events. Almost like the Jerry Seinfeld of politics. Cut him some slack, he’s on to make a buck, not save the world. We watch him cause he’s usually the only one who will say the obvious, and lord knows the mainstream media won’t utter a bad thing bout bushco.


  17. Doc Zeller says:

    A pet peeve, if I may be indulged for a moment. Domestic wire-tapping is not a program. Feingold should be commended for framing the debate outside the Rovian spin that declared this ” a program” as opposed to something that’s not even a noun, Bush’s “I got caught when a whistle blower or two told the NY Times.” (Nor is the US military + a few others a “coalition.”
    Don’t give up on the congressional Dems, or join the “too weak for their principles” chorus. They’re fighting the media bred “memes” and tautologies bred by the theives and the media echo chamber each day. Standing back while the spin self destructs is not a bad move, playing hard defense, in sense, very New England Patriot-esque, a “rope a dope” from the ex-boxer Reid himself.


  18. Dano347 says:

    I hope I don’t get slammed for this, but 30 congresscritters just requested an impeachment committee:

    The current 30 total co-sponsors are Rep. Neil Abercrombie (D-HI), Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Rep. Michael Capuano (D-MA), Rep. Lois Capps (D-CA), Rep. William Lacy Clay (D-MO), Rep. John Conyers (D-MI), Rep. Sam Farr (D-CA), Rep. Maurice Hinchey (D-NY), Rep. Mike Honda (D-CA), Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-TX), Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA), Rep. John Lewis (D-GA), Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN), Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA), Rep. Cynthia McKinney (D-GA), Rep. Gwen Moore (D-WI), Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Rep. James Oberstar (D-MN), Rep. John Olver (D-MA), Rep. Major Owens (D-NY), Rep. Donald Payne (D-NJ), Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY), Rep. Martin Sabo (D-MN), Rep. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Rep. Fortney Pete Stark (D-CA), Rep. John Tierney (D-MA), Rep. Nydia Velazquez (D-NY), Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA), Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-CA), and Rep. David Wu (D-OR).

    Hot Dukie!


  19. Wally O'Brien says:

    At what point are the Democrats going to realize that they’ve got to take a stand on issues. Any issues!! They are so intimidated by the Swift Boating of their brethren that they are afraid to do anything.

    GWB has made some of the worst decisions of a President, yet people are still praising him for being decisive.

    We just watched “Good Night and Good Luck”. It should be required viewing for all Democratic candidates.

    If you continue to let Joseph McCarthy, I’m sorry I mean Karl Rove, bully you he continues to win.

    I’d like to see them take another poll. How about censuring Frist, Roberts and the others in this group that keep the various investigations into this administration from going further. Reid make a great grandstand play a few months ago. What happened?


  20. progressive and proud says:

    What do you know, turns out the trolls ARE IN FACT on the margins. The fringes if you will. The edge of reality. All alone in their apologist mission. Spreading propaganda and tricking folks into thinking everyone agrees with them.

    I just can’t figure out if they know they are exceptions and just using smoke and mirrors or if they actually believe their own bull. Rush tells them to stop watching all news and listen only to him. That Rush, what a brilliant mind.


  21. Dano347 says:

    Uh, Wally, look up at the last post, I think some are getting the message.


  22. Dan says:

    I wonder however, of the 44% who were AGAINST the censure, how many of them were against the censure because they were more IN FAVOR of impeachment?

    The same goes for the 49% who were AGAINST impeachment. Of that percentage, did any of them oppose it because they wanted to take other disciplinary actions against the president?

    I also agree with #5 about the people not knowing all the facts. I am reminded every day about how little people know when I bring up politics to my friends. I will mention something along the lines of “So what do you think of the cesure?” and they will have no idea what I am even talking about.

    As a side note… I checked out FOX News when the cesure was being read live to see how Fox covered it. Of course… they DID NOT cover it. Instead, Neil Cavuto was doing a much more “important” story on airline food and ticket prices.


  23. Clyde the Ripper says:

    What part of the percentage of those who opposed the Censure did so because they feel impeachment is required versus Censure. Given my preference I would have voted as being against the censure simply because I feel it is not strong enough. Of course the pollsters NEVER phrase the questions so that the result is clear. It is the nature of the pollster to know the answer he wants before he asks the question


  24. Dano347 says:

    Tap, tap, Hello? Is this thing on? Look up and quit bitching!

    30 House members have requested impeachment hearings. Raw Story has it.


  25. Dan says:

    Thank you Dano347 – I just noticed the story as well. My reading order has me reading ThinkProgress first, and then Raw Story. But the reason I still feel like “bitching” is that while I am glad to see those in charge begining to take real action – we still have people in this country who are so far gone in their thinking, it just drives me to… well… “bitch”! I want to see more progressive positive thinking in this country, and these poll numbers still have it more even than I would like. Don’t get me wrong – I love variety. But when one side is harming the other – I don’t like that.


  26. Doug Nelson says:

    Anyone see Clinton’s numbers on that primaries poll? Man.


  27. Bruce Gorton says:

    16: 10% of America’s population is made up of card carrying Republicans?

    18: The trouble is that they are playing too hard on the defense and not hard enough on offense. There are a certain number of Puppy Dog Dems, who roll over on the Republican’s command. Some call them Republican-lites, I call them puppy dogs, amounts to the same thing.

    The thing of it is that impeaching Bush is only half the battle. You need to destroy the disease which Bush represents, not the Republican party so much as the pathetic whimperings of machismo that bred it. Look at games as an example of a symptom, I just went onto Gamefaqs and the first thing I see is “The Outfit” running with the slogan “Destruction on Demand” that could well have been the Republican party’s slogan for 2004.

    And games aren’t the desease. They are like all artforms, symptoms of the greater cultural malaise. This is what Hillary Clinton does not understand, not that games need banning or changing in any way, but that what lies behind the games, the culture they reflect, needs changing.

    Bush is the ultimate macho president. Forget his history of cheerleading, and look at his image, his message. He stands for everything that is macho and nothing that is manly. He wears the cowboy hat and clears brush while his people drown. He talks about courage and has thus far avoided showing any despite his brash bravado of wars and hatred.

    You need someone with the brains reverse this. A leader, and not just any leader, but a strong, honourable leader with the guts to stand by his convictions, and courage to change his mind when he is wrong. You need mensches, and in Feingold you have one, whatever his marital record. You need to find more, and encourage others to follow them. Don’t let the Puppy Dog maintain his place in congress, replace him with a Independent if you have to, but it is better to lose the house then to win it only to have it turn out that nothing changes because your representatives are playing dead.


  28. Bruce Gorton says:

    The brains to reverse this. Sorry about the typos.


  29. tnhillbilly says:

    I called Senator Fienstein’s office this morning to put in my 2 cents worth. The senators aide said that the intelligence committee has been in session all week trying to get to the bottom of things and the Senator would not have a position until they finished. I asked how long that would be, because Senator Roberts seems to have a singularity device that forms a blackhole to engulf any form of investigation into the President. She laughed at that, took my position and thanked me.
    MAYBE the polls will give Mrs. F enough of a backbone to stand up and be counted.


  30. G.W.SuperChrist says:

    John Steward did not slam Fiengold!

    He simply pointed out, that with all of the illegal and reprehensible things that Bush has done that it is funny that the illegal wiretapping is the first one to be met with the threat of an official congressional response.

    And what is that response… Censure… the political equivalent of a slap on the wrist.

    His digs were directed at the spineless Dems, not Fiengold specifically.

    I believe that Stewards main point was – Dems have every reason and opportunity they would ever need to stand up to the president – but only one of them can even muster up enough balls to even suggest an inconsequential response to his lawlessness – and when he does all the other chicken shit thumb sucking Dems go running for cover.

    Would be funny – if not so sad!


  31. Jesus Christ God of WAR says:

    #19 – You give me hope! A few Dems are growing a spine, or are trying desparately to get their message out over the ReichWingNut led media.

    Nice. :)


  32. Moderate Mary says:

    This poll is bait for Democrats. Censure will unite Republicans against Democrats and they can accuse Democrats of petty partisan politics. Why not focus on trying to re-write the law instead of further dividing the country?


  33. Bruce Gorton says:

    33

    Last I checked the Republicans have been doing that since Nixon resigned. Something about a ship making the most noise I understand.


  34. Bruce Gorton says:

    Gwaar, what’s with me today. Empty ship.


  35. G.W.SuperChrist says:

    #33 That is a great idea!

    I think we should just remove the 4th Amendment altogether – Its kinda restrictive!.


  36. Don says:

    Please support Senator Feingold in his hour of need. We need him now and in the future.
    http://www.petitiononline.com/Russ2008/petition.html


  37. Dano347 says:

    “Why not focus on trying to re-write the law instead of further dividing the country?”

    Comment by Moderate Mary — March 16, 2006 @

    Because we don’t live under a monarchy, and the rule of law trumps royal decree.

    Were you this sensitive to “dividing the country” over a BJ?

    “Moderate” in Bizzarro world, perhaps.


  38. CalGal says:

    I sent emails to every Democrat Senator asking them to please support the Feingold censure resolution. I stated that we the people want some recognition that this President has abused his powers and even if the Republicans block it, there will be respect for those that supported it. With a President with such low approval ratings, the time to sit on the fence is over. It’s time to jump out and fight the battle. We still have 3 1/2 years of abuse to endure and I think we need to keep him in check before he does even more damage.


  39. Ohcrap! says:

    The emperor has no clothes it’s high time for the spineless , yellow bellies democrats to support Russ.


  40. mainsailset says:

    This is just the first poll. If more come out tomorrow it should be a toss up on Sunday’s shows of Censure & Impeachment issues vs this latest Iraq attack. I’m sure Karl is busy booking talking heads to be sure he can suck the air out of the room.


  41. Zimzone says:

    Feingold / Dorgan in ‘08!!!


  42. SKdeA says:

    Looks like all of our regular trolls are huddles around their silent faxes, biting their nails… Karl must be having a dry spell!


  43. SKdeA says:

    Huddled, I meant…


  44. Hardy Haberman says:

    So why don’t the Dems stand up and do sometning? Are they being threatened like Supreme Court Justices O’Conner and Ginsberg?

    Has the Bush Crime Family got blackmail material from their spying on the Dems in congress?

    How come no one will answer the call of Finegold for Censure?

    Lots of questions need answering here.


  45. Hardy Haberman says:

    Feingold….Oops!


  46. Ryan Neat says:

    Hey Mighty Moron,

    You were saying that Feingold looked lonely yesterday – but I’d say he didn’t look nearly as lonely as Bolton. If it weren’t for Israel, and those mighty nations of Palau and Marshall Islands, the new UN Human Rights vote would have be 173-1 as opposed to the 170-4 that it was.

    For a group of people who claim to ‘lead’, you sure are miserable at actually getting people behind you.

    Heck, Feingold seems to have half the nation behind him without the benefit of the press, the democratic party leadership or his fellow democrats.

    And Bush and Bolton by contrast have their party leadership, billions in propaganda dollars (some of which is surely wasted on your ineptitude), and he still has the stinkiest poll numbers of any second term president in DECADES!

    Wow, the level of schizophrenia and checked out stupidity it must take to defend the indefensible as you do daily is really astounding. They should study you in a lab, with you under proper restraints of course.


  47. Dumb Fox says:

    46%… It’s almost a mandate.


  48. Dean Moriarity says:

    What do we accomplish with a censure, other than looking like whiners? Opposing the bad policies of the Bush administration is one thing, but a move like this just solidifies the right-wing mouthpieces’ meme that we are nothing but Bush haters, and the only legislation we are offering is a meaningless statement of our Bush hatred?

    I don’t know, I just don’t think that this is a winner issue. The Dems need to hit ALL of their free throws this election cycle if they are to gain ANY seats. Doing things like this don’t seem to me to be a way to prove to Americans that they are the party of new ideas.

    Do we really need an official vote for Americans to know that, with the exception of 2 or 3 folks, the Democrats really don’t think Bush is doing a good job?


  49. Captain Obvious says:

    This just in from Captain Obvious:

    A new idea – enforce the Constitution


  50. Bruce Gorton says:

    Dean

    You accomplish saying you had nothing to do with Bush’s actions. You seperate yourself from them, and show that you do not approve. Silence, is often taken for approval, particularly when the law has been broken.


  51. TerrytheTurtle says:

    #51 ditto that:

    All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.
    - Edmund Burke


  52. Dean Moriarity says:

    Bruce, I hear you, and all things being equal, I would agree with a censure. However, all things are NOT equal, and I think we have to take into consideration all of the political calculations here. Would an investigation with constant talking points be more effective at showing the public that 1) we don’t agree, 2) we are pissed off, but also 3) we are making sure that we know EXACTLY what happened, with the idea that things will be changed if malfeasance occurred, and more importantly, wrongdoers will be PUNISHED, not merely scolded for their actions.

    We could even frame it in a way to suggest that “while we are sympathetic to the frustration and desire to reprimand the President, a censure alone doesn’t make wrongs right, and we should be focused on effecting change (i.e. yes we do have an agenda) than in getting bogged down in partisan procedural ploys.

    Something like that might do an end-around on the GOP “Dems are just whiners without any ideas” defense. Or maybe not.


  53. progressive and proud says:

    Hey there Ryan Neat. I always appreciate your logic. I see Aphro has been run off. Awww


  54. Outraged says:

    No one is reporting on the ARG poll! How is this possible? There is no way that CNN, NYT, etc dont know about the poll and its not as if ARG is some fringe group. How can they ignore this. MyDD reported yesterday that the poll only had 2 hits on google news, now its 5, but none of them are a mainstream newsource.


  55. Nancy L. says:

    Maybe censuring is no better than a slap on the hand, but many American are feeling “thank god, someone’s got the balls to take a stand!” Personally, I don’t care if Feingold is using it for a Presidential bid in 2008, I’m more concerned with the now. At the rate of this Administration, there may not be a tomorrow. Too many of us are disappointed and disgusted with the democrats, because no one has the guts to take a stand, any stand. Where are all the firebrands of the past? The men (women)with passion. I have a dog that doesn’t roll over and play dead, as well as some of these democrats. And Republicans have selected hearing. Washington needs a good enema!


  56. Hell yeah, 4 more for Bush says:

    You Dem.s are still whinning? What’s new?


  57. big papa says:

    The NYT had a good editorial on this censure thing…

    They cited the fact that Congress and the Senate should be MORE focused on appointing an independent Special Investigator to look into this illegal domestic wiretapping

    …the censure movement takes the focus away from the criminality issue…

    Bushiva and l’il Dick are TRAITORS who’ve broken federal law

    …and to merely “censure” them would be the ultimate slap on the wrist…


  58. Florida Republican says:

    Last time I looked there was nothing Domestic about the over sea’s wire tapping. As the truth goes, they are only listening to phone calls made to Europe where the TERRORISTS are! Beyond that, if we had not used this technology and an attack had taken place you DEMS would have been on the other side crying that if we had the technology we should have used it. YOU all only take the side opposite of the president not based on fact.

    Another thing I don’t get is how you sit there and complain about Bush yet NOT ONE OF YOU said a thing about Clinton’s Echelon program that allowed the government to deport American’s to be interrigated over seas. Nice how you ALL ignored that one. You all need to get down on your knees and thank President Bush and our troops for keeping you all free and clear of atatcks so that you can get on here and complain about things that are being done to keep you safe.


  59. Bruce Gorton says:

    First: Europe is where most of America’s major historic allies are. Go read a map.

    Second the wiretaps include American peace activists.

    Third, by your phrasing of it, Echelon sounds like a perfectly normal thing called a “Extradition Treaty.” Go look the term up.

    Further, your argument sound suspiciously like “But, but Clinton did it too!” which as an argument sound suspiciously immature, for a four year old. This isn’t about what Clinton did, its about what Bush did.



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