The latest NBC/WSJ poll includes a number of interesting findings. Dave Weigel and Alex Seitz-Wald both took note of BP’s extremely low favorability ratings:
Indeed, the poll shows that only 6 percent have a favorable rating of BP. In the history of the NBC News/Journal poll, Saddam Hussein (3 percent), Fidel Castro (3 percent) and Yasser Arafat (4 percent) have had lower favorable scores, and O.J. Simpson (11 percent) and tobacco-maker Philip Morris (15 percent) have had higher ratings.
But another finding of interest hasn’t received nearly as much attention. Question 16 used the following wording:
Now I’m going to read you some things that you might learn about a candidate running for Congress. For each one, please tell me whether (A) you are enthusiastic about the candidate having this attribute, (B) you are comfortable with it, (C) you have some reservations about it, (D) you are very uncomfortable with it, or (E) it makes no difference to you. (RANDOMIZE)
One of the topics they included in this question was offshore drilling. Specifically, they asked how voters felt about candidates who ‘Favor continuing oil drilling off the U.S. coast.’ Notice that they did not ask about candidates who favor increased drilling, they asked about candidates who favor continuing drilling. The results are astounding: 48% of voters are either very uncomfortable or have reservations about Congressional candidates who ‘favor continuing’ offshore drilling. Just 41% are comfortable or enthusiastic about candidates taking that position:
The results are in folks: offshore drilling is a political loser this year. I’m looking forward to seeing just how unpopular increased drilling is, in light of these results.
The full results of the poll can be found here.
