Politico's VandeHei Manufactures Split Between Progressives And Obama Voters On Social Security

[NNN0LHI]

http://mediamatters.org/blog/2012/11/20/politicos-vandehei-manufactures-split-between-p/191480

Blog ››› 7 hours and 23 minutes ago ››› ADAM SHAH

Politico executive editor Jim VandeHei misrepresented a poll to claim that progressive Democrats are out of step with most people who voted for President Obama over how to deal with Social Security and Medicare.

VandeHei stated on the November 20 edition of MSNBC's Morning Joe that Obama voters are "at odds with the liberal base" of the Democratic Party on Social Security and Medicare:

VANDEHEI: {T}here's a lot of divisions inside the Democratic Party over what to do on entitlement reform. You're not going to get any Republican votes for an increase in taxes unless you have some changes to Medicare and to Social Security. And inside the Democratic Party, there's a big divide. Third Way, which is a group that represents centrists Democrats, they're out with a poll of Obama supporters this morning that show the vast majority of Obama supporters actually support changes to Medicare and Social Security, which puts them at odds with the liberal base of the party in the House and in the Senate."

VandeHei was echoing a Politico article that stated "a Third Way poll of 800 Obama voters set for release Tuesday found that efforts to fix Medicare and Social Security enjoy broader support than liberals suggest."

[Fumesucker]

1. Well you sure don't see that split here thank pasta n/t

[msongs]

2. pelosi and reid have taken SS "off the table". that's 2 ouf 3 so far nt

[hrmjustin]

3. They need something to write about, so they will make it up. n/t

[Samantha]

4. Third Way in no way speaks for Democrats and I think its polling would be suspect

These people are right-leaning politicians masquerading as Democrats. In no way should the public perceive they speak for mainstream Democrats. We need to pick up this message and keep sending it out there.

Sam