I used to put up material like this more often.  Maybe I\’ll start doing it more often again, so readers are aware of why I am so skeptical of political polling.

According to a CNN/ORC poll conducted last week, a large majority of the country feels that (Republican) congressional leaders “did the wrong thing” by inviting Israel\’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to address congress.  And it wasn\’t even close:  63% said it was the wrong thing versus 33% saying it was the right thing – almost 2 to 1 against. 

I have seen and read this statistic numbers of times over the past several days, usually for the purpose of informing us that the country does not want Mr. Netanyahu to make this speech….

except…

…the question respondents were asked was not quite as simple as the one described above.  Here is its actual wording:

Doyou think Congressional leaders did the right thing or the wrongthing by inviting Israeli Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu to address Congress without first notifying thepresident that they woulddo so?

Feb12-15 2015

Rightthing 33%

Wrongthing 63%

Noopinion 3%

Whoops, that changes things a tad.

This question does not – repeat, not – ask anyone\’s opinion of whether Benjamin Netanyahu should have been invited to address congress. It asks whether or not the President should have been notified before the invitation was extended.  Further, Republicans claim they did notify the administration of their intent to invite Mr. Netanyahu, and got no response.

This poll, therefore, stinks.

But not to worry:  there is another poll taken about the same time (February 13-17) – this one done by the McLaughlin Group – which asks about whether the speech should or shouldn\’t be made.  And here are the results:

Republican HouseSpeaker John Boehner has invited Israeli Prime Minister BenjaminNetanyahu to address a joint session of Congress on March 3rd.President Obama and some Democrats think it should be cancelledbecause it is 2 weeks before an Israeli election. Israeli PrimeMinister wants to speak to the American Congress to try to stop adeal that would give Iran a nuclear weapon. These negotiations areset to conclude 3 weeks after the Prime Minister\’s speech. Knowingall of this is true, do you support or oppose Prime MinisterNetanyahu speaking to Congress on March 3rd?

Support59%

Strongly36%

Somewhat24%

Oppose23%

Somewhat11%

Strongly11%

Don\’tKnow 18%

Well, well, well.

In this poll, respondents, before answering, are instructed as to what “is true” – or, more exactly, what whoever commissioned the poll and approved the questionnaire thinks is true.  And does the question tell respondents to accept as the “truth”?  That the only reason President Obama and Democrats want it cancelled is its proximity to the Israeli elections and the only reason Mr. Netanyahu wants to speak is to stop a deal that would hand nuclear weapons to Iran – which, I assure you, Mr. Obama and his people would emphatically deny.

But, with spoon-fed “truths” in place, suddenly the country is strongly in favor of Mr. Netanyahu\’s speech.  

This poll, therefore, stinks.

Why am I so skeptical of political polling?  That\’s why.