Headlines

Two headlines simultaneously appearing today on The Huffington Post and The Drudge Report.

Huffington Post - Poll: Obama Approval Jumps

Drudge Report - Shock Poll: Obama Hits 37% Approval

Yep, it's election time. Huffington is touting a Newsweek poll, while Drudge is looking at a Harris poll. Neither one gives much in the way of the exact question asked or the population of their poll, but both characterize them as an "approval rating."

But I have to believe there are some substantial differences in their methodology because how else can you explain that the Harris poll says that "just over one-third (37%) have a positive opinion. This continues the president's downward trend and he is now at the lowest job approval rating of his presidency."

Meanwhile Newsweek says: "President Obama’s approval ratings have jumped substantially, crossing the magic halfway threshold to 54 percent, up from 48 percent in late September."

As my first accounting teacher said, "Figures don't lie, but a lot of liars figure."