A new NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll found that, as
Tim Russert explained on Wednesday's NBC Nightly News, President
George W. Bush beat every top tier Democratic presidential
candidate "by anywhere from 17 to 21 points. At this point in the
race it's only a snapshot, but the President's comfortably ahead."
Yet this is how the MSNBC.com home page on Wednesday night
headlined the finding, "Poll: No groundswell for Bush." And on the
inside page, the MSNBC headline declared: "Barely half say Bush
should be re-elected." At least the subhead acknowledged: "No
Democrat runs close in new NBC/Journal poll."

Russert, from Burbank before the taping the Tonight Show on
which he appeared, ran through the major findings of the poll
which determined that by 51 percent to 42 percent the majority
want Bush to be re-elected. He emphasized the partisan split, with
Republicans wanting Bush to win by 86 percent to 10 percent while
only 18 percent of Democrats wish to see Bush remain in the White
House compared to 76 percent who hope he loses. But independents
favored Bush by 48 percent to 39 percent.

On Iraq, by 52 percent to 40 percent, most feel the war was
worth the cost, with Republicans seeing it that way by 77 percent
to 16 percent, independents by 51 percent to 42 percent, but with
just 26 percent of Democrats seeing it as worthwhile compared to
66 percent who do not.

Tom Brokaw then asked Russert about the fall race: "It's a
little bit early for this kind of a horse race, Tim, but the
President against the Democratic field. Any of them, at the
moment, threatening him?"
Russert: "Tom, we did the horse race questions with George
Bush against all the leading Democrats. He beats every one of them
by anywhere from 17 to 21 points. At this point in the race it's
only a snapshot, but the President's comfortably ahead."

NBC's on-screen graphic as Russert spoke showed a picture of
Bush next to a Democratic donkey with this text below:
"DEFEATS ALL DEMOCRATS
BY 17 TO 21 POINTS"

Yet, anyone who went to the MSNBC.com home page on Wednesday
night was greeted with this headline, "Poll: No groundswell for
Bush."

Clicking on that headline brought you to a page headlined:
"Barely half say Bush should be re-elected." The subhead: "No
Democrat runs close in new NBC/Journal poll."

Despite the headlines, MSNBC.com reporter Alex Johnson's story
stressed how poorly the top Democrats match up against Bush. An
excerpt:

Barely half of Americans say President Bush deserves to be
re-elected, but they are even less enthusiastic about his
Democratic challengers, any one of whom he would overwhelm if the
election were held today, according to a new NBC News/Wall Street
Journal poll.

The poll found that 42 percent believe the president does not
deserve to return to office, compared with 51 percent who think he
does....

Half of all those questioned -- 49 percent -- said they were
likely to vote for Bush in November regardless of whom the
Democrats nominated, compared with only 39 percent who said they
were likely to choose the Democrat.

The margins were wider across the board when Bush was put up
against four leading Democrats.

The poll found that former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean would just
barely run the strongest against Bush, who would beat him by 54
percent to 37 percent. Retired Army Gen. Wesley Clark, Sen. John
Kerry of Massachusetts and Rep. Dick Gephardt of Missouri all
trailed by similar margins, losing to Bush by 18, 19 and 21
percentage points, respectively....

END of Excerpt