Rasmussen: modest gain in support for health care rationing.

The first of what will be a daily series of Rasmussen polls charting post-speech opinions on the health care rationing bill is in: as expected, the numbers have shifted in the Democrats’ favor (from 44/53 for/against to 46/51). If that the increase in support is sustained today, we’ll see those numbers increase to a statistical tie (which is what Rasmussen reported the numbers being right after the speech itself). So, good news for the President, right?

Depends on what his actual goal was. If he wanted to shore up his base? Yes. If he wanted to change the conditions of the fight? …No, not really:

But the bounce is partisan in nature, with the increase in support coming entirely from those in the president’s own party.

[snip]

Eighty percent (80%) of Democrats now support the health care plan, up from 72% in the previous survey results. Support among Republicans declined two points while support among those not affiliated with either major party rose by a single percentage point.

Rasmussen’s conclusion on this and on the President’s favorable rating is ‘modest bounce.’ Mine is ‘Red Queen’s Race.’ I expected more of a boost among independents, frankly: and I wonder if the White House did, too.

Moe Lane

Crossposted to RedState.