Donald Trump used to love the polls, until the polls weren't useful anymore. Now he's is taking matters into his own hands by conducting a poll of his own. Trump's campaign emailed his supporters earlier Monday, saying that he is now facing two opponents: Hillary Clinton and the media.
We are running against the very dishonest and totally biased media! It's time to hold the media accountable for trying to rig this election against us. Please take the Mainstream Media Accountability Survey right now and help me spread the truth about our movement. All too often I'm asked about a "poll" put out by a liberal organization that says the American people disagree with our common-sense reforms to fix our country. Well, [NAME], with your help today, the next time I'm being interviewed, I will have my own poll that shows that the American people disagree with the dishonest media!
The push poll opens with questions about whether supporters trust FOX, MSNBC, or CNN to "fairly report" on the Trump campaign. Then it asks, "On which issues does the mainstream media do the worst job of representing Republicans?", "Which online sources do you use?" (with every option a conservative media outlet), and "Do you trust the mainstream media to tell the truth about the Republican Party's positions and actions?"
Then come the doozies, a series of true-or-false questions:
- The mainstream media takes Donald Trump's statements out of context, but bends over backwards to defend Hillary's statements.
- The mainstream media played a critical role in electing President Obama and is now attempting to do it again for Hillary Clinton.
- More time is spent covering fake "scandals" involving Trump than real scandals involving Hillary and our national security.
- If Donald Trump said or did half of the things Hillary Clinton has, the media would effectively end his candidacy.
A dozen or so ideological purity questions follow, asking respondents loaded questions on the Second Amendment, religious liberty, abortion, Obamacare, social justice activism, and political correctness. These responses might be used for keeping the base on board, but do not suggest Trump pursuing a campaign strategy of growing his already shrinking base.