After spurning polls, GOP embracing them

WASHINGTON, Sept. 6 (UPI) -- Republican activists, after long spurning polls, are heralding poll numbers indicating a decline in support for U.S. President Barack Obama, analysts say.

GOP leaders criticized former President Bill Clinton for citing poll results, and Karl Rove, senior political adviser to former President George W. Bush, said in 2007, "True leadership ... does what is right, regardless of what the latest poll or focus group says."

But Republicans have spent the last few weeks trumpeting poll after poll, extolling results indicating a dip in Obama's support during the fierce debate over healthcare reforms, McClatchy Newspapers reported Sunday.

House Republican leader John Boehner of Ohio has been issuing regular news releases about healthcare surveys during the congressional recess, including polls performed by Rasmussen, USA Today and Gallup, the news service said.

"I do find it ironic that the Republicans would cherry-pick certain polls to try to make their point after claiming to reject polls during the Bush years," Peter Fenn, a Democratic strategist in Washington, told McClatchy.

"I don't perceive any double standard," responded Boehner spokesman Michael Steel said. "No one would suggest that we change our principles based on polling information, but it's a useful tool in the public debate."