Doonesbury by Garry Trudeau for September 14, 1980

Transcript:

Voice: Yeah? Man: John Q. Public? Okay. One last question. How would you rate Jimmy Carter's performance as President - excellent, good, fair or poor? Man: You'd like me say "poor," wouldn't you? Man: Me? Why would I want you to do that? Man: Because if enough people say "poor," then you can continue claiming that Carter is even more unpopular than Richard Nixon was. Man: Well, it is true. All our recent polls have led to that conclusion. Man: Which says a lot more about the polls than it does about Carter. When people rater Carter "poor," it means something entirely different than a similar rating for Nixon! In Carter's case, it's a measure of dissatisfaction with an incompetent. With Nixon, it was an expression of loathing for a crook. They are not the same thing, and to imply they are is misleading and dishonest! Man: Uh-huh. Look, do you have a rating for Carter or don't you? Man: "Excellent." I won't be party to this sham. Man: Hey, c'mon, man. That's gonna throw off the whole curve!