Below The Beltway

Despite several media blitzes over the past month, it’s quite obvious that President Obama has failed to significantly move public opinion on health care reform:

The NBC/Journal survey also comes as Obama has launched a media blitz to sell his push to overhaul the nation’s health care system, delivering a prime-time speech to Congress, holding rallies in Minnesota and Maryland, appearing on five Sunday-morning news programs and even sitting down with talk-show host David Letterman.

According to the poll, the president’s health care numbers have slightly increased since this blitz, although that increase remains within the margin of error. Thirty-nine percent believe Obama’s health care plan is a good idea, which is up three points since August. Forty-one percent say it’s a bad idea.

In addition, 45 percent approve of Obama’s handling of health care, while 46 percent disapprove, which is up from his 41-47 score last month. By comparison, just 21 percent approve of the Republican Party’s handling of the issue.

McInturff, the GOP pollster, attributes the uptick in Obama’s health care numbers to more Democrats rallying around his reform plan. In August, 62 percent of Democrats thought Obama’s plan was a good idea; now 69 percent believe that.

“I think this data is, on balance, better for the president than the August data,” McInturff said. But he added, “I think the change is relatively modest.”

Also in the poll, Americans are divided over whether reform will benefit the health system: 45 percent believe it would be better to pass Obama’s plan in order to make changes to the system, versus 39 percent who prefer keeping the status quo.

And 48 percent say they’re more concerned that reform will go too far and make the system worse, compared with 44 percent who are more concerned that reform won’t do enough to cut costs and lower the uninsured.

The PR effort has, quite clearly and quite emphatically, failed.