The Democratic-leaning polling outfit Public Policy Polling released a poll this week showing that Pennsylvania voters believe the Phillie Phanatic — the mascot of the Philadelphia Phillies — is more qualified than Donald Trump to be president.
“Who do you think is more qualified to be president: the Phillie Phanatic, or Donald Trump?” the PPP survey asked 1,106 registered Pennsylvania voters.
The Phanatic won, with 46 percent of survey respondents answering that the fat, fuzzy, green creature is more qualified to lead America on the world stage. Only 40 percent of the respondents said Trump is more qualified. And 14 percent said they aren’t sure.
PPP notably failed to ask poll participants to compare Hillary Clinton and the Phillie Phanatic.
In any case, PPP argues, the results of the Phillie Phanatic question (No. 22 out 29 total) show that Trump is deeply unpopular among Keystone State voters.
“Pennsylvania makes another state where Trump is the least popular of the presidential candidates,” PPP said in the press release corresponding with the poll. “Only 34 percent of voters see him favorably” compared to “59 percent with a negative opinion.”
Despite considerable effort, the liberal polling firm was unable to offer only bad news for Trump. In head-to-head competition, PPP observed, Trump is currently tied with Clinton — at 44 percent a piece — in Pennsylvania.
Nevertheless, the polling firm predicts, Clinton can skate to a comfortable victory in November in the state if she is able to woo about half of the voters who still refuse to give up on Bernie Sanders, a socialist who has been running for president as a Democrat.
Public Policy Polling has a history of pulling stunts like its Phillie Phanatic gag in polling it presents as serious.
Back in 2012, for example, the polling group pushed the notion that media figures like Sean Hannity, Matt Drudge and Tucker Carlson want white people to think President Barack Obama loathes them. Specifically, in a Wisconsin poll, PPP asked: “Do you think conservative media figures want to make white people think Barack Obama hates them, or not?” (RELATED: Stunning PPP Poll Asks If Conservative Media Wants White People To Think Obama Hates Them)
In 2013, Public Policy Polling included George Zimmerman as a possible candidate in a survey of Alaska Republicans concerning potential 2016 presidential contenders. But Alaskans didn’t bite. (RELATED: Alaska Republicans Don’t Fall For George Zimmerman PPP Poll)
PPP eventually gets its act together as elections draw nigh. The polling firm was deemed among the most accurate for final election results in 2012, notes Philadelphia Magazine.
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