Courtney E. Martin, in a piece in The American Prospect about Obama and the healthcare issue, said this:
Last year, voters made clear that, after propping up the economy, reforming our health-care system should be the president's top priority.
Her link goes to a collection of polls that consistently show Healthcare as a distant 3rd or 4th.
How about:
CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll. Oct. 30-Nov. 1, 2008:
Economy 57%
War in Iraq 13%
Healthcare 13%
Or:
CBS News/New York Times Poll. Oct. 25-29, 2008
The economy and jobs 55%
Terrorism and national security 13%
Healthcare 9%
Or:
Newsweek Poll Oct. 22-23, 2008.
Economy and jobs 44%
Taxes, government spending 14%
Terrorism, national security 12%
Healthcare 8%
The first poll where Healthcare is second is this one, AFTER the election.
CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll. Dec. 19-21, 2008
The economy 75%
Healthcare 7%
In my book, 75% to 7% is not a second 'top priority'.
So what am I if I say Ms. Martin is lying by her statement that "voters made clear that, after propping up the economy, reforming our health-care system should be the president's top priority"? It's clearly not, by the very polls she references.