Hamáček's distorted popularity

ČSSD Chair Jan Hamáček is the sixth most-trusted Czech politician, according to a CVVM poll. He's No. 4 if you exclude Chief Justice Pavel Rychetský of the Constitutional Court (No. 1) and CNB Gov. Jiří Rusnok (No. 4), who aren't politicians in the traditional sense. The three others above Hamáček are Pres. Miloš Zeman (No. 2), PM Andrej Babiš (No. 3) and Transport Min. Dan Ťok (No. 5). This is a minor miracle for Hamáček, given the state ČSSD is in. Yet at his moment of triumph on Sat., after he had just won a nearly unanimous vote of confidence from the ČSSD central leadership, Czech TV chose to present Hamáček as a politician who is trusted by only 25% of the population. More than 40% of respondents rate him negatively, ČT said. The report was technically accurate, but it gave a false impression of Hamáček's relative popularity by mentioning only his own rating numbers, and not anyone else's. It was a blow below the belt that should not go unanswered.