More Americans Heard About Matt Gaetz Scandal and Lil Nas X’s Satan Shoes Than Huge Jobs Report

The U.S. economy added more than a million jobs in the last Bureau of Labor Statistics report, including revisions, yet most Americans don’t know it — but they did hear about Matt Gaetz’s sex trafficking scandal and rapper Lil Nas X’s “Satan Shoes,” among other things.
The March jobs report showed an unexpectedly high 916,000 jobs gained, plus upward revisions totaling 156,000 jobs for January and February. But according to the latest Morning Consult poll, that news just didn’t break through.
Only 13 percent of respondents said they’d heard “a lot” about the report, and another 33 percent said they’d heard “some” about it.
By contrast, respondents were asked How much have you seen, read, or heard about: Lil Nas X releasing Satan-themed sneakers, which include a bronze pentagram in the design, and contain a drop of human blood?”
A combined 51 percent said they’d heard “a lot” or “some” about the controversial shoes.
Perhaps less surprising, given the outsize media attention it has received, respondents were asked “How much have you seen, read, or heard about: A Justice Department sex-trafficking investigation into Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.)?”, and a combined 53 percent said they’d heard “a lot” or “some” about the scandal.
Part of the reason for the lack of attention could be due to the fact that President Joe Biden largely downplayed the jobs gain in order to argue for continued spending to create more jobs and boost the economy.
According to this same poll, that effort is succeeding in capturing attention. Respondents were asked “How much have you seen, read, or heard about: President Joe Biden introducing his $2 trillion infrastructure and jobs plan?”
A whopping 73 percent said they’d heard “a lot” or “some” about the plan — blowing away Gaetz and Satan Shoes — and 60 percent said they either “strongly” or “somewhat” support it.
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