In both 2301 and 2302 we discuss how different political actors attempt to manipulate public opinion and the techniques they use to do so. Here's a brief description of how a focus group was used to determine what a critical group of voters (swing voters in House Majority Leader Eric Cantor's district) thought of Obama's job speech. One of the goals of the administration is to gain the support of independents and non-partisans before next year's elections.
The study seemed to determine that they liked the speech - but the broader point is that if they had not, the information obtained would have given them an idea about how to adjust future communiactions in order to strenghen the president's appeal.
