▁of ▁events " ▁in ▁a ▁Cong r essional ▁mem o . ▁ ▁Public ▁image ▁According ▁to ▁a ▁R asm ussen ▁poll ▁released ▁on ▁February ▁ 8 , ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁Toy ota ▁is ▁viewed ▁very ▁favor ably ▁by ▁ 2 2 % ▁of ▁Americans , ▁favor ably ▁by ▁ 5 9 %, ▁and ▁unf avor ably ▁by ▁ 2 9 %. ▁ ▁The ▁poll ▁also ▁found ▁ 7 2 % ▁of ▁Americans ▁have ▁followed ▁the ▁recent ▁Toy ota ▁news ▁stories ▁" some what ▁closely " ▁and ▁ 3 1 % ▁" very ▁closely ". ▁ ▁A ▁second ▁R asm ussen ▁poll ▁released ▁on ▁February ▁ 1 2 ▁found ▁ 2 3 % ▁of ▁Americans ▁believe ▁the ▁federal ▁government ▁is ▁critic izing ▁Toy ota ▁to ▁aid ▁General ▁Mot ors ▁of ▁which ▁it ▁is ▁the ▁majority ▁owner , ▁ 3 8 % ▁disag re ed , ▁and ▁ 3 9 % ▁were ▁uns ure . ▁ ▁Other ▁possible ▁causes ▁of ▁un int ended ▁acceleration ▁ ▁Electron ic ▁thro tt le ▁control ▁system ▁On ▁November ▁ 2 5 , ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁ABC ▁News ▁quoted ▁Se an ▁K ane , ▁head ▁of ▁the ▁for - pro fit ▁firm ▁Saf ety ▁Research ▁& ▁Str ateg ies , ▁stating ▁that ▁he ▁had ▁un cover ed ▁hundreds ▁of ▁" non - floor ▁mat ▁sudden ▁acceleration ▁cases " ▁which ▁the ▁floor ▁mat ▁recall ▁did ▁not ▁address . ▁K ane , ▁who ▁works ▁with ▁att or ne ys ▁su ing ▁Toy ota , ▁said ▁his