Just Got Hit By a Kerry Push Poll

[ThomWV]

I was pleased. It identified itself as being sponsored by the West Virginia Democrats for Kerry or something like that. Good poll, got Kerry's name mentioned favorably and only took a couple of seconds. Good!

[Longhorn]

1. Did it meet this definition of a push poll?

From www.electoral-vote.com : I was afraid this was going to happen sooner or later and it has now happened. I have to make a judgment call on a firm that engages in push polling. In case you haven't followed this issue, push polling is where the pollster (on instructions from the client) asks a very slanted question in order to elicit the desired answer so the pollster can announce how well the client is doing. Questions like "Do you support John Kerry even though he lied about getting medals in Vietnam?" or "Do you support George Bush even though he deserted the National Guard during war time?" fall in this category. Legitimate pollsters would never ask such questions. Instead they might ask "Do you believe John Kerry earned his medals in Vietnam?" or "Do you believe George Bush fulfilled his duties in the National Guard?". Those are questions designed to determine public opinion, not create it.

Why does this come up now? Moore Information (R) just released a poll showing Bush 9% ahead in Iowa, a state he has never led in before and which the current poll (taken 5 days before Moore's poll) puts Bush 4% behind. On its own merits, this is implausible, but in the absence of other evidence, I would accept it, as I accepted Gallup's poll showing Bush 14% ahead in Missouri (even though I don't believe it for a second) due to Gallup's reputation. Even Gallup can make a mistake, but they are not dishonest. With Moore Information, the situation is different. Moore was recently caught doing push polling, as reported in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. It is ok for a pollster to work for one side or the other as long as they do honest polls (Scott Rasmussen is a Republican but I have no reason to question his numbers, for example). But Moore has crossed the line and got caught with its hand in the cookie jar. I asked the president of Moore Information for his side of the story but he didn't respond. Henceforth I will not use any Moore Information polls. If anyone has documented evidence of other pollsters doing push polls, please let me know.

[AlCzervik]

3. This is off topic but seeing your pic of Rose

how is he doing? I saw that Frontline? special that he was featured in. Will he win again? I hope so.

[Longhorn]

4. He's raised more than half a million dollars.

But opponent is wealthy and has vowed to spend his own money to buy the election. He's already tried to claim that Patrick hired a push poll, but interviews with the polling company have debunked that charge.

Patrick has also gained the endorsements of some prominent organizations that endorsed his opponent the last time (one that even sent out a very nasty postcard showing Patrick in a chemical protective suit and somehow trying to link him to asbestos suits.) I haven't seen any polls but Patrick has been going door to door, just like he did the last time and I see his signs everywhere in the district -- many more than his opponent.

Thanks for asking! Patrick is a friend and high school classmate of my oldest daughter so I feel quite personally connected to seeing him win!

[AlCzervik]

5. Well good luck to him!

I enjoyed that Frontline very much, he seems like a nice, honest and hardworking guy. He did well in those debates he had with his opponent last time, that guy was a major tool. i'm going to send Rose some money.

[Longhorn]

7. Great! Thanks!

:yourock:

[Eric J in MN]

2. Did they spread any false rumors? nt

nt

[ThomWV]

6. No - It Wasn't Like That

Although I don't remember the exact words it went something like this:

Do you support John Kerry fully because of his integrity, experience, and some other good qualities or are you simply leaning toward him for those admirable qualities he possess?

Press 1 if you think he walks on water, press 2 if you simply think he is the best choice for Presidnet. There was no 3rd choice.

As I said, I liked it.