This is why Kerry must file a lwasuit--these people have to be debunked

[Surface Map]

ANTI-KERRY AD A HIT

WASHINGTON — Vietnam veterans opposing John Kerry have scored a hit with a tough TV ad that claims he lied about his war record — it makes swing voters think twice about backing Kerry, an independent study has found.

The ad planted doubts in the minds of 27 percent of independent voters who planned to vote for Kerry or leaned pro-Kerry. After seeing it, they were no longer sure they'd back him, the study found.

http://www.nypost.com/news/nationalnews/27075.htm

[alcuno]

1. He can't drop it - the truth needs to get out there.

One way or another. I was listening to a nitwit on FAUX this morning and they are just throwing their hands up and saying it's too complicated and there are two sides and we'll never know. That was the whole point - to cast doubt. Kerry needs to set the record straight.

[Surface Map]

2. Exactly right

Kerry has to go balls out on this one and NOW. He has to debunk these guys and quickly because they are going to keep coming if he doesn't. Rove and his minions will keep running them out there unless they are squashed.

[VolcanoJen]

3. That poll is a piece of crap... debunked here:

Surface Map, as a rule of thumb, anything Deborah Orin writes is usually misleading. She's done it again, in this article you've linked to.

The poll had a subset sample size of only 62 individuals!!! The New York Post, as pointed out below, lied when it said the initial sample size was 1,275 participants, when the poll actually had an initial sample size of just 371.

http://mediamatters.org/items/200408190011

Excerpt from David Brock's debunking:

Napolitano cited a study by HCD Research/Muhlenberg College Institute of Public Opinion, which was conducted online and surveyed a sample of just 371 non-party-affiliated voters (the New York Post, which published an article about the study the same morning, incorrectly reported a sample size of 1,275 participants). But the particular questions gauging the reactions of those supporting Kerry drew from a subset of only 62 people -- those who were "definitely," "most likely," or "leaning towards voting for John Kerry."

According to the poll:

Before the ad, 41.94% of Independents intending to vote for Kerry felt that they would "definitely" vote for him; 37.10% felt "most like" to vote for him; 20.97% were 'leaning' towards him; and none were "not sure."

Those levels of commitment changed markedly after viewing the Swift Boat ad. Independents "definitely" voting for Kerry dropped to 29.03%. Those "most likely" to vote for him were relatively unchanged at 33.87%. Those "leaning" towards Kerry dropped to 9.68%. Finally, Independents were "not sure" their initial choice of Kerry increased substantially to 27.42%.

Here's the problem with a total sample size of 62. A drop from 41.94 percent (carrying the percentage out to two decimal places is an obvious grasp at the appearance of scientific precision that is nonexistent in a sample this low) to 29.03 percent corresponds to a drop from 26 "definites" for Kerry to 18, or a difference of 8 people. The drop from 20.97 percent to 9.68 percent among the "leaners" is a move from 13 people to 6. Those are among the purported "marked" changes that the poll identified.

[Surface Map]

4. Thanks

I heard something on the news last night that the seift boat vets ad was having effect when I was half asleep and started searching this morning and that article was the first I found.

Thanks again