I hate when the MSM interviews voters in swing states

[Proud liberal 80]

It seems like they either find a partisan trying to seem like an “undecided” or someone just plain dumb.

[Sherman A1]

1. The Horse Race Narrative must be maintained

in order to fill airtime between ads for drugs we never knew we needed.

[hatrack]

13. I think David Sedaris said it best

"To put them in perspective, I think​ of being​ on an airplane.​ The flight attendant comes​ down the aisle​ with her food cart and, eventually,​ parks​ it beside my seat.​ “Can I inter​est you in the chick​en?​” she asks.​ “Or would​ you prefer the platter of shit with bits of broke​n glass​ in it?”

To be undecided in this elect​ion is to pause​ for a moment and then ask how the chick​en is cooked.”

[Arkansas Granny]

15. Yes, it's like that.

[Claustrum]

2. Unfortunately, if you are still "undecided" right now,

you are either a partisan trying to seem "undecided" or just plain dumb and uninformed. This is why I still think a large portion of the "undecided" will go Trump's way.

[davsand]

11. I'll agree that people don't want to admit they plan to vote for him over the phone.

ANY race as polarized as this one will tend to poll differently than the actual votes end up. One of the less discussed facts about polling is that talking to a random unknown pollster on the phone leaves a perentage of those polled uncomfortable expressing support for an unpopular candidate.

Something else to consider about polling and undecided voters, is the historical information available about the percentage of votes that actually end up being cast for the chellenger (non-incumbant.) Conventional wisdom is that the percentage of "undecided" voters tend to ultimately favor the challenger. That expectation has historically been supported absent any outside interferance in that election. However, nobody can really anticipate just how much fuckery is going on this time. I suspect quite a bit, but I'm cynical when it comes to the orange anus.


Laura

[Claustrum]

16. The way I read the "undecided" votes isn't that they are lying to the pollster

but that they are truly "undecided" whether they will vote for Trump or stay home. They hate Trump's rhetoric and knows that he is bad. But they like some of his policies or they are taught to dislike democrats.

And that's why these "undecided" interviews seem like they are partisans pretending to be "undecided". I don't think there is bias in the media as some people think. It's just that the "undecided" people are skewing "traditional" republicans that can't quite pull the trigger for Trump.

[Funtatlaguy]

3. Always. They never randomly select people. They are pre selected.

[Klaralven]

4. The only thing worse than individual voters is the "panel of typical voters".

Neither have any statistical significance.

[JHB]

25. Not only that, but time and again it turns out...

...that the "typical voters" are part of part of the local Republican apparatus.

[thucythucy]

5. I hate the fact that voters in "swing states" have so much power over my life.

The New Yorker just came out with an article on how we have to abandon the Electoral College if we want to save our democracy.

I couldn't agree more.

Twice in my lifetime the Electoral College has delivered us into the hands of an incompetent who did and has done incalculable damage to the nation.

It's long past time for this 18th century anachronism to go.

[jimfields33]

7. I think it will go but not for 20 years

The Democratic Party will need a lot more Senate, House, and State House/Senate to accomplish this. The Democratic Party is growing so I see us eventually accomplishing this but it will take time.

[thucythucy]

9. You're probably right about that.

Low population states will resist any such change, since they obviously benefit from having such disproportionate power to set and influence federal policy.

It's frustrating as hell.

[jimfields33]

10. It is frustrating and unfair

I just hope my timeline can accelerate more then my prediction.

[Claustrum]

19. To be honest, if we are in the minority but still holding power because of the system

We would be shouting about keeping the system too.

[jimfields33]

22. Probably so. Still.....

[thucythucy]

33. I don't know about that.

I've had a lot of disappointment in regards to elections, starting with McGovern in '72. I never once thought the solution was to rig the system so that my candidates would win even without the support of the majority, or at least the plurality of voters.

Funny thing is, the system as is always benefits the GOP, and the most reactionary elements of our society.

[Buckeye_Democrat]

12. I'm in Ohio, and I hate it too!

There was recently a bill in Ohio to give all of our electoral votes to the country's popular vote winner, but it died because of the mostly-Republican legislature here.

[redstatebluegirl]

26. Turning our elections over to states with low census numbers is just plain nuts.

I don't think they should be discounted and need fair representation, but they should not be driving the electoral bus.

[JI7]

6. Attention seeking fools who think too highly of themselves

they like to feel special.

[LonePirate]

8. My issue is the MSM never corrects the blatant incorrect information spewed by these idiots.

[Buckeye_Democrat]

14. Yeah, it's like an excuse to provide lies!

I'm thankful that none of my college professors interrupted class by saying something like, "For another perspective on the Magna Carta, I'll now interview the janitor for his input."

[blueinredohio]

17. Years ago when someone asked my dad who he was voting for

he would tell them that's private and none of their business.

[karynnj]

18. Those stories are another example of showing both sides with no context on how

many each chosen person represent. I get that talking in depth to people will pull out more color and perspective, but it always should be accompanied by the best composite estimate of polls.

Not to mention, I was not happy when a young, very articulate reporter who had spoken to voters acknowledged that she spoke to fewer voters than pollsters. Problem - any good or even mediocre pollster would start with a random sample weighted to represent the population. Even if her goal had been to speak to a variety of people, the people she spoke to were not random. To me, this means that more weight should be given to the expressed reasons these people articulated than to any attempt to suggest the magnitude of people with these views.

[Dream Girl]

20. You explained that very well. It's the different between qualitative aa nd quantities research

Interviews are explanatory and polls as predictive.

[RazzleCat]

21. I don't understand the "undecided" at this point in time.

I have a feeling that many of them have decided, but are fearful of what their friends, family, boss, church, neighbors (pick one) will say to them. Example, a Biden voter who lives with a family of MAGMA lovers, better to say undecided, then take the abuse, you can flip it either way.

Second reason is Trump voters who still have an iota of shame, and know that what they are doing is wrong, but they have bigotry, greed, or anger issues.

You may say then why say you're undecided? Best response in the situation would be to say, I don't wish to talk to you, but second best can be to say "I just don't know".

[LuvJoe]

23. Whether we like it or not , we need to hear this people because they don't hear themselves, somehow

we have to feel immune because there’s nothing we can do with this people, all we can do is hopefully they can open their eyes and ears to the truth someday no matter how long it takes, and for all of us that can see through this please remain strong and hopeful.

[Ron Green]

24. This is all Entertainment.

Although it’s certainly not entertaining, it’s just what they do.

[steve2470]

27. One other conceivable explanation: they truly have no clue

One thing I have to constantly remind myself of, is the fact that over 90% of Americans are relatively ignorant about politics and government. Sure, they might know some basic things (like what party they belong to), but that's it. How many Americans consistently keep up with political/government news ? I'd say it's 10% or less. I've heard it said that many people really truly make up their mind in the 14 days before a Presidential election.

Stranger calls the house. Almost totally ignorant registered voter (ATIRV) answers the phone. Stranger asks for a reasonable opinion, if you're a citizen and you try to stay informed. ATIRV somehow got registered years ago, and only votes once every 4 years. Never votes in local or state elections. ATIRV feels embarrassed that he/she has absolutely no idea how to vote ( "um that Trump guy does some dickish tweets but then again Fox News hates that Biden guy" ). He or she is torn. The answer is "I am undecided".

Everyone else in this thread had good explanations too. I just think there's a huge amount of truly ignorant voters out there.

[thucythucy]

35. And yet often times these same people

can spout sports statistics and information about teams and coaches and athletes going back years or even decades.

I've run into folks like that. They can offer an in-depth, detailed analysis of the likely outcome of some football game, but don't have a clue about politics. This one acquaintance blamed Obama for his not having free health insurance. His argument: "Obama could have just signed something to make it happen, and he didn't." Absolutely clueless about how laws get passed, separation of powers, the role of the Supreme Court, whatever.

Yet he can drone on and on about the history of the Super Bowl. Go figure.

[ooky]

28. And the interviewers are terrible. They refuse to challenge any of the stupid that comes

out of the partisan's mouth. The interviews are nothing more than another mouthpiece for spreading lies.

[Act_of_Reparation]

29. Anyone who is, at this point, "undecided" is ipso facto a fucking idiot.

[BlueWavePsych]

30. I like MSMs.

The enemy of my enemy is my friend!

[jcmaine72]

31. I don't know who you regard as your enemy, but...

The corporate media is no friend of the American people, or anyone else for that matter. They only care about their profit margin. If they can exploit the divisions that exist between Americans to increase their profit margin, they will do so without compunction.

They only pretend to despise Dotard. Truth be told, they won't know what to do with themselves once they no longer have that asshole to obsess over 24/7. Responsible leadership and government is boring government to them, which is bad for their business. All the more reason to vote for Biden.

[BlueWavePsych]

32. 'All the more reason to vote for Biden.'

This we can agree 100%
After Biden wins we can have an extended discussion

[Le Roi de Pot]

34. and try to elevate those stupids as nuanced thinkers.