Dem nomination a three-way contest: poll

[Attorney in Texas]

Source: MSNBC

The latest Bloomberg Politics shows a tightening Top Talkers: Democratic race: Hillary Clinton is at 33 percent, while VP Joe Biden stands at 25 percent and Sen. Bernie Sanders is at 24 percent.

Read more: http://www.msnbc.com/morning-joe/watch/dem-nomination-a-three-way-contest--poll-530702915512

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But one of those 3 is not running.

[stonecutter357]

1. K&R

[madokie]

2. The powers to be are scared to death of Bernie Sanders

all the more reason to support him 100%. In my view

They're not worried with any of the other candidates, another reason to be holding Bernie close to our hearts with voting pencils in hand

[Art_from_Ark]

12. I so want Bernie to be the nominee

for the reason you have stated, among others.

[bigwillq]

3. Cool.

Democracy is awesome!

[Geronimoe]

4. Biden isn't running

Why not include Senator Warren or Mickey Mouse. Biden as of now isn't even running.

[Attorney in Texas]

5. Why include Biden? To understate Sanders support? To manufacture controversy and a falsely imply a

tighter race?

[Tom Rinaldo]

8. No, it makes sense. What doesn't is when they ommit Sanders from head to head matchups with GOP

That is when their bias is on full display, when they show Biden against Trump for example but don't show a Sanders Trump match up. Or when they give major coverage to Biden and Clinton but not to Sanders, and they do that often also.

I have no problem including Biden in polls now because, unlike Warren for example, Biden has always said that he is considering running for President in 2016. Lately he has been very public about possibly running and he has said he will decide on a run relatively soon. It is natural that many people are curious how Biden would match up if he enters the race. These polls are speculating on something that the public actually is curious about and they have some real basis in reality.

I do agree however that it as been an intentional pattern to substitute speculation about Biden possibly running to replace giving coverage to Sanders actually running.

[Attorney in Texas]

9. There is plenty of data that non-candidates poll much better than candidates (e.g., Fred Thompson in

2008) so comparing non-candidate Biden to candidates Sanders and Clinton, etc. is not just a contra-factual hypothetical, it is also a false comparison.

[Tom Rinaldo]

11. That's a fair point. But all of this is just "horse race" reporting...

...not actual campaign coverage. You might as well make the point that name recognition drives poll numbers at this stage in a campaign as make the point that you just made. Both Clinton and Biden max out on that front, Sanders far from it - that skews things also. My point is that pollsters can make a legitimate argument that the public is legitimately curious to know how well Biden might do at this moment compared to other candidates if he were to enter the race. So they are providing data on that in keeping with public interest.

[Elmer S. E. Dump]

13. Right, and he just hinted yesterday that he may not run. I don't think he will.

[Geronimoe]

17. I doubt he'll run

He can leave on a high. What if he ran and got a few percent. This would be embarrassing.

[Lychee2]

18. He will run if Hillary has to pull out.

That's what he's hanging around for.

[INdemo]

6. OMG..this primary is over

33% of 339 samplings want Hillary.
Google Bloomberg and check out the polling tactics..
My the corporate mafia will do whatever it takes make sure Sanders doesnt win this.
and Robert Murdock wants Biden..In other words anybody but Sanders for him

From:Bllomberg:

The telephone poll was conducted Aug. 31 to Sept. 2 with 1,009 U.S. adults. This release is based on a voter sample of 339 registered voters who identify themselves as Democrats or lean toward the Democratic Party.

One prominent conservative seemed to be egging Biden on as he contemplates entering the race. Fox Chairman Rupert Murdoch tweeted on Monday that it's “very likely” the vice president would win the nomination and that he'd “be hard to beat” in 2016.

[Elmer S. E. Dump]

15. Rupert Murdoch is the name or is it Ruprecht?

[sorechasm]

7. Slow and steady is Bernie's consistent momentum

Though this poll is useless, it indicates Bernie's supporters are firm. Hillary's, not so much.
Biden seems to do fine without declaring, campaigning, or spending a nickel.

Biden's delay could help give Bernie time to get more name recognition (through his speeches, not through MSM).

[Darb]

10. OOOOH, more conspiratorialist fodder.

Tighten your hats.

[BeyondGeography]

14. Minor detail

[JackRiddler]

16. No, it's a two-way contest.

The question in this poll is a lie.

Out of the universe of 200 million Americans over 35 who could be running, they could add another two, four or 90. They could surely find a lot of people not running who might get 25 percent in this poll. It would be equally bullshit.

Where would Elizabeth Warren rank, for example?