Bush gets a 63% approval rating in Michigan!

[bif]

I just don't get it. A majority of voters polled were very concerned about the economy. But they also gave Bush high approval ratings.

Here's the arfticle from the Detroit News:

http://www.detnews.com/2004/specialreport/0401/20/a01-39031.htm

[Blecht]

1. What's not to get about skewed garbage polls?

Polls = propaganda tools

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

2. Look at the re-elect numbers...

47% to 43%. Within the margin. Much more telling.

[bif]

3. They probably did the poll in Grand Rapids

Home of Amway and a huge religious right population.,

[Lars39]

4. If I am reading this correctly, only 400 people were polled by phone.

Not a very accurate sample.

[GOPisEvil]

5. +/- 5%

Not the most accurate poll ever, but 400 is a decent sample size for a state with the population of Michigan.

[Lars39]

6. Michigan has about 10 million people.

I'm not a statician, but I really question how 400 people can accurately represent the entire population of Michigan. If you know exactly what predominately RW areas to call.....funny poll results. There's just too many ways to skew polls. :shrug:

[GOPisEvil]

8. I studied sample surveying way back in college.

I could show you the equations, but I can't remember what all the symbols mean anymore. :dunce: At any rate, 400 people is enough to get a decent view of 10 million. National polls survey a few thousand.

Your point about skewing polls is valid though. If you were trying to dissect this particular poll, you'd have to ensure the respondents were truly chosen randomly. How were the questions asked, etc.? There might be some skew toward rural or urban with a sample the size of 400, hence the +/- 5%.

[Maine-i-acs]

12. Phone polls? Crapola ...

The surveyor reported the results of 400 people who answered the phone in the middle of a workday and agreed to answer the survey.

How many weren't home?

How many screened the call?

How many did not want to take the survey?


My opinion is that the 400 people are not a good cross-reference of the 10 million. The working-class schlubs were at work slaving away ...

{edited typo}

[VOX]

20. Hear, hear!

400 people? In Michigan? Fooey.

:toast:

[cspiguy]

7. we can laugh but if *-face wins Michigan - we lose

n/t (McCain beat up * good here last time)

[Iverson]

9. Don't trust the Detroit News.

Editorially, they are far right. They supported Nixon back when the Republican Party gave up on him. They are fanatically anti-union. Expect them to kiss the boots of the PNAC crowd. Do not expect objectivity.

[bif]

11. Indeed, the News blows.

I'm prety suspious of this poll. I don't know of may people here sho totaolly approve of Bush. Even some of the Republicans I know aren't wild about Shrubbie. So where diid the 63% come from. Like I posted above, if they polled Grand Rapids, that would explain a lot. All you have to do is pick an afluent area code and you've skewed the poll right there.

[noonwitch]

18. The Detroit News is not reliable

Gannet (the producers of "Candyland Today") publish it. The Free Press, which was once a great liberal paper, is no longer what it was, either, since they merged their weekend editions, and all the good writers left on strike and never returned. It wouldn't shock me if the Free Press endorsed Bush-they endorsed former Gov Engler in 1998 (yeah, the dems ran Geoffrey Fieger, but still, Engler sold our state to the wolves, depleted the state finances and sold off as many of our natural resouces as he could.

[ScreamingMeemie]

10. Okay, as a person living here in Michigan, I'd like to know who

was polled. I sure as heck wasn't. Let me guess they polled West Bloomfield, Birmingham and Grosse Pointe. That would be my guess.

[MSchreader]

13. Along with...

Grand Rapids, Midland, Lapeer, Hillsdale, Jackson, Holland and Brooklyn, probably.

Any guesses on the areas they did NOT poll? Here's my beginner list:

Detroit
Flint
Saginaw
Bay City
Lansing
Ypsilanti
Ann Arbor
Benton Harbor

Any others?

Martin

[Mari333]

15. No one called me!

and I belong to the Democratic Club here in this small town which didnt even EXIST before * stole the election..we have a LOT of former Repugs in the Club too..
Michigan went with GORE last time, they will go Dem again, and we have a great DEM governor.

[fob]

16. East Lansing

Go Green!

[ScreamingMeemie]

19. St. Clair Shores, Roseville, Eastpointe

:hi:

[MSchreader]

14. "The Detroit News: We Know Where You Live"

Who remembers them using this slogan? I certainly do. I also remember seeing these billboards still being up right after the PATRIOT Act was signed.

Never, ever, EVER trust a Detroit News poll. Not only do they selectively poll, but they also regularly do "push polling" for Republicans (got that little tidbit from an inside source).

Martin

[spindoctor]

17. Yea, and Al Sharpton is up 40 points in Mississippi

I also talked to Santa Claus last night, and he said that it is 85 degrees on the North Pole right now, but with a mild ocean breeze to keep it comfortable.