Here is why Internet polls sometimes favor Kerry big and other times Bush

[Quixote1818]

Take a look at this MSNBC poll http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6092749/#survey

It has Bush beating Kerry BIG TIME! You know why?????

My theory is that the story about Cheney's Daughter is directly linked to this poll. As bad news surfaces for Kerry the Right wingers get excited about an article then click into that article in HUGE numbers. Meanwhile Democrats who don't care about this don't read the article and never see the poll. This goes both ways! Why do you think Kerry was winning all those Internet polls right after the debates? Because Democrats were excited and were logging in to read about how Kerry won. Meanwhile the Republicans were feeling down and didn't read about election news. Remember how Bush was winning all the Internet polls after the Republican convention? It was because Republicans were pumped and Democrats were down and not engaged with these kinds of articles.

So is my theory right or am I full of crap? Is their anyone who could do a research paper on this? Make sure you give me credit for the idea once it gets published.

[gristy]

1. Sounds reasonable to me

The make-up of those voting changes from one poll to the next for the reason you mention.

[Jokinomx]

2. Sounds logical to me.

Your analysis could be correct. Good luck in finding proof of your opinion though.

:dem:

[depakid]

3. You could be correct

What you're getting is a sample of people who view that particular page AND choose to respond, so one could infer that a disproportionate number of people accessed the page to read about a supposed Kerry foible, and then voted.

Then again, maybe not.