I don't understand why these polls numbers continue to be close. Who in the hell are they polling???

[Blue_Roses]

I live in Texas and I have never seen such disgust with this administration. Topping that off, I have talked to several people in my mother's RED district (she lives in assisted living) who think Palin is a joke and see through her lies. I was getting gas the other day and had a conversation at the pump about this. Everytime I get gas, I get pissed off, so I guess I look like a crazy person as I mumble to myself, yanking the damn pump around to my car. Another lady was on the other side (I didn't notice her) the other day and she said, "this is ridiculous". I said, "no shit." These damn prices go up and down more than the roller-coaster ride at a amusement park.

So that brings me to the original question. Who the HELL are they polling? I see Obama stickers and signs everywhere. What the fuck is going on :argh:

[YOY]

1. People who usually vote.

That's who they poll.

First time and irregular voters don't count.

Lesson: They're full of shit.

[Terran]

22. There will be millions and millions

of new/first-time voters in this election, and virtually of them will be voting Democratic. I think the pubbies are in for a Very Nasty Surprise.

[YOY]

23. Let just hope they don't get discouraged.

n/t

[Terran]

26. Most of them don't read DU obsessively

So they're probably ok. :toast:

[glowing]

2. I think they call the same list over and over again.. and that they are all

fundies or they are lying about talking to anyone...

[GoldenOldie]

3. Don't believe they are close

Think the CON's are again using the MSM and the phony pollsters in an attempt to once again steal an election. If they can cage the vote, manipulate the machines, etc,. to reflect a McCain/Palin, then they will use these polls to justify the accuracy/theft.

[EnviroBat]

18. Exactly.

Right on. We are being played...

[catbyte]

4. Good question!

I live in western Michigan in the red part of the state. I've seen Obama yard signs outnumber McCain signs 12-1, and not just in my little blue oasis near downtown Grand Rapids. I don't know who the hell they're polling either, but I've never seen such overwhelming support for a Democratic candidate for President. They can't all be "Bradley effectors"!!

Diane

[NorthwestNut]

5. Chill out...

Even the most recent polls tend to lag 3-4 days, plus the new voter registration thing (of which I am one).

[wowimthere]

6. it's to create perception to steal the election... You have a right to question

[grace0418]

14. Exactly. First, it discourages people who think no matter what they do nothing will change.

Second, it gives a convenient cover story for election fraud. "Well, the polls have been neck-and-neck the whole time. McCain just came out on top."

We've got to keep people from getting discouraged AND overcome the election fraud.

[Teaser]

7. we are trying to elect the first black president

did you think it would be a blowout?

[bdamomma]

8. exactly.

just remember Obama made 66 million dollars in August that means alot, people are not going to have 4 more years of crap.

[Blue_Roses]

12. well fuck no, I didn't expect it to be a blowout, especially since I live in the south...

but these numbers reflect something totally different than what ACTUALLY is being said in REAL TIME America!

[Mz Pip]

20. I think this election

is more about this than anything else. Given the direction that the McCain campaign is taking its ads, it's really obvious to me they they are playing the race care. They want people to be afraid of Obama, mistrustful of Obama. McCain is the great white hero who will save this country. Obama, well, we get the message.

I think it's dispicable and if McCain wins because of these tactics it will further polarize this country on racial and ethnic lines. McCain is no uniter. Palin is a redneck from a very white state. When women scream, "She's just like me!!" it's about more than just the gender.

[Avalux]

9. The polls are lies.

Obama raised a record amount and had half a million news donors last month. The race isn't even close.

[sandnsea]

10. Alabama. Obama up 25

Seriously. Far right states are skewing the national polling.

[Upton]

11. I've got a novel idea

maybe, just maybe it's a close race.

BTW, yard signs and bumper stickers are not indicative of anything. If they were, we would be inaugurating Pres. Ron Paul in Jan.

[Blue_Roses]

13. oh give the condescention a rest...yes, I know it's a close race and Palin has made it closer

with her rhetoric, but when you have an interview that bombed the way hers did and the complete and utter bullshit that the McCain camp is being called on--even by Karl Rove--either the polling is lagging a few days or...

[Tarc]

15. Its hard not to be condescending when you're this naive

There's a solid base of backwoods Bible-belters that swooned over Ronnie Raygun, and have passed down their inbred ignorance to their children who are taught that anything connected to a "D" is a bastion of communism and homosexuality and depravity.

I'm sorry, but all the "hope and change" in the world was never going to be able to penetrate this solid rock of a base that they have. They will not be swayed by Palin's fuck-ups and obvious inexperience.

If you want Obama to win, we have to hold onto our own and convince the sensible middle-grounders to swing back this way. And be willing to take the gloves off to do it.

[Blue_Roses]

17. while I'm sure you made an attempt at an honest explanation...

the "it's hard not to be condescending" doesn't surprise me coming from you.:eyes:

[Tarc]

24. And the fact that you're, in fact, naive

isn't a surprise to anyone here, either.

[kansasblue]

16. They are corporations. Should we trust them? It's about money. nt

[El Fuego]

19. How can telephone polls be accurate these days?

First, they are only probably only calling land lines. I personnally only use my land line for my DSL connection. Many people don't even bother having land lines.

Second, they're talking to people who actually answer their phone for a unidentified caller AND spend time with an unidentified caller.

Who are they people the pollsters are reaching? People without cell phones, without caller ID, who obviously have plenty of time on their hands. The kind of people who are are always getting duped by telephone solicitors because they'll believe anything. Naive people. Dim-bulb not very smart people. In other worlds, people who vote republican.

[windbreeze]

21. Let's put it this way....$66,000,000 and 500,000 new donors...

need anyone say anything more about polls??.. wb

[SeaLyons]

25. Thom Hartmann talked about polls today on his show...

says they cannot be accurate, and how concerning it is that the media is reporting them.

[Overseas]

27. Sometimes they poll equal numbers of Ds, Rs and Is

They poll around 30% each, even though there are millions more registered Democrats across the country.

[Overseas]

28. Check out ProSense article about Gallup admitting McSame bias.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x7075425

About a deliberate decision by Gallup and USA Today to release a McSame post convention bounce poll because it was so much more favorable to him than any other poll ever,

but not to release any post convention bounce poll on Obama.

==========

And here's some background on Rasmussen from DarthDem

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x7075374

[loyalsister]

29. Who doesn't raise their voice? What do you hear?

Consider the low level participator. There are voters who are fed up but who do not like to talk politics (they hang up on pollsters).
They take that position because of their jobs or because they do not like confrontation. They may mutter in front of strangers, but they don't want their spouse to know their opinion. Their opinions are not reflected.
Some are adament and at home they argue with the spouse. When you run across them, they have a different opinion.
Who answers the phone when the pollsters call?
Who worries that there may be records of the poll that get around?

There are people who do not have phones because they are poor.
Some don't have phones on record because they have moved.
The college students who only use cell phones.

There are real life immeasurable dimensions to consider that are not reflected in the polls.

For the conspiracy buffs, if the pollsters and media were "in" on anything, don't you think they would be making it look like McCain was walking away with it so that we would give up?

We need to work hard. This race is not going to be a cakewalk. Why would it be?

But there's no reason to get desperately discouraged. There are voices that are not measured and there are actual legitimate reasons why.
Think it through and you may sleep easier before getting up and heading down to headquarters for your next volunteer day.