Limits concerning polls on troops withdrawal.

[Mass]

Somebody has posted this poll as an indication that Democrats wants a much quicker withdrawal than what the Dems in the Senate are proposing (whether it is Kerry/Feingold or Levin/Reid).

http://poll.gallup.com/content/?ci=23599



However, while reading this poll, I am more concerned about the vagueness of the questions asked. Nowhere did Gallup defined what the three terms: immediate withdrawal, gradual withdrawal, and stay the course means, and my guess is that people interpreted that differently. For example, for some people, immediate withdrawal will mean leaving NOW and in just a few weeks; for others, it will allow a withdrawal that will take a little longer (a few months), but that will be firm and without conditions. The same thing goes for "stay the course". Some people will consider that a plan for withdrawal linked to conditions on the ground is "stay the course". Other will call that "gradual withdrawal".

ON EDIT

Here is the definition of their categories:

1. Gradual Withdrawal: 31%

Train Iraqis to run own country

Come up with an exit strategy

Make a gradual withdrawal


2. Immediate Withdrawal: 31%

Pull the troops out and come home


3. Stay the Course: 30%

Stay the course/Doing a good job


Be aggressive/Finish what we started


Send more troops/Build up military presence


4. Other: 7%

Work with advisers/Act on advice


Work with the United Nations


Admit we made a mistake/Apologize and move forward


Keep the public informed/Explain what is going on

Which is even worse because it is an aggregate of answers to a poll where people could choose several answers.

I hate these polls because they can be used as people want. I suspect that many Democrats who answered "immediate withdrawal" would agree with the Kerry/Feingold proposal but not the Reed/Levin proposal.

[ray of light]

1. IMO gallop is intentionally being vague now, because

they know support is so low.

It's election year polling again!

(Thank God there's no Vana in here to scream about the polls though! Though I give Vana many kudos for the terrific fundraising drives!!!)

[karynnj]

2. I agree with you

There is no way to map the answers to plans. I suspect the Kerry/Feingold people would split between the first 2 categories. They really needed more, better defined categories. (About all it does show is why Lieberman is in trouble with Democrats.)