Do you find it "unusual" that all these races are tightening?

[kentuck]

in the last week or two of the election?

Sestak is no longer 11 points behind. Jerry Brown is not tied or behind Meg Whitman. Even Harrry Reid is a toss-up.

After all, the pollsters have their credibility to look out for.

They have spent the last year propagandizing the voters into believing that there was going to be a "tsunami" for the Republicans. Don't even bother voting, they told the Democrats. They fought like hell to depress the turnout.

But, now, it is time for reality. Even Russ Feingold is within two points of his opponent. :-)

[MinneapolisMatt]

1. It was never the way it was being reported/polled.

Never.

[mediaman007]

2. They set the table for voting machine fraud!

[TheWraith]

18. Really, all of them together? Including the Democratic pollsters?

Including the internal polls conducted by Democrats?

It's tightening up because the Republicans have done what they do best, which is peak too early, combined with the President slugging away every day, and the Dems getting traction on the issue of all the anonymous money.

[Yeshuah Ben Joseph]

20. Some of the so-called "Democratic pollsters" are nothing of the sort.

Like that asshat Doug Schoen on FAUX Noize.

[TheWraith]

22. Schoen and his guys are slime, yes. But EVERY Democratic pollster?

And every independent pollster, like Siena College? Quinnipiac? They're all engaged in a massive, coordinated conspiracy?

[GoCubsGo]

28. Also, things have come to light over the past few months.

Like:

"I'm not a witch."

"Some of you (Hispanic students) look Asian."

Nazi reinactments.

"I really didn't send out those e-mails depicting racism, beastiality, and homophobia. The Democrats are just trying to distract you."

Having one's thug bodyguards "arrest" a reporter for trying to ask a question.

I suspect that few in the MSM thought that the repugs were going to self-destruct the way they have been doing.

[Deep13]

3. Not really. In earlier polls people were just venting.

Now they are thinking about the ramifications of their choices. They're still angry, but most of them don't want to shoot themselves in the foot.

[cilla4progress]

14. That's what I think

I think they were trying to "send a message." Now reality is hitting home and they are re-thinking their animus!

[Upton]

4. It's just a natural tightening..

of the races the closer we get to the election. Happens every cycle. I refuse to believe there is any grand conspiracy going on..

[Imajika]

7. Exactly..

There is no conspiracy. Even in years we dominated, the GOP closed the gap some as the election got closer. In 2006 they actually made up quite a lot of ground in the final weeks, but it wasn't enough to keep them from losing the House & Senate.

[kentuck]

8. Do you think these reports and polls showing Democrats getting slaughtered

...in the next election, have no bearing on how people vote or if they vote at all??

It may not be a "conspiracy" - it may be overt and intentional?

[Freddie Stubbs]

5. Which pollsters told Democrats to not bother voting?

[Lasher]

6. An analyst said the President's party falls behind as midterm election day nears.

It was about 2 weeks ago that I heard that on TV. Go figure.

[Aramchek]

9. money can by alot of propaganda, but it can't make people like Repigs

[Yeshuah Ben Joseph]

21. Especially not this years crop.

I don't know how any Republican in good conscience (if such people exist anymore) could justify voting for the likes of Sharon Angle, Joe Miller, Ken Buck, Christine O'Donnell, or that pedophile running against Russ Feingold.

[saltpoint]

10. I favor polling outcomes which favor my candidates.

That seems fair.

Also, I insist that all of my candidates win over all their opponents.

[CreekDog]

11. Must everything be a giant conspiracy?

The thing that keeps me from believing such things is that I don't find people good at keeping secrets at all, and even less so for the juicy secrets.

And then there's the thing about races tightening for decades.

As if you need a weird hypothesis about something that's been observed for decades.

[kentuck]

15. Those are your words.

This election is not like any we have seen in our lifetimes.

[rocktivity]

12. You forgot "Diaper" David Vitter.

According to this story, it is ALSO a dead heat!

But seriously, folks, look at what's happened in the past few weeks. Thanks to The Chamber of Commerce's taking anonymous foreign donations, and reports of Supreme Court justices sitting in on Rethug strategy meetings, I think the difference has been that the people (especially the independents who had grown apathetic) are feeling the true implications of corporate personhood. In 2008, I got nervous about the polls tightening. But this year I'm not because we're catching up with them!

:headbang:
rocktivity

[Hippo_Tron]

24. It's an internal Melancon poll

And when you release an internal that shows you're down, it's generally not a good sign. Melancon may do better than people are predicting but Vitter will probably pull it out.

[rocktivity]

31. When you're down by three points or less, you AREN'T "down."

Why do you think the Melancon camp released this information in the FIRST place?

:headbang:
rocktivity

[Hippo_Tron]

33. Because a story with a poll showing you 3 down is better than one showing you 10 down

However, when it's an internal you have to look at it with some skepticism.

[WI_DEM]

13. Reid has always been a toss-up since Angle won, the only thing that bothers me about that race

is that most recent polls while showing "toss-up" has been Angle has been ahead of Reid in most recent polling even if it's by 1-3 points.

[lynne]

16. Tightening occurs in most elections the closer they get -

- as the "undecideds" make up their minds.

[DeepBlueC]

29. bingo

more the norm than the exception

[DemocraticPilgrim]

17. I thinkthe power of Grayson has inspired some candidates take it to them and there is a lot to go

with.

[Thrill]

19. No. After Obama visits. The candidate's poll numbers improve

Only sad this is he should have been out there earlier and not listened to the talking heads claiming candidates were running from him and he would only hurt

[Hippo_Tron]

23. I think that Republican takeover makes for a more interesting news cycle than Democrats holding on

The fact is that all of these polls are based on a model of "likely voters" assuming that tea-baggers will show up and Dems will stay home. If Dems show up, the pollsters will get it wrong and we will keep control.

[laureloak]

25. Excellent points.

[FBaggins]

26. Not unusual at all... in fact, it's to be expected.

Sestak is no longer 11 points behind.

Sestak does not appear to be an example of "natural tightening" - he's made some real progress in the race.

[moondust]

27. Early voting has started and it is not following the script.

The "enthusiasm gap" appears to favor Democrats.

It is also apparently true, as mentioned above, that many voters don't start paying attention until shortly before election day.

[BlueIdaho]

30. Its makes for better TV...

If we have some real "horse races" that means we have more hours of political programming and that means more advertising dollars for the M$M.

[bklyncowgirl]

32. I'm fed up! I'm gonna vote Republican! Oh but maybe not THAT Republican. Agggh Nevermind.

In the early polling you get pissed off people saying they're voting for the Republican because they're mad at the Democrats and want to send them a message. Fair enough. Our system doesn't give us voters too many alternative ways to communicate with our leaders in a way they'll understand. Throw the bums out is a long and honored tradition in this country.

Then as the election gets closer and our pissed off voter gets to know the candidates in HIS district, and is looking at actual candidates and not some amorphous mass of Democrats and Republicans, he starts to change his mind.

"I want to vote for a Republican to send a message to those #*#!& Democrats but this Republican who I have to vote for is a complete wack job."

I don't think this is going to turn into a miracle wave for the Democrats but I do think that many Republicans peaked too early. It doesn't matter at all how far in front a horse is in the early parts of the race. It's the horse who sticks his nose under the wire first who's going to win the race.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

34. They have told us so long and so often that Democrats will get their asses kicked

on November 2 that even some Democrats right here on DU cannot embrace good news. The Newsweek poll brings fantastic news. And there are other polls that bring refreshing news. And what do we do here at DU? Question even those slivers of good news.

I don't get it.