Frank Newport: These's no evidence in polling that democrats are enthusiastic about this election

[bigdarryl]

ALL the enthusiasm is on the republicans side and thats what driving this election.And that's what driving them to the polls this coming from an idiot who does polling from GALLUP

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. Who is Frank Newport?

And why should we care what he thinks? I see a lot of enthusiasm -- but then I'm just a regular person who hangs out with other regular people, so what do I know?

[bigdarryl]

3. An idiot from GALLUP he was on C-SPAN

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

5. Well, there you are.

The pollsters don't call cell phones. Their polls are skewed for that reason, among many others.

[Valienteman]

9. Newport's organization calls cell phones

Just saying.

[ladywnch]

19. the same Gallup who was told to cease all their polling since their

methodology sucks so bad?!?! That Gallup?

Thank goodness, I thought it was coming from someone who was credible.....whew!

[classof56]

2. Who is Frank Newport?

Just wonderin...

[Kurovski]

6. I think he's the man who invented cigarettes.

[classof56]

12. Good one!

:hi:

[subterranean]

4. Well, if Frank Newport says it, that's good enough for me.

Who is Frank Newport?

[bigdarryl]

7. Someone needs to ask him if that is true why are democrats beating rethugs in the early voting

in many states.And the other day I hear democrats are catching up in Florida and Nevada.

[adnelson60087]

8. This logic of "pollsters don't call cell phones" was cited back

in 2004 when Bush ran against Kerry, as Kerry was trailing in the polls. I believed it then, but not now. This logic is just a rationalization for the unthinkable. That is, Americans are stupid enough to return power to a party as corrupt and just plain stupid as the Republicans. I wished it was true in 2004, and i'll wish it's true now, too. I just don't think it is.

[Imajika]

11. You know we are in trouble when people start citing cell phones...

...as the reason we are down in the polls.

But they don't call mobile phones = grasping at straws.

[Arkana]

17. Actually, in Oregon this was a huge problem.

Kitzhaber went from tied with Dudley to leading by 8 when mobile phones were polled.

[Imajika]

21. Yes, that is one poll...

It isn't as if the cell phone effect hasn't been tested over and over and over again.

[Kurovski]

14. it depends

if you want to create a perception that repubs are ahead, and you know cells lean Dem, don't call cells

[BlueIdaho]

10. Yeah, the President shows up somewhere and it SRO...

No enthusiasm there, nope, no sir-ee, not one lick of enthusiasm...

Morans...

[Igel]

13. That drowns out the data with an anecdote.

Which would be a clever trick, were it possible.

The problem is averages and statistics. SRO, 100,000 people all agog with the stellar appearance of their hero on the stage. Ooh. A stunningly high percentage in a metropolitan area of 8,000,000. I mean, surely that 1.25% of the population matters. Let's double it exclude underage voters. 2.5%. I'm sure every one is a voter other than the 28-35% of the population that regularly votes (D).

Or, perhaps, they're the die-hard Democrats in the area with enough money or connections to get in or be taken there.

Not overlooking that when Clinton went to UCLA more than a few repubs I knew were ga-ga over his visit. Why? Because even if you dislike the man, it's still a Big Deal to shake the hand of the President of the United States and get your picture taken with him. I mean, the future chair of the College Republicans was angling rather intensely for a ticket to the pre-appearance meeting with stu-gov leaders, and not to tell Clinton where to stick his policies.

Just as we always have the poor with us, so we always have the perennially excited with them. They largely offset each other; what matters is the difference in relative enthusiasm. That's what's discussed. Then again, most people know that, just as they know that most (D) interact much less with any (R) than they do with other (D). Networking and all that. It means many of us have enclosed ourselves in a nice little bubble and limited our actual community-based social networks. Not good for a democracy.

[book_worm]

15. THEN, MR. NEWPORT, WHY THE HELL ARE DEMS WINNING EARLY VOTING

MOST EVERY WHERE (YES, THERE ARE EXCEPTIONS)but as a whole the Dems are out-pacing around the country republicans in early voting. In Iowa, In Ohio, In Nevada, In Maryland, In Illinois, In North Carolina, In Louisiana...

If the GOP is so damn excited why aren't they out there voting?

[Kingofalldems]

16. So I guess we shouldn't even bother to vote

According to most of your OPs it would seem.

[Ramulux]

18. One simple question for Frank

If dems are not at least a little enthusiastic how come we are having higher early-voting turnout in many states than we did in 2006? Its a simple question that destroys his entire argument.

Also I seem to remember something about 250,000 liberals and moderates showing up to support a liberal talk show host, maybe I was just imagining it.

[jillan]

20. Not at all what I heard when calling yesterday....Dems cannot wait to vote, and I'm in one of the

reddest states...Az.