I just got push polled by the RNC

[topdog08]

The organization did not give it's name, but I just got an automated phone call asking me if I had a favorable opinion of President Bush... No If I wanted to keep LIBERAL Senators Hillary Clinton and Chuck Schumer from TAKING OVER OUR CONGRESS! No If I consider myself a Republican... No If I would consider myself a Democrat... Yes If had ever contributed to any political campaigns... At this point I refused to answer and the phone survey robot hung up. Guess that means my vote against Bush will not show up in the official tally? Isn't that strange for polls to start asking about political contributions you might or might not have made? I thought the LIBERAL Senators from TAKING OVER OUR CONGRESS part was the best. The robot even got some outrage in his recorded voice on that one. Why the heck would the RNC be spending their money on these things? Trying to fudge some positive poll numbers to make Bush look good?

[ewagner]

1. Actually there are two reasons

one is the fudged-up poll results and the second is far more nefarious.

They are trying to put a negative thought in your mind about an issue, a party or a person to try to drive those NEGATIVES UP.

[gristy]

2. It's probably not a poll at all

I can't imagine what its "results" would be good for.

It's repuke propaganda, twisting the minds of the NY masses.

[Ohio Dem]

3. "Trying to fudge some positive poll numbers to make Bush look good?"

That, and to trick the uninformed into thinking that "LIBERAL Senators Hillary Clinton and Chuck Schumer from TAKING OVER OUR CONGRESS."

Two birds with one stone.

[caledesi]

4. Could someone explain what "push polling" is? Thanks.

[LoZoccolo]

6. Push polling is when...

...they call you up acting like they are taking a poll, but the real purpose is to spread some sort of information or rumor or to remind people on their side to go vote. They can word the questions in such a way that it contains a rumor that's not necessarily true. If they went around calling people saying "If you had heard that ________ had been arrested for drunk and disorderly conduct five times in the past year, would you be more likely or less likely to vote for him?" then a certain number of people would be under the impression that he'd actually been arrested for that, when the question dances around the issue of whether or not it's true.

[phaseolus]

5. Could be "lead generation"...

They end up with two lists -- one, Republicans who have contributed to campaigns in the past; another, Democrats who have contributed in the past.

Then they sell the lists to both sides and rake in the bucks.