Just did my Gallup poll, and it leads me to believe corporate America is scared...

[Robeson]

...Mrs Robeson and I are members of the Gallup Panel - we get separate surveys - and I have never in 2+ years of belonging to the panel, have received such an in-depth poll as the one I've just taken. It was like talking to a psychologist, reflecting on every aspect of my life. They usually touch on topics of interest which, I presume, are of interest to the companies that receive their data, but this one almost had a tone of panic with the questions. They weren't asking for data, they were fishing for data.

Of special note, in every poll I've ever taken with them, they always ask about how I feel about the current President, at the beginning of the poll. This is the first one I've taken, that they asked that question at the end. Leads me to believe they were wanting to affect ones perception of the President, by the time one reached the end of the poll. Strange.

[tabatha]

1. Interesting information.

effect should be affect.

[pacalo]

2. This is interesting; could you share with us some of the questions

that hinted the tone of panic?

[Robeson]

4. Typically, they have a particular topic, and all questions focus on that...

...they are usually general questions, i.e. do you have insurance? Is it with your company or your spouses?

But this one went into depression, alcohol and tobacco. Also, feelings about your job as it relates to ones boss, whether one is appreciated, or if one feels worthwhile. Then it went into the economy in the same vein. All that is fine, but Gallup polls I've taken in the past have always focused on one topic. But, as I stated, what really stuck out to me, is after all these self reflecting questions, they ask about ones approval of the President.

They always ask that question beforehand, then get into the meat of the survey.

[pacalo]

6. I think your instincts are right on target, particularly about their motive in asking

about the President as a last question.

The tone of the questions reminds me of the questions asked on an employee satisfaction survey sent out periodically -- particularly when they were concerned about an employment decline -- at a large corporation I worked for years ago. I do detect some corporate alarm, too, as a motivation for this survey.

[Robeson]

8. Exactly. When one sees a Gallup poll about approval ratings, etc...

...it is from these type of polls, in which the main topic may be totally different. That's why they - at least under Bush - always asked this question before one even started to get into the topic. They were, again I presume, trying to get an unfiltered opinion. With this poll, they tried to steer one into the depths of depression, and then asked, so to speak, "How do you feel about the President?". That's not polling, that's steering.

[pacalo]

11. I'm more inclined to believe that under Bush, the question was asked

in the beginning in order to weed out those who weren't "indoctrinated". He was a one-party pResident.

[JDPriestly]

12. I just took it too. Same reaction. They have always asked what

your opinion of the president is at the beginning. They asked all these questions that had to cause emotional distress in the person being polled -- Are you going to lose your job? Have you heard rumors that your company is going to merge, lay people off? Have you ever smoked 100 cigarettes in your life? What diseases do you have (listed every possible disease)? It was incredible -- and then, at the end, are you happy with Obama? It was virtually a set-up to get a bad result with regard to Obama. Let's watch the poll results announcement in the next days -- weeks.

[Robeson]

13. Thanks JD, I'm glad I wasn't hallucinating. That is exactly what I thought...

...I've usually given them credit because every poll I've taken from them has been consistently formatted. This one really stuck out.

[L0oniX]

3. When they start hiring Black Water guards for their home protection then you know they are scared.

[Just-plain-Kathy]

5. I'm sure all the little fishes in corporate America will be scared, because now all the ...

...big fishes receiving bailout money will eat them all up.

[TygrBright]

7. Not scared enough. n/t

[pacalo]

10. Hahaaa! Watching what Maxine had to deal with today, you're right on.

[pacalo]

9. I just thought about something else: the last Zogby poll I received through e-mail

began the same way as your Gallup poll. Usually, the questions about the President is on the first page, but it began asking about various corporations. It didn't interest me, so I went no further than the first page.

Anyone here finish that particular Zogby poll? I received it last week sometime, I believe. If so, was your impression similar to Robeson's about the Gallup poll?

[GeorgeGist]

14. So what your saying is ...

the Gallup Poll is not a random sample.

[stlsaxman]

15. sounds like a "push-poll" tactic.

[Laelth]

16. Sounds like Gallup wants to please those buying the survey.

Corporate America wants to "bring Obama's approval ratings down." Sounds like this poll is designed to do exactly that.

::dem:

-Laelth