If Coakley wins by more than 3%, Political polling is going to take a major hit

[berni_mccoy]

If the election isn't close and Coakley wins, I think polling methodology is going to take a serious hit to credibility. The polls for this election were all over the place and it was clear that the polls had bias (one way or the other). Polls are being used more and more by the media to craft a story rather than report anything factual. Media has been worthless for some time now. Polling is about to go there if the pollsters don't straighten their act up.

[alcibiades_mystery]

1. Polling should have taken a big hit after Clinton's NH surprise

But it didn't.

[WeDidIt]

7. THIS!!! ^^^^^

DAMNED STRAIGHT!!!

If Coakley wins by more than 3 points, watch the Media to spend the next 48 hours covering their asses on this one.

[Ken Burch]

2. That's a big "if" at this point.

Still, you'd be right if it happens.

C'mon Massachusetts...vote against hate and vote against smears!

[Mika]

3. BFEE meme: exit polls don't matter .... Mission accomplished.

:nuke:

Say goodbye to Democracy.

---

[Irish_shark]

4. I agree. Pollsters should be held accountable

We should be prepared to demand explanations from pollsters if they fail to at least approximate real election results. The public deserves reliable data. I see too many Republican-affiliated pollsters these days. We need independent, reliable pollsters.

[Mistwell]

8. Rasmussen has her up - and he's a Republican

Ironically, one of the only polls that has her up is Rasmussen, who is a Republican affiliated pollster.

[Irish_shark]

15. 1) Rasmussen poll is one of the oldest conducted 2) The rest of Republican pollsters have her down

Rasmussen conducted a poll and only one poll. Many polls have been conducted since.

[Skink]

5. Sort of like Triple A ratings dished out for Enron etc.

[uponit7771]

12. Yeap, cept this time pollsters changed their polling model and TOLD teh M$M

[ThomWV]

6. The problem isn't the polling, its the pollsters

You presume that established polling methodology is in use. Why would you think that?

[bluestateguy]

9. I'd love to see them all go out of business

That would be a thing of beauty.

[branders seine]

10. Is there *any* objective, honest political poll?

The entire political system is corrupt to the core.

[bigwillq]

11. I never take stock in any of these polls

even if they favor DEMS. Human beings do odd things when it comes to politics and voting. The only results that count are after the voting is closed. Doesn't matter what any of those polls say then.

[gratuitous]

13. You think it would or should

But the major media have accomplished the art of collective selective amnesia. There are a lot of factors at work here, including the special election (which lowers turnout), levels of commitment by supporters of each candidate (how well do paid temps do versus volunteers), and the weather, just to name three. I haven't paid a lot of attention to the polling (it's up! we're doomed! it's down! the world is ending! it's holding steady! game over, man!), but I'd be interested to know what people who know more than me think: Were the polling samples large enough? Were the samples properly weighted, or was one group overpolled in relation to its actual numbers among the populace? That is, if there are 30% Republicans in Massachusetts, polls that include 36% Republican respondents are going to be skewed in favor of the candidate favored by Republicans.

There will be a quick round of excuses proffered, then nobody anywhere will remember a thing about how gloriously wrong they were.

[Speck Tater]

14. The problem with statements like "If _____ then _____ will change." is this...

It doesn't matter what happens...

NOTHING frickin' changes. Ever!

[Mistwell]

16. Turns out the polls were correct

Ah well...