Clipmarks | Poll Clips

RICO Meets ACORN?

Sun, 12 Oct 2008 06:44:09 GMT

clipped by: merrie
clipper's remarks: But that's just a distraction from Changie-Hope Thingie

Just assertions at a pro-Hillary web site, mind you, but it does remind us that the same complaints we're making now about the tactics of the pro-Obama ACORN are the same as those made by Clinton supporters during the primaries: fraudulent registration, intimidation, and other tools of "the Chicago Way."

And it also reminds us that there are a lot of angry Hillary supporters, self-proclaimed PUMAs (Party Unity My ... Ahem), who will not vote for Obama come November. It makes me wonder if there is some sort of dissembling in play that makes the poll numbers meaningless.

It brings to mind thoughts of the relationship between smoke and fire.

Regardless, if there isn't a racketeering investigation of ACORN underway, there should be. There are too many incidents in too many states not to suggest a centrally directed effort to register fraudulent voters.

And who was it who paid ACORN $800,000 this last summer? Oh, yeah.

(hat tips: zombywolf and Ace)

Tags: acorn, rico, puma, barack obama, voter fraud

Rasmussen Poll for Saturday, Oct 11

Sat, 11 Oct 2008 19:07:49 GMT

clipped by: wiccantexan

Clip Source: www.rasmussenreports.com

The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Saturday shows Barack Obama attracting 52% of the vote while John McCain earns 45%. This is the first update based entirely on interviews conducted after the second Presidential debate and it shows virtually no change. On Tuesday morning, just before the debate, Obama was leading 52% to 44%.

In fact, the race has remained quite stable for more than two weeks. This is the sixteenth straight day that Obama’s support has ranged from 50% to 52% while McCain has been at 44% of 45%

Currently, Obama has the edge in every state won by John Kerry four years ago. However, of the states won by George Bush, McCain is trailing in four and five others are considered a toss-up. As a result, Electoral College projections now show Obama leading 248-163. When “leaners” are included, Obama leads 300-174

Rasmussen Markets data shows Obama is given a 77.9 % chance of winning in November

Tags: obama, mccain, politics, election, poll

Long-shot races closing the gap as Repubs slip

Sat, 11 Oct 2008 18:38:08 GMT

clipped by: masbury
clipper's remarks: Surprises in WV GA, KY:
West Virginia - the 2nd closest race in the nation, McCain up only 1.1 points!
Kentucky: incumbent Senate Repub Leader Mitch McConnell now has less than 50% of the vote
Georgia: Repub Saxby Chambliss up by less than two

Clip Source: sage

the data above suggest continued progress for the Obama-Biden ticket following Tuesday night's debate.

Meanwhile, things have shifted a bit in races for the Senate. A series of new surveys released over the last few days confirm a significant narrowing in Georgia, which we now classify as a toss-up. Republican Saxby Chambliss now leads Democratic challenger Jim Martin on our trend estimate by less than two percentage points (45.3% to 43.5%).

And in Kentucky, internal polls released by both campaigns disagree on the margin, but agree that incumbent Republican Mitch McConnell is winning less than 50% of the vote (48% on the poll from the Democrats, 47% on the poll by Republicans). Our trend estimate still gives McConnell enough of a lead (48.2% to 42.6%) to rate "lean" Republican status.

Tags: wv, polls, kentucky, georgia

Lifehacker Compiles Places for Political Info

Sat, 11 Oct 2008 18:14:20 GMT

clipped by: Lara Nieberding

Clip Source: lifehacker.com

10. Compare the candidates.

2008 Presidential Candidate Selector gives you the skinny on the major-topic stances of every candidate, including most of the third-party contenders

9. Go poll-crazy at FiveThirtyEight.com.

Silver's FiveThirtyEight grabs all the polls it can find, weighs them based on methodologies and past accuracy, projects data for regions where it can't find polls, then runs thousands of simulated elections to come up with a likely outcome

7. Follow the money.

The graph-happy folks at Many Works have put together a ton of interactive (and usually Java-required) tools, including this earmarks visualization of per-capita earmark spending. Now you're not just mad, you're madly informed.

6. See what the candidates said about your hot-button topic.

In Quotes lets you type a term and see how Obama and McCain referenced it in speeches, interviews, and other places.

2 Track fund raising and donations by candidates (and your neighbors).

OpenSecrets.org has maps, graphs, and details

Tags: lifehacker, politics, information

Why polls are underestimating Obama's chances

Sat, 11 Oct 2008 12:23:43 GMT

clipped by: jklugman
clipper's remarks: Ezra Klein posts correspondence with Princeton political scientist Larry Bartels about why current polls are underestimating the support Obama will receive in the election.

Clip Source: www.prospect.org

First, there is a fairly strong tendency for late shifts in preferences to favor the incumbent party when the economy is strong and the out-party when the economy is weak; that makes Sen. Obama's position stronger than it looks in current polls.

Second,

given the pattern of new registrations and the apparent strength of the two campaigns' voter mobilization efforts, Sen. Obama seems more likely to benefit than to lose support from unexpected turnout.

Third, the possibility that undecided white voters may, in the end, be unable to bring themselves to vote for Sen. Obama on racial grounds makes his position somewhat more precarious than it would otherwise be. It is very difficult to estimate the importance of the racial factor (that is, the extent to which racial antipathy is not already reflected in current polls), but my guess is that this is less important than the other two factors, both of which seem likely to work in Sen. Obama's favor.

Tags: ezra klein, barack obama, john mccain, larry bartels, survey, poll, polls, elections

Horton Hears Who's Voting

Sat, 11 Oct 2008 01:10:44 GMT

clipped by: fudomyoo
clipper's remarks: another great saying: Democracy is two wolves and a sheep voting on lunch.

Clip Source: nametk.blogspot.com

I still say that democracy is being allowed to vote on getting a sharp stick in the eye, but when you show up at the poll, the choices are Right or Left.

Horton Hears Who's Voting

Tags: vote

Over 70 Percent Of CEOs Fear An Obama Presidency Will Be A Disaster

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 08:35:37 GMT

clipped by: merrie
clipper's remarks: “Overall, many CEOs are concerned about the future of the U.S. economy and its ability to compete in the global market, but they look to John McCain and hope that this self-described political maverick may yet shake up established thinking and not give into to the tired policies of the past,” concluded Kopko

Clip Source: www.chiefexecutive.net

Even though CEOs rated McCain’s policies over Obama’s in the most recent polling, their support came with reservations, as can be witnessed by the B- grade given to McCain’s overall policies. McCain received strong marks for defense and foreign policy but only a C+ on energy, environment and education. Conversely, Barack Obama’s overall plan received a barely passing C- with four out of eight policy areas receiving D grades. Neither candidate received an A.

Policy Areas	Grade for Obama	Grade for McCain
Energy Policy	C-	C+
Economic/Fiscal Policy	D+	B-
Foreign Policy	D+	B
Defense Policy	D+	B+
Environmental Policy	C+	C+
Educational Policy	C+	C+
Tax Policy	D	B-
Healthcare Policy	C-	C+
OVERALL	C-	B-

In expressing their rejection of Senator Obama, some CEOs who responded to the survey went as far as to say that “some of his programs would bankrupt the country within three years, if implemented.” In fact, the poll highlights that Obama’s tax policies, which scored the lowest grade in the poll

Clip Source: www.clubforgrowth.org

Tags: ceo's ratings, presidential candidates, mccain, obama, u.s.competition, global economy, policies on tax, decrease governmental spending

Major Shift in Faith Voters toward Obama, Survey Finds

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 00:12:20 GMT

clipped by: wiccantexan

Clip Source: www.christianpost.com

Not only is Sen. Barack Obama ahead in general national polls, but a new survey finds that the Democratic presidential candidate has made significant inroads among faith voters.

In comparison to the 2004 Democratic nominee Sen. John Kerry, Obama has made significant gains among monthly worship attenders. Among this group of voters, who attend religious services once or twice a month, 60 percent support Obama in 2008 compared to 49 percent for Kerry in 2004, according to results from the report, “The Faith and American Politics Survey,” sponsored by Faith in Public Life and conducted by Public Religion Research.

Also unlike the 2004 election, more Americans think the Democratic candidate is friendly to religion than the Republican nominee. Forty-nine percent of Americans say Obama is friendly to religion, while 45 percent say the same of McCain.

The poll also found that 71 percent of Americans say it is important for public officials to be comfortable talking about religious values.

Tags: obama, religion, faith, vote

Computer Desktop Ideas

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 23:27:05 GMT

clipped by: Ry-clip

Clip Source: lifehacker.com

Battle of the Tricked-Out Computer Desktops

Ever since we started the Lifehacker Desktop Show and Tell group on Flickr, readers have been contributing and explaining their computer desktop settings in droves. A few times a week we pick out one that's unique in some way and post it here on site, to both cheers and jeers. Now that we've got more than three months worth of featured desktops, it's time to round them all up into a giant poll, where you get to tell us which desktop impressed you the most. Any of these inspire you to try new software, or make your desktop just a little nicer? Pick your favorite desktop from the group and let's see which one comes out on top.

Obama in position to steal Virginia from GOP

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 21:11:03 GMT

clipped by: xlorn

Clip Source: www.cnn.com

Obama in position to steal Virginia from GOP

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Virginia hasn't backed a Democrat for president in 44 years, but economic concerns and changing demographics are giving Sen. Barack Obama a chance to steal the once reliably red state from Republicans.

Polls earlier this year showed Sen. John McCain, the Republican presidential nominee, leading Obama, his Democratic rival, in Virginia by a healthy margin.

A Virginia Commonwealth University poll taken May 12-18 had McCain leading 47 percent to 39 percent.

But as the financial crisis has shaken voters' confidence in the economy, Obama has begun to open a lead in the state, as he has done in other battleground states.

The latest CNN poll of polls has Obama leading McCain 49 percent to 45 percent. A CNN/TIME/Opinion Research Corporation poll conducted September 28-30 shows Obama with an even bigger lead over McCain, 53 percent to 44 percent. The CNN poll's margin of error was plus or minus 4 percentage points.

PBS asks: "Is Sarah Palin qualified to serve as Vice President of the United States? "

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 20:01:30 GMT

clipped by: Spiritualmonkey
clipper's remarks: Last I saw, it was 49% each yes/no. I've also heard that the Republicans have been getting their people to flood the votes. Dunno if that's true, but I voted no.

I shudder when I try to think what kind of person would vote yes on this question?.

Clip Source: www.pbs.org

Do you think Sarah Palin is qualified to serve as Vice President of the United States?

	Yes
	No
	Not Sure

Polls are Dangerous

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 18:02:00 GMT

clipped by: oscarrob
clipper's remarks: These scare me because it is so early. Obama supporters need to guard against over confidence.

Clip Source: www.slate.com

A Strategic Vision poll in Pennsylvania shows Obama leading McCain, 54 percent to 40 percent. A Muhlenburg poll in the same state puts Obama ahead 50 percent to 38 percent. These polls change Pollster.com's trend estimate in Pennsylvania from "lean Obama" to "strong Obama." A new Rasmussen poll shows Obama ahead in Wisconsin, 54 percent to 44 percent, and Minnesota, 52 percent to 45 percent. The same poll shows McCain ahead in Georgia, 54 percent to 45 percent.—Abby Callard

Tags: campaign, polls, obama, mccain, election

Dead Heat

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 16:51:43 GMT

clipped by: pecksnif
clipper's remarks: The Poseur and his Pollsters

Clip Source: curmudgeonlyskeptical.blogspot.com

ZOGBY- "Dead Heat"

"... mirrors the 1980 election, when voters didn’t embrace Ronald Reagan over then-President Jimmy Carter until just days before the election."

The presidential race is still too close to call and could come down to the very last weekend before voters decide if they like or distrust Barack Obama, a national pollster predicts.

Zogby’s latest poll, released yesterday in conjunction with C-Span and Reuters, shows Obama and John McCain in a statistical dead heat, with the Illinois Democrat up 48-45 percent.

Zogby said the race mirrors the 1980 election, when voters didn’t embrace Ronald Reagan over then-President Jimmy Carter until just days before the election.

Tags: obama. phony poll numbers

Pitbull Palin Mauls McCain

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 03:05:01 GMT

clipped by: glennbah

Clip Source: www.nytimes.com

Pitbull Palin Mauls McCain

SARAH PALIN’S post-Couric/Fey comeback at last week’s vice presidential debate was a turning point in the campaign. But if she “won,” as her indulgent partisans and press claque would have it, the loser was not Joe Biden. It was her running mate. With a month to go, the 2008 election is now an Obama-Palin race — about “the future,” as Palin kept saying Thursday night — and the only person who doesn’t seem to know it is Mr. Past, poor old John McCain.

Just hours before the debate began, the McCain campaign pulled out of Michigan. That state is ground zero for the collapsed Main Street economy and for so-called Reagan Democrats

Not without an economic message. McCain’s most persistent attempt, his self-righteous crusade against earmarks, collapsed with his poll numbers. Next to a $700 billion bailout package, his incessant promise to eliminate all Washington pork — by comparison, a puny grand total of $16.5 billion in the 2008 federal budget

doesn’t bring

the bacon

Tags: mccain, palin, economy

Polling Funnies

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 17:59:46 GMT

clipped by: ColoradoRight
clipper's remarks: Pay attention to the details, note trends within polls rather than aggregating disparate poll reports, and never forget that every media outlet is selling a story, and every poll is bought by someone for a specific purpose. The election is something far different from any poll

Clip Source: wizbangblog.com

Lorie pointed out that CBS has a new poll, so I went and had a look, and it's funnier than the comics. Sure, I generally like CBS because they have a consistent methodology, and because they always publish their questions and party breakdown. This allows me to reverse their calculations and see how they got their results.

First off, it's more fun if you play along at home, so here's the poll address.

OK, now let's keep it simple and start with page 14, the last page. Let's read together the last two sentences in that poll:

"Every registered voter is included in the likely voter model, and is assigned a probability of voting, which is used to calculate the likely voter results. The sum of these probabilities is the effective number of likely voters."

In those two sentences, the folks at CBS are admitting that they MADE UP THEIR STATISTICS ON LIKELY VOTERS!!! There are no real voters who were asked if they were likely to vote in this poll - not even one!

Tags: democrats, republicans, polls, cbs, media