It's hard to tell whether this is a reaction to "It's about time!" complaints that would tend to come from the center-right, or to "How dare you!" protests from the left (my money is on the latter), but pollster John Zogby took an unprofessional turn in his Saturday report (to be replaced in 24-48 hours) that was released in the wee hours this morning.
The substantive news is that Barack Obama is ahead 5.7% in Zogby's three-day rolling average. Obama came in 10 points ahead in one-day Saturday polling (52-42, after trailing John McCain 48-47 on Friday (weekend polling bias, anyone?).
But it's what Zogby wrote in his third paragraph before showing the daily rolling-average results that was the attention-getter (bold is mine):
"Remember, as I said yesterday, one day does not make a trend. This is a three-day rolling average and no changes have been tectonic. A special note to blogger friends: calm it down. Lay off the cable television noise and look at your baseball cards in your spare time. It is better for your (and everyone else's) health."
Regardless of where Zogby's complaints are primarily originating, his comment is more than a little condescending and arrogant.
Of course, nobody should be on the receiving end of profanity or verbal abuse, and I'm not excusing that if it's occurring (if it is, he really should tell us, because we'll then have a much better idea of what side it's coming from).
On the other hand, John, if you can't stand the heat, get off Mt. Olympus and get out of the polling business.
—Tom Blumer is president of a training and development company in Mason, Ohio, and is a contributing editor to NewsBusters
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Polls are vascillating
November 2, 2008 - 10:26 ET by Pete WilsonPolls are vascillating wildly. I just have a difficult time believing any of the polls. Seems to me that most polls are conducted by news agencies to have something to report. Since most of the MSM seems to be in the bag for Mr. Obama (I refuse to call him Senator) their results are questionable, in my estimation.
When I was very young, I was taught about Pravda, and the like. Seems more and more to me that we have Pravda in the guise of the MSM. I just can not trust that the truth is being told by the pollsters or the news media.
I agree
November 2, 2008 - 16:54 ET by LilyPearlI agree, Pete. I don't know what to make of polls. They do seem all over the place. I believe that the election can go either way. I also believe that there is an effort to try to emotionally depress voters who would go and vote for McCain and try to get them not to vote. If Obama wins, it won't be because of my neck of the woods. There are tons of McCain/Palin signs and I have only seen one Obama sign and it was a bumper sticker on the back of a truck.
I think someone is a bit
November 2, 2008 - 10:39 ET by Ryan Mc.I think someone is a bit defensive.
If I published data that said that McCain was ahead by 1% on Thursday but then Obama was up by 10% the next day maybe I'd be a bit defensive too though.
If Zogby is one of the better ones then can there be any credibility in these polls. Does anyone think that over 1 in 10 americans suddenly switched to Obama during Halloween? Even with margins of error at 5% there is no explaining an 11% swing. I think "Scientific" Polls are not so Scientific.
BTW wasn't it Zogby himself that made this the story when he published one day data and put a note up on his own website hyping the data? Why bash the bloggers then when you were hyping the data you say isn't a big deal?
defensive? he's just plain
November 3, 2008 - 10:34 ET by TruthMongerdefensive? he's just plain bitter - his propaganda power is circling the drain - good riddance zogby - go play with your tarot cards
Government is the "greedy capitalism" of marxists
Change The Rules
November 2, 2008 - 10:55 ET by JoelCTZogby: Dang, our poll is reflecting WAY too close to the truth. Where did you do those last calls? Well, don't poll there again. Add Austin Texas, Atlanta Georgia, and San Francisco California into the mix.
Next day:
Zogby: There, Obama is back up 10 points. Whew, that was a close one!
It seems as if he gave in.
November 2, 2008 - 11:07 ET by superconBecause people were unhappy with a poll showing McCain ahead he released a new poll that those people will like better and is saying "There...are you happy now? Now leave me alone"
Barack is going down.
Trust me.
Polls Shmolls
November 2, 2008 - 11:09 ET by dammitI got called by Gallop a few days ago. I don't do polls, as a conservative I have better things to do than sit on the phone, answering slanted, laded questions that are worded in such a way that they can twist your answers.
They were not willing to accept my two word answer for their poll "Nobama Ever".
If It Is To Be, It Is Up To Me
I bet they counted you anyways.
November 2, 2008 - 14:31 ET by supercon"They were not willing to accept my two word answer for their poll "Nobama Ever".
Poll supervisor:What happened...?
Poll taker:He hung up on me.
Poll supervisor:Did he say anything first...?
Poll taker: Yeah,he said Obama forever.
Poll supervisor:Sounds like a yes to me....
Poll taker:Check one off for the Bama meister!
Barack is going down.
Trust me.
Just A Little Light Humor
November 2, 2008 - 11:24 ET by NoMoreClintonsAs a young TV reporter in Utica, NY in the mid 1970's I had occasion to interview John Zogby a number of times when he was a poly sci professor at Utica College. As I recall, he had a sense of humor so it doesn't surprise me that he made this comment. I actually laughed out loud at it when I read it. So chalk it off to John's sense of humor because that's probably the context in which he meant it . . . you know, some people need to lighten up.
Polls are for entertainment
November 2, 2008 - 11:39 ET by TN MomPolls are for entertainment only.
I heard Rove say there have been over 700+ polls this election alone with over 200 polls done in October; compared to 200 polls in the entire 2004 election.
If the pollsters have to DEFEND their results...something isn't right!
The recent news of Obama ties to Khalidi, Obama's Aunt living illegally in Boston, Obama's Fraudulant Internet Donations, and Obama VIDEO stating he will BANKRUPT the COAL INDUSTRY-might not show in the polls, but will RESULT in a BIG WIN FOR MCCAIN!
McCain/Palin...for the good of the COUNTRY!!
Polls?
November 2, 2008 - 11:42 ET by Jerry MackI have lived in the same house for 25 years,have the same phone number and have voted in every election. The only election that I have ever been polled on was a local school bond issue. I would not participate if I was called, but it does make me wonder exactly who they are polling!
He Lost HIs Cool, But It's True
November 2, 2008 - 12:16 ET by rammingspeedMr. Zogby shouldn't have insulted the bloggers, but you could just feel his frustration at putting up with their lunatic emails and complaints. Basically, the lefty bloggers have the emotional makeup of kids to whom their baseball card collections are the most important things in their lives.
Mr. Zogby gets a pass.
I used to...
November 2, 2008 - 12:21 ET by The DistributistI used to run a call center. The Gen-X slackers that tend to work in thoese entry-level, minimum wage jobs are not above fudging results to suit their own agendas. I have never believed a poll.
"The unconscious democracy of America is a very fine thing. It is
a true and deep and instinctive assumption of the equality of citizens,
which even voting and elections have not destroyed." -GKC, 1922
Daily KOS was chewing him up.
November 2, 2008 - 14:17 ET by nwahsI think that comment was directed at the Daily KOS nuts. They were in a feeding frenzy after Zogby's Saturday morning report was leaked Friday night.
How about just NOT polling
November 2, 2008 - 14:26 ET by bpjamHow about just NOT polling on weekends or NOT averaging those in considering that everybody in the world know that weekends have far fewer republicans or people with jobs sitting around at home????
Or, here's another idea: How about killing about 90% of all the pollsters so that every newscast doesn't have a poll result in it telling us all what we are supposed to think or agree with.
stupid question
November 2, 2008 - 16:58 ET by LilyPearlI have a stupid question that is going to show my true ignorance: Are polls really accurate? I was trying to do some research yesterday on past elections and it was hard to find info. From what I saw on Gallup past history, they seemed to be pretty close, but there have been instances in the past where polls were very wrong. Also, didn't Zogby embarrass himself in 2004 with a bad prediction? Anyway, just my musings.
I am sick of the constant
November 2, 2008 - 17:27 ET by bigtimerI am sick of the constant polling from daily networks and their so-called experts, I am sick of this campaign...I have never seen anything like what has been going on non-stop for over two years, let alone the leftist msm and their filthy lying harping and insinuations since Pres. Bush got in anyway...
What is sad is we will not get a break from any of this even after this is over and Obama wins, plus of course Congress stays dem...it is mind-bending anymore, their is absolutely no grace, dignity, respect, let alone truth in the msm that is has become nothing more than an obvious pathetic arm to the leftist party.
I just shake my head anymore and hope for an uprising from conservatives with the likes of which we haven't seen since '94...or more.
"America isn't the problem...America is the solution." ~ Rush Limbaugh
Polling ...
November 3, 2008 - 07:49 ET by GOPG8RWhen I worked at the Tarrance Group, we wouldn't do any polling on Friday and Saturday nights b/c of the overwhelming Democratic advantage when polling on those nights. Dems stayed home in larger numbers than GOP voters so it was impossible to get numbers that were representative of the electorate. In 2000, the polling from Sunday/Monday evenings were also coming back with a slight Dem edge ... when Gore was polling stronger those last days before the election, we assumed (wrongly) that the bump in his support was just this trend and not the reality - he really had changed some undecided voters in that last weekend (w/ GW's drunk driving arrest coming out and GW not campaigning that weekend while Gore continued).
Anyway, weekend polling is notoriously unreliable. And it seems like if anything, McCain is picking up some late undecideds in this election (which usually tend to either stay home or vote for the challenger). Let's hope this continues ...