[raybbr]

also a representative sample would be one that accurately refelcts the country at large, it could be much smaller than 60,000 and still be representative.

someone sounds like they are a pessimist

Even if you doubled the percentage it is still hardly a representative sample.

It sounds like someone is willing to believe anything.

[raloxk]

do you understand what the definition of a representative sample is? It just has to represent the US as a whole, it does not have to be above 60,000. Since Zogby accurately prediceted the popular vote outcome of the 2000 election with probably fewer than 1600 likely voters, you could say his poll was a good representative sample of actual voters intentions.

I dont think you understand what the definition of a representative sample is.

[1rudeboy]

If the sample is properly ramdom, and the population clearly defined, then it is quite conceivable that a statistical study where n=60000 can be representative.