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Founder Of Current TV: The Polls Be Damned, Trump Is Going to Win
Townhall ^ | August 23, 2016 | Matt Vespa

Posted on 08/24/2016 7:02:43 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet

Well, is this just playful trolling, or an omen not being taken seriously on the Left? Michael Rosenblum, the founder of the left-leaning Current TV, which was sold off to Al-Jazeera, had quite the declaration on The Huffington Post: Donald Trump is going to be elected president of the United States. Granted, he didn’t necessarily say polls be damned, though he might as well since Rosenblum said that this race was lost eons ago when Swamp People, Pawn Stars, and the endless World War II programming came on the History Channel. He says the same for the programming on The Discovery Channel and TLC.

He also hits upon what some on the Left in the polling community fear: that people are lying about their support when they’re sampled. In this instance, scores of white working class whites saying they’re leaning, or will vote, for Hillary Clinton and then pull the lever for Trump:

When the AC Nielsen Company selects a new Nielsen family, they disregard the new family’s results for the first three months. The reason: when they feel they are being monitored, people lie about what they are watching. In the first three months, knowing they are being watched, they will tune into PBS. But over time they get tired of pretending. Then it is back to The Kardashians.

In all, Rosenblum’s argument is that Trump is good entertainment, even when he’s being despicable, while Clinton is “crap TV.”

Trump’s replacement of Paul Manafort with Breitbart’s Steve Bannon shows that Trump understands how Americans actually think. They think TV. They think ratings. They think entertainment.

We are a TV based culture. We have been for some time now. The average American spends 5 hours a day, every day, watching TV. After sleep, it is our number one activity.

[…]

And Donald Trump is great TV. He knows how to entertain. He understands ratings.

Hillary Clinton is crap TV.

She may be smarter, better prepared, a better politician. It won’t matter. She is terrible entertainment. That’s just how it is. Depressing, but true. He is Kim Kardashian. She is Judy Woodruff. Who gets better ratings?

Who would you rather watch for the next four years?

Honestly...

In 1825, the great French gastronom Brillat de Savarind said, “tell me what you eat and I will tell you what you are”. Today, in America, we can safely say, “tell me what you watch and I will tell you what you are”.

And what do we watch?

It isn’t The PBS Newshour.

Here’s the problem. We all thought the polls were either lying or being under sampled in 2012, where Obama was leading Mitt Romney. Confident that the American people would see that his second term would be a disaster at home (Obamacare is on the brink of collapse) and abroad (Iran deal), the Right thought Romney would win handily. Election Day was a brutal brick to the face. Yes, Trump is a different kind of candidate. Yes, he’s defied the odds. And yes, even with all of my criticism about him, which you have so eloquently hurled your hate at me over the past few weeks, I’m probably going to vote for him because the thought of Clinton in the White House is just unacceptable. I’m sure more Republicans will come to the same conclusion than sacrificing their vote for a libertarian who supports abortion rights (appalling) or a former CIA agent who has zero chance of winning. Is this a principled vote? No. I admit that. It’s solely being done to stop Clinton, which is going to be the main driver of voter turnout for either side.

On the flip side, regarding the deception with polling, there is an argument for that, though it’s sort of hard to think that this many people are lying in a state, like Virginia, where Clinton is leading by 16 points. That’s a lot of people lying. Then again, as we’ve seen over this cycle, there’s a ton of angry folks out there.


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; Politics; TV/Movies
KEYWORDS: 2016polls; currenttv; poll; polling; polls; television; trump

1 posted on 08/24/2016 7:02:43 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
All the MSM needs to do is look at social media stats. And the result is very scary for the Clinton campaign: Trump has a GIGANTIC lead among Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter users, and video views on YouTube on Trump rallies vastly out-number views there on Hillary Clinton rallies (mind you, Hillary has relatively few public rallies to start with).
2 posted on 08/24/2016 7:06:42 AM PDT by RayChuang88 (FairTax: America's Economic Cure)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

The only way the Democrats prevent a major blowout is to commit major felonies.

Because barring that, it will be a major blowout.


3 posted on 08/24/2016 7:07:34 AM PDT by marron
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

I agree with this assessment. Hillary maxed out at 48% after her convention. If Trump stays on this course (calm & collected), he will definitely win. Hillary has not been able to get out of the 40s in any poll. The result is baked in.


4 posted on 08/24/2016 7:09:44 AM PDT by jokemoke
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Even when liberals are being frank, they can’t help but denigrate the average Joe.

Their contempt for the average American always shows through.

That includes the Rockefeller wing of the GOP.


5 posted on 08/24/2016 7:12:06 AM PDT by headstamp 2 (Fear is the mind killer.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

“like Virginia, where Clinton is leading by 16 points. That’s a lot of people lying.”

Remember, reversal only requires half that. Just 8% of voters (plus one) need “lie” and change their vote for Trump to win. In a contentious race, where one candidate has apparently peaked and may be collapsing under trust & health issues, and the other candidate is just now starting to actually advertise and otherwise get into high gear, that’s not a lot to overcome: 4% change their mind ‘cuz Hillary is a sick liar, 4% change their mind ‘cuz they decide Trump isn’t a lunatic after all and does really have leadership capability, and he’s in.


6 posted on 08/24/2016 7:15:40 AM PDT by ctdonath2 ("If anyone will not listen to your words, shake the dust from your feet and leave them." - Jesus)
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To: headstamp 2

If Trump “softens” any more he will lose.


7 posted on 08/24/2016 7:16:57 AM PDT by central_va (I won't be reconstructed and I do not give a damn.)
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To: jokemoke

I think if you sub-divide all the polls into fifty states....there are probably 25 states in the running...which is bad news for Hillary. She would need a ton of money to run four-star campaign efforts in twenty-five states. On top of that, she has to worry about the three debates. If I were her, I’d find some way to limit it to just one single debate. Call in sick or whatever.


8 posted on 08/24/2016 7:32:08 AM PDT by pepsionice
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To: marron
The only way the Democrats prevent a major blowout is to commit major felonies.

Your proposal is acceptable to the Democrats. They are working on it.

9 posted on 08/24/2016 7:49:24 AM PDT by flamberge (What next?)
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To: pepsionice

I agree with your thoughts on the debates. I honestly think the debates will do her in. Trump relishes the debates and he does not hold back. The stress on her will be tremendous.

Considering her health problems, she will never make it through those debate hours without a seizure or collapse.

When that happens, all Trump has to do is look sincere, compassionate and concerned about her well-being. Winner!!! Winner!!


10 posted on 08/24/2016 8:34:01 AM PDT by jokemoke
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To: flamberge
Your proposal is acceptable to the Democrats. They are working on it.

Yes. I totally believe it.

11 posted on 08/24/2016 9:37:55 AM PDT by marron
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Yes he is going to win.


12 posted on 08/24/2016 9:44:20 AM PDT by fortheDeclaration (Pr 14:34 Righteousness exalteth a nation:but sin is a reproach to any people)
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To: central_va

He hasn’t softened at all.


13 posted on 08/24/2016 9:45:00 AM PDT by fortheDeclaration (Pr 14:34 Righteousness exalteth a nation:but sin is a reproach to any people)
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