Mark Penn: Buckling Under the Pressure of an Unfavorable Poll

Zogby International ^ | November 27, 2007 | Fritz Wenzel,

[Aristotelian]

All is fair in love and war, the centuries–old proverb states. Politics is not included, but given the way the game is played in modern–day America, maybe it should be. That’s the sense I had again this morning watching Mark Penn, the chief political strategist for Democrat Hillary Clinton, denigrate our latest Zogby Interactive survey simply because it showed his client in a bad light (Link to Latest Poll Number). Penn made the contention on the MSNBC morning news program hosted by Joe Scarborough (Link to Video)

Penn mischaracterized this latest online Zogby poll as our first interactive survey ever – a bizarre contention, since we have been developing and perfecting our Internet polling methodology for nearly a decade (Zogby Intreractive Methodology), and since Penn’s company has been quietly requesting the results of such polls from Zogby for years. We always comply as part of our pledge to give public Zogby polling results to any and every candidate and campaign that asks for them. What is interesting is that no other campaign has made as many requests for Zogby polling data over the years than Penn has made on behalf of Clinton.

Because Mark Penn is a quality pollster himself, we chalk up his contention that our poll is “meaningless” as a knee–jerk reaction by a campaign under pressure coming down the stretch. Several other polls – Zogby surveys and others – have shown her national lead and her leads in early–voting states like Iowa and New Hampshire have shrunk. This is not unusual. These presidential contests usually tighten as the primaries and caucuses approach.

Fritz Wenzel Director of Communications Zogby International

[GodBlessRonaldReagan]

That let’s these political hacks get away with murder.

Only if they're Dems. If you're a Republican, you can have reams of unassailable proof and the TV hacks still won't believe you.

[Cincinna]

The Clinton Attack Machine is out there in full force.

Their big problem, among other, which we are all aware of , is that they attack at any criticism. They have a one level attack response...go for the jugular. Any and all criticism of them, no matter how small or unimportant. IOW, they always OVER-REACT.

Her Heinous’ odious weasel Howard Wolfson was out there yesterday saying that Oprah was a nobody and no big deal. He went on to attack Oprah, saying nobody in Iowa actually watched her show, anyway.

I am no fan of Oprah, but guess what the #1 rated TV show is in Iowa..including night time TV.. Oprah.

The Clintons are in panic mode. When panicked, they attack. When they attack they make slips and mistakes.

What ever happened to the Huma/ Hillary Lesbian/Saudi Islamist story?

[Cincinna]

But this time, Zogby is not just lying down and letting himself and his company be attacked. He is out there the same day fighting back.

The world has changed. The Clintons are running a 1992 War Room Campaign. They are not aware it is almost 2008.

[Edit35]

Zogby has always leaned toward the Democrats, and their bias got worse after 9/11 because they also lean Muslim.

I believe that even Zogby now sees the reprehensible Hillary for what she is ... a drag on the Democratic psyche.

Why?

For the past seven years, Zogby and other wackadoodle Democrat lovers yearned for the 1990s 'Clinton years', when non-earning dot.com baloney stocks ruled Wall street and America stood by whilst al-Qaeda brainwashed the world.

But when Zog and other Dems actually open their eyes to the reality of having repulsive sHrillery in the White House -- even THEY cannot stomach the thought of her being Commander in Chief or America's moral leader.

[jmaroneps37]

This is another panic move. The beast’s team jumped and used the “don’t pick on the girl” card for vertually nothing over the illegal alien issue and now can’t use it without looking foolish.
Now they have used the “Kill the messenger” card and stepped on the toes of a ratpollster, a guy who is an open and out democrat - not smart. Now they can’t use that card without looking like jerks.
Panic move.

[Cicero]

Zogby’s basic method, as we saw earlier, was to skew the polls a few percent in favor of his candidate over the last few weeks, and then release accurate numbers on election day, but without fanfare and at a time when most people wouldn’t see it before voting.

So he could influence the vote while keeping his early reputation for accuracy.

I believe his brother is an officer of CAIR or some other Muslim organinization. In any case, after 9/11 he abandoned his earlier caution, because he is clearly more strongly dedicated to the Muslim cause than the Democrat cause. That’s when he lost his reputation.

He was highly regarded in the FR forum during most of the clinton years, because his early record was so good.

In any case, you are certainly right that he cannot afford to be seen cooking the numbers now. He’s not CBS or some giant organization that thinks it can do whatever it wants.