Polls Become Another Spin Weapon

Politico ^ | Alexander Burns

[T.L.Sink]

Tune in to Fox, CNN, MSNBC or any other network regularly and you'll soon discover that on-the-ground reporting has been replaced by the endless recitation of polls, which have now become a substitute for hard news investigation. This despite the fact that how questions are phrased and demographically directed will determine the results in advance. As Rush famously said, polls are now used not to REFLECT public opinion but to SHAPE it. Even more outrageous, America was founded as a Republic and not a direct democracy where a referendum is taken every day on every issue every hour. As for these "reporters," lets be honest and tell them they've abandoned their profession and become commentators on polls rather than people who take the time and effort to determine WHY the polls say what they say. (IF they are legitimate, and that's a big "IF".) By the way, I just heard that Obama's approval rating dropped .ooo2 % since the last poll an hour ago!

[FlingWingFlyer]

Polls were originally used to measure public opinion. Now they are used to change or create it.

[T.L.Sink]

Polls, polls, polls, but not a bit of news in sight!

[yup2394871293]

Polls are only valid when they can be manipulated to make the left look like the majority.

I'm beginning to doubt though that the left is going to go away quietly. They will never accept that voters don't want them and that they aren't personally entitled to power.

[DarthVader]

Polls have been spin weapons for the last ten years.

[RegulatorCountry]

Polls have been spin weapons since Reagan ran against Carter.

[yup2394871293]

Polls have been used to manipulate public opinion forever. There are of course limits to this strategy, and the polls that are used to figure out what voters really will believe/fall for are the ones that don’t show up in MSM headlines, although they’re no less important in the way that they shape (or rather distort) the “public debate”.

[drypowder]

I pray for the day to come when there will be no more conglomerate propaganda in the US or in any other country.

[yup2394871293]

That will be a cold day in hell. Whether a cold day in hell is something you should pray for is a silly thing to worry about.

[Christian Engineer Mass]

or 20.

[mlocher]

Whether a cold day in hell is something you should pray for is a silly thing to worry about.

Maybe Rasmussen will poll America to see if your assertion is true.

[4rcane]

politico is just unhappy that some media reporters are now trying to use polls against obama. It should only be used against republicans, not dem

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Like Politico doesn't do it.

[Shugee]

The credibility of polls has gone the way of the credibility of the MSM.

[drypowder]

my faith tells me otherwise

[grey_whiskers]

This must mean some polls heavily favorable to Palin, or absolutely crushing to Teh One^TM, are about to be released...

Cheers!

[SpaceBar]

Polls have no doubt been used to manipulate public opinion, instead of simply measuring it, since the day polls were invented.

[Smokin' Joe]

Polls were originally used to measure public opinion. Now they are used to change or create it.

They are also a useful tool to see how well the masses are being befuddled by the BS the media are spinning. It tells them where they have to work harder to get people to believe the party line.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Politico never minded before.

Perhaps the spin is no longer going in a direction they like?

[OrioleFan]

Using polls to shape public opinion is the only legacy Clintoon has. He ushered in the use of polling intended to influence public opinion and the news media use it to propogandize a public that is too damn lazy to look at the issues and make up their minds.