Posted on 11/02/2008 3:08:41 PM PST by JustTheTruth
So now, in the waning days of the campaign, here is the alleged storyline: Those polls that show Barack Obama leading in the race against John McCain for president? Even widening his lead? Those polls are warped.
According to some, among the millions of Americans who are telling pollsters that they could vote for Mr. Obama, there are (thousands of? millions of?) closeted racists who will not vote -- who never would vote -- for a black candidate under any circumstances. Their votes could tip the election to Mr. McCain.
In politically obsessed circles, this supposed phenomenon is known as the Bradley Effect: Going into the election for California governor in 1982, polls gave Democratic Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley a lead of anywhere from nine to 22 points over his Republican opponent, state Attorney General George Deukmejian. After the votes were cast and counted on Nov. 2, Mr. Bradley had lost by 1.2 percentage points.
Mr. Bradley, who died in 1998 and was regarded as an honourable public servant and builder of bridges among cultures, was African-American. The discrepancy between how well Mr. Bradley seemed to be doing before Election Day and how things actually turned out generally has been attributed to racism: When protected by the secret ballot, voters with hidden or repressed racist attitudes vote for the white guys -- no matter what they might tell pollsters.
The problem with trying to apply the Bradley Effect to Mr. Obama's candidacy is that it's not 1982. It is, rather, 2008, and the United States has changed.
(Excerpt) Read more at canada.com ...
Yes, but they're missing WHAT has changed ...
The change is that today, in 2008, the issue is MUCH less a concern about the black race of the candidate, and is MUCH more a concern about being (falsely, unjustly) labeled a "racist," and being intimidated - perhaps forcefully so - by the culture-dominating liberal fascists who will figuratively, and perhaps even literally, beat down anyone with the courage to speak out with a different viewpoint.
We've become, culturally, much more like the traditional Soviet Union in terms of people looking around before whispering disagreement with the "new" State mafioso: Barack Hussein Obama and his thugs who will use any means possible, including instruments of the State, to silence and stifle dissent or political threats.
It isn't racism that distorts today's polls, it is plainly-evident political-correctness with force and a vengeance, which is keeping many whites, many jews, and many hispanics from daring to say what is in their hearts: that they fear the America Barack Hussein Obama is determined to create - the America that he dares not admit is in his aspiration.
Not to mention that Mink is an obnoxious little lefty punk who can't call a day complete without whining about something.
Unions are calling their members in PA, and probably elsewhere and telling them they “better vote for Fauxbama or else”. Now you get a call like this, are you going to tell a pollster that calls you later you are planning to vote McCain?
The Polls are ajoke folks... McCains winning this, and going to do it by a larger margin than Bush did in 04.
Obambi is in for a surprise.
Another angle is that Union voters might somewhat legitimately be afraid of telling someone on the phone they are voting for McCain. While it is a little bit whacky, there could be doubt in their mind about whether how they responded would get back to a union boss. After all, it isn’t really, technically anonymous if someone has your phone number. Even if it doesn’t happen in reality, it only matters if someone thinks it COULD happen to them.
I think that is especially so in this election, with the authoritarian nature of this campaign.
Spot on.
Let’s hope there’s enough justified fear of Dear Leader Chairman MaoBama to deal him a resounding defeat.
LOL. I see you are familiar with Eric.
Yah. He’s back at the local birdcage-liner after bombing out in NYC. Who’d have thought that the lefties in NYC had such (comparatively) good taste, eh?
I think you are on to something there. I call it the "Joe the Plumber" effect. There is a part of the population that sees people like Joe who do not support Obama get slimed and investigated. The ones not at tough as Joe do what is a normal human response... avoid conflict. How do you avoid conflict w/ a pollster? Say "undecided." It's as simple as that I think.
In the Big Rock Candy Mountains you're going on a holiday
Your birthday comes around once a week and its Christmas every day
You never have to clean your room or put your toys away
There's a little white horse you can ride of course
You can jump so high you can touch the sky
In the Big Rock Candy Mountains.
I just don’t see McCain taking WI. Neither side acts like the state is in play.
The NRA endorsed a leftist incumbent congressman over a solid pro-gun challenger in the Fox Valley because the incumbent isn’t aggressively anti-gun.
The political ads have tailed off and the candidates aren’t coming in the days before the election.
Obama will win WI by several percentage points.
***After all, it isnt really, technically anonymous if someone has your phone number***
If they have your land line number, they can get your address, also your name.
People know this.
I don’t answer them at all.
Unions should be outlawed. They may have once served a purpose, but they’re usefulness is now long gone.
And he looks like your typical liberal (are they inbreeding or what?):
Right, it is fear of being called a racist that prompts the Bradley Effect.
And here is how it works.
It ISN’T people lying to pollsters claiming they’re supporting 0bama when they’re not!
It is a certain segment (mostly Democrats and independents) REFUSING to participate. Their place in the poll is then filled by 0bama supporters who have no reason to fell intimidated, inflating 0bama’s support among Democrats and independents, as much of the ‘PUMA vote’ goes undetected.
The problem with the polls is participants are self-selecting.
Right, it is fear of being called a racist that prompts the Bradley Effect.
And here is how it works.
It ISN’T people lying to pollsters claiming they’re supporting 0bama when they’re not!
It is a certain segment (mostly Democrats and independents) REFUSING to participate. Their place in the poll is then filled by 0bama supporters who have no reason to feel intimidated, inflating 0bama’s support among Democrats and independents, as much of the ‘PUMA vote’ goes undetected.
The problem with the polls is participants are self-selecting.
Even if the polls were properly weighted to what Tuesday’s turnout will be (which they aren’t) the Democrat and independent support would be inflated for 0bama. Republicans refusing to participate would not throw off Republican support numbers for 0bama... it is only self-selecting of Democrats and independents that throws off a weighted poll’s balance.
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