Ha. This is like waiting for those "Portrait of America" Polls that would come out at midnight during the 2000 election. God that Rassmussen guy got it so wrong. I remember we were all hopeful and then we were so shocked at how close it was. Whatever happened to that Rassmussen guy? If he's not out of business he should be.
Sure was a popular guy on this site prior to the 2000 election though, Wasn't he?
Scott W. Rasmussen is an independent public opinion pollster and research analyst.
His most recent inovation is a survey product for measuring economic, investor, and consumer confidence on a daily basis. Scott's approach accurately predicts moves in traditional consumer confidence indicators weeks in advance.
Scott is a regularly featured guest analyst on many Fox News Channel programs including the top-rated O’Reilly Factor and the morning show, Fox and Friends. Scott and his research have also been featured on CNN, Good Morning America, the Today Show, Hardball, NBC Radio, the Business News Network, and on local broadcast outlets in just about every media market in the nation.
In print, his work has graced the front pages of USA Today, the Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Boston Globe, Wall Street Journal, Christian Science Monitor and scores of other newspapers.
His new book, A Better Deal: Social Security Choice, provides a timely overview of public attitudes towards the nation’s retirement program while explaining the underlying public support for reform.
Rasmussen believes that the key to opinion research is asking the right questions and is constantly looking for ways to examine old issues. Confirming this approach on a poll about the booming economy, the Wall Street Journal said, “Rasmussen had the moxie to pose a question few DC pollsters would dare ask.”
Scott has conducted groundbreaking research comparing the attitudes of government employees to private sector workers. On a wide variety of issues, these separate groups of workers have fundamentally different views that were never previously documented. He has also conducted unprecedented research comparing the views of investors to non-investors. His documentation of the Investor Class demographic has attracted widespread coverage and comment.
Rasmussen began polling on his own in 1988 and, two years later, published an article in the Wall Street Journal accurately forecasting the current debate over Social Security reform. The article was written at a time when the thought of making any changes in the Social Security system was deemed ridiculous by the conventional wisdom. In the years since, he has been an industry pioneer developing automated telephone survey techniques that provide reliable data at a fraction of the cost required for traditional operator-assisted surveys.
Scott did his first radio commercial at age 7, worked in every aspect of broadcasting through his college days, and then served as an announcer for the Hartford Whalers hockey team (now the Carolina Hurricanes). When hockey’s Living Legend Gordie Howe turned 50 while still playing professional hockey, Scott shared the spotlight at center ice with his childhood idol by serving as Master of Ceremonies.
Scott and his father later founded ESPN, the cable television sports network. The idea for the network was born on August 16, 1978 and the company was launched with a cash advance on a credit card. Just over a year later, on September 7, 1979, ESPN made its debut. Along the way, the Rasmussens obtained a commitment for more than $100 million in financing from Getty Oil, signed Anheuser-Bush to the largest advertising contract in cable history, obtained the rights to more NCAA sporting events than any firm in history, and built the foundation for the world’s greatest sports broadcasting team. Today, ESPN is considered the most valuable brand name owned by Disney.
Scott lives in Ocean Grove, New Jersey with his wife, Laura, and two children-- Andy and PJ. He coaches Little League Baseball and tries to find some time to keep practicing his guitar. An avid reader, he graduated with a degree in history from DePauw University and earned an MBA from Wake Forest University.
Contact Scott via e-mail:
Scott@ScottPolls.com