June 21, 2004

POLLS

The LA Times poll: splashed across the front pages
The Harris poll from last week: nonexistant

(I still don't think the results matter, but I do think it matters that the papers ignore the one where Bush is shown winning.)

Posted by Sarah at June 21, 2004 09:45 AM
Comments

There's a reason why people aren't touching that poll with a 10-foot-pole: the margin of error is 13 points. That means there's a 95 percent chance the real number could be anything from 61-29 Bush to 55-35 Kerry, right?

A poll with that much error is practically meaningless--which is exactly why the media is ignoring it.

Posted by: Can't win at June 21, 2004 04:33 PM

A 13 point margin of error, why bother publishing a poll with that error prone? No pollster worth their salt would submit that poll for publication, unless you have an ulterior motive

Posted by: Anon A Moose at June 22, 2004 04:24 AM

Anon A Moose:

They'd bother to publish such a poll because they can still sway opinions with it, regardless of accuracy. Consider this response to the poll:

(I still don't think the results matter, but I do think it matters that the papers ignore the one where Bush is shown winning.)

Posted by: cjstevens at June 22, 2004 05:43 AM