It is about MANIPULATION.

But what makes the reporting of poll results so dangerous – is the irresponsible, shoddy and pedestrian way the pundits and media use the results of polls to represent news. There is no doubt in my mind that imprudent use of polls, especially fashioning them into news as opposed to data - directly affects the tenor of the campaign.

Be sure to look up New Yorkers...there may be a bunch of bankers and economists jumping out of windows soon.

Watch them somehow try to blame the Democrats who have only had control of Congress for a year and a half for this economic meltdown.

It was the republican controlled Congress that for years has nixed any serious oversight by regulatory agencies.

The Best Editorial Yet About Palin:

What Was McCain Thinking?

Gov. Palin’s Worldview

As we watched Sarah Palin on TV the last couple of days, we kept wondering what on earth John McCain was thinking.

If he seriously thought this first-term governor — with less than two years in office — was qualified to be president, if necessary, at such a dangerous time, it raises profound questions about his judgment. If the choice was, as we suspect, a tactical move, then it was shockingly irresponsible.

It was bad enough that Ms. Palin’s performance in the first televised interviews she has done since she joined the Republican ticket was so visibly scripted and lacking in awareness.

What made it so much worse is the strategy for which the Republicans have made Ms. Palin the frontwoman: win the White House not on ideas, but by denigrating experience, judgment and qualifications.

The idea that Americans want leaders who have none of those things — who are so blindly certain of what Ms. Palin calls “the mission” that they won’t even pause for reflection — shows a contempt for voters and raises frightening questions about how Mr. McCain and Ms. Palin plan to run this country.

One of the many bizarre moments in the questioning by ABC News’s Charles Gibson was when Ms. Palin, the governor of Alaska, excused her lack of international experience by sneering that Americans don’t want “somebody’s big fat résumé maybe that shows decades and decades in that Washington establishment where, yes, they’ve had opportunities to meet heads of state.”

We know we were all supposed to think of Joe Biden. But it sure sounded like a good description of Mr. McCain. Those decades of experience earned the Arizona senator the admiration of people in both parties. They are why he was our preferred candidate in the Republican primaries.

The interviews made clear why Americans should worry about Ms. Palin’s thin résumé and lack of experience. Consider her befuddlement when Mr. Gibson referred to President Bush’s “doctrine” and her remark about having insight into Russia because she can see it from her state.

But that is not what troubled us most about her remarks — and, remember, if they were scripted, that just means that they reflect Mr. McCain’s views all the more closely. Rather, it was the sense that thoughtfulness, knowledge and experience are handicaps for a president in a world populated by Al Qaeda terrorists, a rising China, epidemics of AIDS, poverty and fratricidal war in the developing world and deep economic distress at home.

Ms. Palin talked repeatedly about never blinking. When Mr. McCain asked her to run for vice president? “You have to be wired in a way of being so committed to the mission,” she said, that “you can’t blink.”

Fighting terrorism? “We must do whatever it takes, and we must not blink, Charlie, in making those tough decisions of where we go and even who we target.”

Her answers about why she had told her church that President Bush’s failed policy in Iraq was “God’s plan” did nothing to dispel our concerns about her confusion between faith and policy. Her claim that she was quoting a completely unrelated comment by Lincoln was absurd.

This nation has suffered through eight years of an ill-prepared and unblinkingly obstinate president. One who didn’t pause to think before he started a disastrous war of choice in Iraq. One who blithely looked the other way as the Taliban and Al Qaeda regrouped in Afghanistan. One who obstinately cut taxes and undercut all efforts at regulation, unleashing today’s profound economic crisis.

In a dangerous world, Americans need a president who knows that real strength requires serious thought and preparation.

Alice X - (Chomsky Nader) - status quObama - change you can pretend in - @ 1:

It is about MANIPULATION.

But what makes the reporting of poll results so dangerous – is the irresponsible, shoddy and pedestrian way the pundits and media use the results of polls to represent news. There is no doubt in my mind that imprudent use of polls, especially fashioning them into news as opposed to data - directly affects the tenor of the campaign.

I read somewhere that after the RNC that the Pollsters moved their demographics to mostly red states. Therefore their was a bump for McCain/ Palin. I hope people vote for who they think will be the best candidate and not be sheep and be influenced by what they see in the media. The media has been fixated on McCain/Palin for most of the week and the lying ads that are being broadcast. They continue to run the ads, call them dishonest and the pundits keep repeating whether they are fact or lies. We argue with other bloggers and trolls here at C&L about what we believe the ad is implying. In the meantime, the McCain campaign is sending out applications for absentee ballots that have faulty information on them and may be rejected. The MSM coverage of The ads are a distraction. The Rovian tactic of disenfranchisng voter goes on.

Ron @ 9:

Alice X - (Chomsky Nader) - status quObama - change you can pretend in - @ 1:

It is about MANIPULATION.

But what makes the reporting of poll results so dangerous – is the irresponsible, shoddy and pedestrian way the pundits and media use the results of polls to represent news. There is no doubt in my mind that imprudent use of polls, especially fashioning them into news as opposed to data - directly affects the tenor of the campaign.

I read somewhere that after the RNC that the Pollsters moved their demographics to mostly red states. Therefore their was a bump for McCain/ Palin. I hope people vote for who they think will be the best candidate and not be sheep and be influenced by what they see in the media. The media has been fixated on McCain/Palin for most of the week and the lying ads that are being broadcast. They continue to run the ads, call them dishonest and the pundits keep repeating whether they are fact or lies. We argue with other bloggers and trolls here at C&L about what we believe the ad is implying. In the meantime, the McCain campaign is sending out applications for absentee ballots that have faulty information on them and may be rejected. The MSM coverage of The ads are a distraction. The Rovian tactic of disenfranchisng voter goes on.

Link
http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080911/NEWS0108/...

Isn't it time for Obama/ Biden to do an all -out attack blitz over the next 7 weeks. All Barack and Biden have done over the last few weeks is sing praises of McCain and Palin. The build them up and inflate their image. Obama and Biden must be losing voters by praising Sarah Palin and John McCain so much. I'm so thoroughly convinced that John McCain is one of the greates war heros that has ever lived. Why ??? Obama convinced me. Non-stop praise of Palin and McCain by Obama AND BIDEN !! Now that Obama has started to "take the gloves off" because his supporters and donors are demanding it - Obama gets attacked by the McCain campaign for being disrespectful of a white lady.
Obama and Biden have a simple choice. Two things ! Simple fucking choice ! Obama ! You　better fucking apologize for dissing a white lady. You better apologize for all your damn lies Obama ! Apologize for being so unqualified and Inexperienced !! OBAMA YOU BETTER FUCKING APOLOGIZE FOR EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE YOU LYING, DECEITFUL BLACK MAN !! GET DOWN ON YOUR FUCKING KNEES AND PUBLICALLY APOLOGIZE TO SARAH PALIN AND JOHN MCCAIN FOR ALL THE DISRESPECTFUL THINGS YOU HAVE DONE AND SAID !!!.....AND GO BACK TO A CLEAN CAMPAIGN OF PRAISING EVERYTHING ABOUT JOHN MCCAIN THE WAR HERO AND MS. SARAH PALIN !! That was choice #1.
The alternative : Fight back with BRASS KNUCKLES !!!!!!!!!!!!!! Stop apologizing. Stop praising these evil rightwing ,ruthless nuts and kick 'em !! Bite them. Don't run a damn commercial saying McCain can't send email. A republican politician that doesn't know how to send or erase emails is my kind of Republican politician. I'll vote for that type of Repub. How about commercials about the Keating 5 scandal. How about all the facts on websites like politifact.com !! Put that info into a TV commercial !! Show the world that McCain and Palin are lying 80% of the time !!!!!
Somehow I think Obama will go with choice #1 (above) "I, Barack Hussein Obama, am sorry to John McCain the war Hero and Sarah Palin the great responsible loving mother of five children for all the unwanted stress I have caused them."

You'd think that they'd realize by admitting (or claiming) they don't know what the Bush Doctrine is that they don't understand "WAR" as much as they think they do.

To most Americans Sarah "Boring" Palin is just another right wing nut. The stupid people cheering for her in the media clips are right wing nuts just like herself not real Americans.

McCANE wants to rewrite the Constitution from 'we the people' to 'WE THE WHITE AND FILTHY RICH'...we the people sounds so socialist.

Old man and his pig @ 18:

Unlike FDR...methinks the Republicans and the corporate media would have sided with the 'NAZI Party'. Still think there is NO difference between the Dems and Repukes Mr NADER? A big thanks to Ralph Nader for helping Republicans detroy America.

Republicans-Democrats whats the difference? Both parties are bought and paid for by Corporate America.

That link on the native Alsaskan perspective demands it's own add. I envision a aged native chief dressed in full ceremonial garb, standing before a splendid vista reading the Republican platform and,in closeup, shedding a single tear. It resonates with the past don't you think. Of course, you could use any average American. Hell, make it a series of ads.

I posted this in the open thread...but not much action there at the moment...
Here's some more dirt on Palin...

http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2008/09/15/bess/index.html

liberalNmoderation @ 20:

John J @ 12:

Best Quote of 2008

"This election is a test of the political media in this country. If journalists can't find a way to dissuade the use of flagrant dishonesty as a tactic, they will have failed this country miserably."

- Anonymous Liberal

The media?!?
Maybe...but it's more a litmus test of the intelligence of the American voter.
If McBain wins...we're idiots...a bunch of doomed, fucking idiots.

..........................................
Yes, and just in case Americans are "a bunch of ...fucking idiots" Russia is sending some of its military and war aparatus to Venezuela.

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS HEALTHCARE INSURANCE!!! Medicine is not healthcare! Medicine is disease care, based on the failed and barbaric allopathic/pathology paridigm - administering highly toxic and risky chemicals, or surgery, to treat or manage (but very rarely cure), disease! Medical doctors are not trained in, and not competent to provide "healthcare."

FURTHER, medical care in the U.S. - as a whole - is the leading cause of death, ahead of heart attacks, strokes and cancer! Adverse reactions to FDA approved drugs not involving malpractice, misdosing, misprescribing, or other error - ALONE - is the 4th leading cause of death in the U.S., almost 120,000 annually. And that only includes deaths occurring in hospitals, and does not include the millions of serious, non-fatal adverse reactions annually. Medical malpractice - ALONE - is the 6th leading cause of death, almost 100,000 annually, not including non-fatal, serious injuries from medical error.

MOREOVER, disease care in the U.S. is the most expensive in the world. It costs Americans almost $1 out of every $5 they spend (almost 20% of the GNP), AND medical bills are the leading cause of personal bankruptcy!

It is not enough that disease care be available to all Americans, it must be made SAFER and CHEAPER!

Wasn't Glass-Stiegel overturned in 1997? And Robert Rubin advocated for it's removal.

CMINCA @ 28:

Hey Obama Campaign, Have You Seen This?
http://www.alternet.org/blogs/video/98581/hey_obama_campaign%2C_have_you...

Sarah Palin said two things which can be pegs for an attack ad of this kind:

1. War with Russia could happen over the Georgia conflict

2. Soldiers going to Iraq are fighting the people who killed thousands of Americans on Sept. 11.

The Obama camp needs to launch a fresh, timely attack that will make the McCain campaign splutter. This is it.

Oooo....man! This is good ammo for sure.

liberalNmoderation @ 20:

John J @ 12:

Best Quote of 2008

"This election is a test of the political media in this country. If journalists can't find a way to dissuade the use of flagrant dishonesty as a tactic, they will have failed this country miserably."

- Anonymous Liberal

The media?!?
Maybe...but it's more a litmus test of the intelligence of the American voter.
If McBain wins...we're idiots...a bunch of doomed, fucking idiots.

Yes, were a very stupid Nation but the MSM feeds us more stupidity, it's a vicious cycle.

The real question:
When did being "Smart" and "Educated" become something to be ashamed of?

Bay Buchanan's performance on CNN was an indication, what to expect from conservatives:

"She's very real. Sure, she hasn't traveled overseas to meet these foreign leaders, but that's not what Americans are looking for. She's absolutely correct. They want somebody who they relate to, who's hearing them. They're sick and tired of those people in Washington who may know lots of facts and figures and meet lots of people but fail to respond to the American people's needs."

To his credit, Robert Zimmerman fired back:

"That's always a danger, Bay, when people know facts and figures. It's always a danger when we have leaders that know facts and figures. That really does get in the way of setting up sound policy."

Not knowing should be embarrassing, but by American standards means you are "just like us" or "an average American".

Weird that people want leaders that are "average Americans" because most Americans are idiots, for instance:

22 percent believe President Bush knew about the 9/11 attacks in advance.
30 percent believe Saddam had weapons of mass destruction.
23 percent believe they’ve been in the presence of a ghost.
18 percent believe the sun revolves around the Earth.

People like Bay Buchanan are given a stage to spew their idiocies, which is why they call any one who knows what the Bush Doctrine is an Elitist because average Americans don't care or know either.

Playing dirty and cheating are the only way the Repubs can win.

More on the demise of the New Deal and the economic meltdown. It's interesting to look back one or two years and see the predictions:

http://www.progressivehistorians.com/2007/11/bill-clintons-role-in-mortg...

John McCain isn't the only one of us who has difficulty understanding economics (though that is his job, not mine). We have put our faith in politicians who are controlled by wall street, and the results are coming in. I think that maybe the majority of us do not feel immediate effects of this mismanagement (yet), and yet it is imcumbent upon us to educate ourselves so that we may take a more active part in shaping our economic future, by intelligently telling candidate like Obama that he should not be controlled by the CEO's of BOAC and Merrill Lynch. But as so many economists are saying, the horses are rushing out of the barn and the doors are blown off their hinges.

liberalNmoderation @ 33:

CMINCA @ 28:

Hey Obama Campaign, Have You Seen This?
http://www.alternet.org/blogs/video/98581/hey_obama_campaign%2C_have_you...

Sarah Palin said two things which can be pegs for an attack ad of this kind:

1. War with Russia could happen over the Georgia conflict

2. Soldiers going to Iraq are fighting the people who killed thousands of Americans on Sept. 11.

The Obama camp needs to launch a fresh, timely attack that will make the McCain campaign splutter. This is it.

Oooo....man! This is good ammo for sure.

But can you hunt moose with it?

Polling results in Iowa:

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080913/NEW...

Thanks for the link love, Mike!

Great overview on polling by DCap. And the media craziness escalates...

I breathed a sigh of relief when I read DcNY's post on polls .