I'm in Iowa and just got a little push poll.

[Pirate Smile]

I know I saw something about this on some blog but I can't find anything on it now.

First, the Democratic caucus is in blah, blah, blah, who would you vote for? Is there a chance you will change your mind?

They read a statement and ask if you strongly agree, somewhat agree, somewhat disagree, strongly disagree, etc.

1. (Paraphrase) It is becoming harder to break into the middle class, some say the system is rigged for the rich... Do your strongly agree, ....

2. As a state senator, Obama voted present so many times, some say he wouldn't take a stand in support ... (I cut her off and asked who is she polling for - she says she doesn't even know - the caller ID shows Out of Area - 1-000-000-0000).

3. John Edwards is calling for a pull out of Iraq within one year. This plan has been called irresponsible. Do you strongly agree, ....


I'm not sure how many Democrats would take the question regarding Edwards even as a negative. So that one could be a diversion.

I challenged her a few times and tried to find out who was behind the poll. She said she had no idea.

Oh, well.

[Renew Deal]

1. Did they say anything about any of the other candidates?

[Pirate Smile]

5. Nope, that was it. When she asked who I would caucus for, I offered Obama

so she didn't have to go through the options. The only candidates she ever mentioned were Edwards and Obama in the questions. She did ask me three or four times if there was any possibility of changing my mind. She pushed that a few times.

[Sal Minella]

I got one like this that started off with nasty stuff about Hillary after

I told the caller I don't discuss who I'm supporting for president.

The caller didn't know who was paying for the poll, and her supervisor would only tell me it was "an outside polling organization." Outside of what. She didn't know outside of what.

I told her they were push-polling, which is an immoral way to make a living, and I hoped they could all find decent jobs soon, and hung up.

I have a hunch they are just bad-mouthing all Dem candidates, the "John McCain has a black child" sort of thing.

Oh, and when the supervisor finally picked up the phone, she said, "This is Liberty, may I help you?"

Liberty?

[Renew Deal]

20. Liberty?

Is that a person's name or a company name?

[Sal Minella]

31. She said, "This is Liberty, may I help you." or something very like that.

I assume this outfit is shady enough so that nobody is using their real names.

I figure, if it had been a reputable polling outfit, they would have told me who was paying for the polling when I asked.

[hedgehog]

2. These days we're in a real hall of mirrors.

A push poll aimed at A and B suggests Candidate C is behind it, but how do we know that it isn't really Rove using the push poll to shoot down A, B & C?

[karynnj]

6. except that Pirate Smile makes a good point

that the majority of Democrats think we should be out in a year - or less. This is a twist, and a clever one, positing as a negative, something that is known to be a positive. If I had to guess this is pro-Edwards trying to take anti-war Democrats from Obama, which explains the slam on him from the Illinois Senate days.

I am sure the various campaigns try to label each potential caucus goer by rival camp. If so, this call would likely go the Obama leaning or committed people. That is where it would be most effective.

[Pirate Smile]

13. I've told all three campaigns who I'm for so they all know. I don't care.

I think I get fewer calls then I would if I was listed as undecided but I may end up getting more crap calls by people trying to undermine my support. It won't work.

I got an invitation to a Precinct Party from the Obama person in the neighborhood who is in charge of our precinct. The local organization on the ground and in the neighborhoods seems pretty awesome.

[Sal Minella]

17. Bingo.

[Hippo_Tron]

3. I'm just waiting for the Republican ones

1) Mitt Romney is a Mormon. If you knew that Mormons eat babies would you be more or less likely to vote for Mitt Romney?

2) Given that Mike Huckabee paroled someone who raped and murdered while on parole. Lets say that hypothetically Mike Huckabee paroled several black men and they gang raped an murdered a white woman while on parole. Would you be more or less likely to vote for Mike Huckabee given this information?

3) Lets say that John McCain hypothetically had an illegitimate black child. Would you be more or less likely to vote for John McCain?

[Botany]

4. Call the Des Moines Register

Sounds like a little investigation is order to find out who is
behind this "push poll." Smells of republicans who do not
want to face Obama or Edwards in the fall.


You might call your Sec. of State too because by law they should
disclose who they are working for.

[karynnj]

9. I would bet Edwards

There is NOTHING that hits Edwards here. The percent of Democrats who want out in a year was in the 80s last time I saw it - several months ago. Every Senator but Lieberman voted for something along those lines. That is NOT a niche position they assigned to Edwards.

[Renew Deal]

10. 1 and 3 hit Edwards

Especially 3. It makes Edwards out to be "irresponsible."

[karynnj]

23. Yes, but ...

Imagine you are a Democrat hearing this - 1 is what Edwards has been saying and what many people who are not "winning" in the 2 Americas believe (for good reason. Many people who did every thing that they were told they should to succeed are struggling.

On 3 - the person on the phone is saying it is "irresponsible" BUT 80% plus Democrats think it is the right thing to do.

To be silly, imagine I call and say candidate X is said to love chocolate chip cookies. Now, we know that eating Chocolate chip cookies is said to be harmful to your health (and waist). Do you identify with X or think less of him? (Note that the war is a voting issue where cookies aren't)

[Renew Deal]

27. I get the point

I'm not discounting that at all. In fact, if you read another account of this, it sounds even more like Edwards. Somehow I don't think it's him.

[polichick]

7. Just heard on Hardball that an Iowan's vote counts 20 times more...

...than the rest of ours ~ lucky you!!!

[sandnsea]

8. Company name?

Usually they will give you a company name and I've had some tell me where they're calling from.

[Pirate Smile]

12. Damn, I can't remember and didn't write it down. It was completely nondescript.

I knew it was weird when my caller ID showed just zeros on it.

I think she'd had the same reaction many times before because she was completely nonplussed by my questions.

[Pirate Smile]

26. Independent Research

[cyberswede]

11. Me too...

only mine included a question about Hillary in addition to those you mentioned. I can't remember what it was...

They mentioned the company name at the beginning of the call - I didn't catch that either. So much for a helpful reply! :)

thx - cs

[Pirate Smile]

14. Did they use her name in the first question about the middle class?

Was it something that would be seen as a negative?

[Adelante]

15. Maybe this?

More strange "poll" calls from Iowa. Ben Smith has posted details of a call received by a reader in Eastern Iowa of a short poll that tested three messages. Smith summarizes them as "roughly" the following:

1. While in the Senate Hillary Clinton was one of the first Democrats to support Bush tax cuts for only the wealthiest of Americans at the expense of the middle class, do you find this...

2. Barack Obama has taken over $12million from lobbyists and other special interests since his time in the Illinois legislature. Does Barack Obama taking money from lobbyists and special interests trouble you?

3. John Edwards has taken the position that all troops in Iraq will be out within one year of his being elected president, do you find this rhetoric irresponsible?

Smith ads that the caller "said she was with 'Independent Research,' and the caller ID showed a phone bank called DRS Acquisitions." DRS Acquisitions is a company that, as its web page says, specializes in "national outbound telemarketing programs." I emailed Smith, who shared the reader's full description. The call also asked first about the respondents likelihood of attending the caucuses, his vote preference and a question about the type of candidate he most favors:

1. Fighter against special interests
2. Bold fighter for middle class families
3. Committed to getting us out of Iraq
4. Fight for universal healthcare

The negative message test followed the item above. Smith's reader also reports that he interrupted the interview, and ultimately ended the call, after hearing the negative messages.

http://www.pollster.com/blogs/more_strange_poll_calls.php


Sounds like an Edwards' message testing call to me. The only negatives mentioned are aimed at Clinton and Obama.

[rinsd]

16. Nice find WesDem.

:hi:

[Pirate Smile]

18. I think it was Independent Research.

I didn't get any of the lobbyist or the tax cut questions. Just the ones listed above.

I knew I had read about this somewhere before so I wasn't surprised at all when I saw the way it was headed. I said to her "oh, you're doing a push poll. Who for? What is the name of the Company? etc"

[Renew Deal]

19. Reading this one, it would appear that way.

hmmmmm

[Radical Activist]

30. Campaigns used to be able to do this stealthily under the radar.

Isn't the internet wonderful?

[Cameron27]

34. Sounds like something for Edwards alright.

Thanks.

[jsamuel]

21. Richardson

[Occam Bandage]

22. This isn't a push poll. It's a research poll taken by a candidate.

They want to know what's effective and what's not.

[Adelante]

24. I would agree, not a push poll nt

[Pirate Smile]

25. Do have the specific difference between message testing a negative

message on your opponents and push polling?

I know I've seen the difference before but I can't remember what is exact difference.

Thanks.

[Occam Bandage]

28. Message-testing is going to be more wide-ranging, as they throw a bunch of stuff out there.

Push polls are messages disguised as polls.

In your example, they're pretty clear, hey, does this line of attack resonate with you? Okay, how about this one? How about this one?

A push poll would be all directed at one candidate, and with one line of attack. "Do you like X? Okay. Do you like his stance on healthcare? Okay. Do you like that he rapes toddlers? Okay. Does his toddler-raping offend you? Okay. Thanks for participating."

[Orangepeel]

33. one difference is the number of people it goes to

(although the recipient of the call probably won't know that). A poll testing messages and trying to figure out how to deal with potential negatives goes to a representative sample. A push poll isn't designed to measure responses. It is a negative ad disguised as research, so it will probably go to more people.

[Radical Activist]

29. Did you ask what company she works for?

Its common for these companies to not tell the paid workers who the poll is for. But if you knew the company you might be able to find out who they do work for.

[provis99]

32. I got a weird "poll" fron the Children's Action Alliance

The lady on the phone introduced herself and then asked if I wanted to be able to get child pornography from the internet. After thinking I had just gotten an obscene phonecall, I collected myself and asked who she was polling for; she said Children's Action Alliance. After that bit of phone stupidity, she had to nerve to ask me for a donation. How I got on this right wing idiot's list, I don't know. It was a prime example why push polling sucks, and why people are getting pissed off with "pollsters" in general.

[Pirate Smile]

35. That is bizarre.