Push-polling.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

I hate push-polling. I think any poll posted here on DU should be required to have an 'Other' option.

Honestly, I don't really understand why people post these skewed polls. I mean it is so obvious when you see one, what the author is pushing. Why not just state your opinion if that's what you want to do?

(edit: spelling)

[quinnox]

1. What is push polling

I have heard this term before, but don't know what it is.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

2. it is

it is when you do a poll, and the questions and answers are designed to push the respondents into a particular position.

Graphic and over-obvious example:
What are your views on abortion?:
a. I respect the sanctity of life.
b. I'm in favor of killing babies.

[quinnox]

3. I see

thanks for explanation

[roughsatori]

4. The standard definition would be

You quinnix are running against me for political office. My polling people use the phone to conduct the poll. They call voters and ask "If you found out quinnox had been arrested in the past for child molestation how would it affect your decision to vote for quinnox." The event in your life that my pollsters ask about does not have to be an actual thing quinnix has done--they are not saying you did it--just asking how the voter would feel if they found that out. The hope is the phoned voter will spread the myth about you. Rove is famous for this kind of polling.

Of course you may have done something in your past that I feel will make me look bad if I address it--so I send my pollers back to work.

There are other looser definitions but the above is the Rovian method. Here's a link to an article that is mre inclusive in definition: What is Push Polling: http://www.findarticles.com/cf_0/m2519/4_21/62410241/print.jhtml

[plurality]

5. is this about any poll in particular?

[Feanorcurufinwe]

6. No, it is about push polls in general.

No, it is about push polls in general. It seems like we have been living in this Rovian political climate for so long that people have forgotten that the real reason for having a poll is to guage the opinion of your sample, not to push your viewpoint.