GOP urges members to 'vote early and often' in online poll

[Judi Lynn]

January 20, 2006

Last modified January 20, 2006 - 4:14 pm

GOP urges members to 'vote early and often' in online poll
By MATT GOURAS
Associated Press

HELENA - The state Republican Party asked supporters Friday to influence a newspaper's Internet poll that posed a question about Sen. Conrad Burns and lobbyist Jack Abramoff, hoping to sway the unscientific survey's results.

A GOP spokesman said the party was responding to what it saw as a curious jump in anti-Burns responses it thought may have been fueled by opposition groups.

The online poll by The Billings Gazette asked: "How concerned are you about Senator Burns' relationship with indicted D.C. lobbyist Jack Abramoff?" Readers could respond with "very concerned," "somewhat concerned," "not too concerned," "not at all concerned" or "not sure."

Newspapers often run such queries on their Web sites as a way to engage readers. They are very different from the scientific telephone polls that newspapers occasionally commission to gauge public sentiment on issues for news stories.
(snip/...)

http://www.billingsgazette.com/index.php?id=1&display=rednews/2006/01/20/build/state/44-poll.inc

[Gman]

1. So DU it here

http://www.billingsgazette.com/index.php

[Judi Lynn]

5. Ha ha. Thanks for the suggestion.

:hi: :thumbsup:

[Maine-ah]

13. should post this in GD and GDP

to get those numbers up.

[Mr_Spock]

17. do it

:D

[Mr_Spock]

16. I guess the suggestion worked - it's been Freeped!

Skumbags

[SammyWinstonJack]

23. Done, but it needs help. nt

[seriousstan]

2. sounds like they endorse DU'ing a poll

I never did understand some peoples obsession with polls that are so easily influenced.

[Judi Lynn]

7. It's a rare person at D.U. who has approved of cheating.

Most posts I've read look at freeps with scorn for their dishonesty.

[Gman]

45. Judi, I know you were around during the debates in 04

and we here at DU had a very well organized and executed plan to DU the hell out of each and every online poll we could find that asked who won, Kerry or Bush. We do that because that has become part of the game we have been forced to play by the right wing. Had the right been successful in freeping those polls in favor of Bush we would have heard all about it. We learned this lesson the hard way in 00 when FR freeped a poll about whether Gore should concede to Bush and Bob Novak used it to claim America wanted Gore to concede. Granted DU wasn't around then, but we all knew what happened. Since Skinner et al started DU, we never let that happen again when it mattered and I don't think we should. Is it right? Probably not. But if we don't we give the other side something they don't deserve.

[Toots]

12. You seem to confuse DUing a poll with Freeping a poll

Somehow it doesn't surprise me though. :shrug:

[seriousstan]

40. Same process, just diferent fools.

[TheGunslinger]

3. Hmmm....

How concerned are you about Senator Burns' relationship with indicted D.C. lobbyist Jack Abramoff?
Very concerned

8955 Votes - 26%

Somewhat concerned

1930 Votes - 5%

Not too concerned

4140 Votes - 12%

Not at all concerned

18585 Votes - 55%

Not sure

78 Votes - 0%

[Judi Lynn]

4. Gross! No surprise to hear the GOP itself encourages cheating, is it? n/t

[spun_in_montana]

6. In a bit of shame, I

had posted this poll...ah, somewhere else.:evilgrin:

[Judi Lynn]

8. These numbers are hard to appreciate.Buncha creeps!Here's the latest look:

How concerned are you about Senator Burns' relationship with indicted D.C. lobbyist Jack Abramoff?


Very concerned
8970 Votes - 26%

Somewhat concerned
1930 Votes - 5%

Not too concerned
4141 Votes - 12%

Not at all concerned
18586 Votes - 55%

Not sure
78 Votes - 0%

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A few more Democrats could make it look a little more sensible!

[wiley]

36. Those Numbers are Changing

Isn't anyone else interested in commenting on the CORRUPT REPUBLICANS ongoing scandal.

You all notice the OBL tape came out just as Rove was talking up national security and wiretapping as 06 themes for the CORRUPT REPUBLICANS strategy for 06?

Why do criminals get to even be involved in things like naming judges and manipulating vote counts. Will we go down fighting or win by fighting?


IMPEACH!

[Lerkfish]

9. well, jeez. the poll choices are slanted pro repub anyhow!

who writes these things?

[spun_in_montana]

18. That would be the staus quo for

Lee Enterprises....The Guessatit is known for "lying by omission" in these here parts. It gets worse, our local "alternative" weekly is run by an editor so depending upon advertising, he refuses to make any type of commentary concerning "National" issues...oh well...:eyes:

[liberal N proud]

10. kick

[DRoseDARs]

11. It's one thing for unofficial groups to endorse vote fraud, it's another..

...for the state party leadership to endorse it. I hope someone makes embarrassing hay out of this for Chuck Butler. Yes, Mr. Butler, there IS something wrong with you to officially encourage vote fraud, no matter the nature of the poll.

[Vinca]

14. What's so unusual about "vote early and often?" Isn't that their mantra?

I find it amusing they think fudging a poll is going to somehow save their thieving politician.

[Indykatie]

15. I Hate On Line Polls

and wish media outlets would stop doing them all together. Does anyones really believe that 55% of the public believe the Burns-Abramoff connection doeswn't matter to them? Fairly obvious that the poll is being manipulated.

[mom cat]

19. I'm shocked!...n/t

[nookiemonster]

20. Done.

:evilgrin:

n/t

[Evergreen Emerald]

21. I wonder how the outcome of this poll will affect the GOP

It is not scientific. It is simply a tool to draw and engage more readers. Could it sway those lemmings who have no opinion? I would certainly hope that public policy would not be based on a poll that can be so easily manipulated.

[formercia]

22. What the freepers are doing is clearing their cookies

then reloading the page and voting again. They can do this as many times as they like. They must be asleep because the very concerned votes are coming in at over 10 times the rate of not concerned. :)

[sweetladybug]

24. Done

How concerned are you about Senator Burns' relationship with indicted D.C. lobbyist Jack Abramoff?
Very concerned

9262 Votes - 27%

Somewhat concerned

1937 Votes - 5%

Not too concerned

4146 Votes - 12%

Not at all concerned

18641 Votes - 54%

Not sure

78 Votes - 0%

[leesa]

25. I wonder why Freepers love criminals so much?

[otohara]

29. Brainwashed & Double Standards on GOP & So-Called Christian's

Burns scores 100% by the Christian Coalition on family issues.

http://www.issues2000.org/Social/Conrad_Burns_Families_+_Children.htm

as where Baucus scores a big fat Zero

[f-bush]

26. Typical gop disrepsect for the correct process!

[lakeguy]

27. done, nt

[spanone]

28. Just as they do in general elections.

[buddysmellgood]

30. Done

[Historic NY]

31. done & kicked

[illflem]

32. Doesn't it seem strange that the same newspaper

running the poll would also run the article that exposes the pukes cheating on it?
Here> http://www.billingsgazette.com/index.php?id=1&display=rednews/2006/01/20/build/state/44-poll.inc

Seems like they would just pull the poll once it was found that it was being cheated on.

[genieroze]

33. vote early and often? Sounds like election day. lol

[genieroze]

34. Come on DU this.

http://www.billingsgazette.com/index.php

[wiley]

35. Done and Kicked!

[wiley]

37. Please Post in GD and GDP

People need to be informed on this emerging scandal with Sen. Conrad Burns.


:popcorn:
The CORRUPT REPUBLICAN takedown! Most important movie of the century!

[illflem]

38. There have been some Montana only scientific polls

published recently that say the opposite of this online poll.
In fact most have Burns at almost a dead heat with his possible demo contenders in Nov

[stillcool]

39. done...

[IndyOp]

41. I am *very* concerned - as are 28% of respondents.

What is the scroop with Senator Burns and Jacky Abramoffy-poo?

[greiner3]

42. So that's how the repugs also won Ohio in 204!

[Pam-Moby]

43. Done

How concerned are you about Senator Burns' relationship with indicted D.C. lobbyist Jack Abramoff?
Very concerned

9765 Votes - 28%

Somewhat concerned

1954 Votes - 5%

Not too concerned

4155 Votes - 11%

Not at all concerned

18703 Votes - 53%

Not sure

78 Votes - 0%

[eppur_se_muova]

44. "Ironic" headline from that same paper:

Bobcats pounce on Bulls early and often for easy win

are they trying to be "cute" ?