Article on Zogby ties to Repubs and how his polls are often biased

[kerry-is-my-prez]

Apparently, Zogby is personally a rather Liberal person - but he can be persuaded to "help along" particular causes. He has been doing a lot of work for Republicans and has been highly touted by O'Reilly - Rush Limbaugh calls him "my favorite pollster. Other pollsters have spoken out and questioned the methods that Zogby uses.

Some of the questionable finding that Zogby has come up with for Republican groups: A poll conducted for Newsmax found that two-thirds of Americans wanted Congress to consider a second impeachment proceeding against then-President Clinton (after asking biased questions about Clinton having traded nuclear technology to the Chinese in exchange for campaign cash). A poll for CATO: Voters support personal Social Security accounts" -- i.e., partial privatization.

Zogby conducted a poll for an "unidentified conservative client" that reached the questionable conclusion that a majority of Americans would support legislation requiring welfare recipients to use birth control in order to be eligible for benefits - he refused to identify the client (another no-no).



http://www.cesame-nm.org/Standards/Zogby.pdf

-snip-

A Newsmax.com/Zogby International Poll, conducted for the right-wing Newsmax Web site, found in late 1999 that two-thirds of Americans wanted Congress to consider a second impeachment proceeding against then-President Clinton. It helped that the poll primed respondents with speculative allegations that the president traded nuclear technology to the Chinese in exchange for campaign cash.....
What these polls have in common is that they reveal "findings" that their sponsors wish the public to believe as facts.

-snip-

Zogby International isn't the only firm available for advocacy groups, candidates and corporations in need of creatively framed findings and message testing..... The lucky groups end up with the Zogby brand name attached to findings that advance their agendas. "Media organizations should have people who absolutely aren't polling for interest groups," observes Robert Blendon, who directs Harvard University's Program on Public Opinion and Health and Social Policy.

-snip-

Gallup likewise doesn't work for political candidates. In the last election, however, John Zogby brazenly polled for a Democratic opponent to Rep. Tom DeLay (R-Texas), paying out of his own pocket because he wanted to provide a "fresh challenge" to the Republican House whip. Zogby also polled for New York's millionaire independent gubernatorial candidate Tom Golisano, declaring in late October, "I'm ready to mortgage my house and predict that Golisano comes in at least second, barring anything unforeseen." Golisano came in third with 14 percent of the vote.

In the past half-decade, meanwhile, numerous Zogby Polls for various special interests have relied on creative phrasing to give the impression of wide public support for the view that the given client is promoting..... "The pollsters have a view of Zogby that doesn't seem to be shared by the news organizations," observes Warren Mitofsky, who sits on the polling review board of the NCPP..... Rush Limbaugh bestowed on Zogby the "my favorite pollster" mantle, a kind of calling card for use among political conservatives..... More precisely, Zogby is a pollster who works with a lot of Republicans, and in ways that are not always disclosed.

[robsul82]

1. Some people REALLY don't like the idea that Dean's catching up.

Uh oh.

Later.

RJS

[lancdem]

3. Unfortunately, Zogby is the only one that has Dean that close

But polls often can be wrong in N.H., so we'll see on Tuesday.

[robsul82]

5. Keep scrolling...

...the SUSA poll has it that close as well. Read.

Later.

RJS

[lancdem]

7. Do you have a link?

I can't find it on their Web site.

[patricia92243]

2. Just say what you mean - You don't want the numbers showing Dean as being

a new "comeback kid". You don't have to take five pages to say it.

[ACPS65]

4. Don't confuse people with facts here

.

[kerry-is-my-prez]

6. No - what I'm saying is that Zogby is NOT very professional.

n/t