Ron Paul Republicans, spamming online polls to boost headlines

[GeneCosta]

I was laughing myself silly when Ron Paul almost won the Fox News poll, but afterwards I stopped to consider the truth of it, finding myself baffled by how someone who registers at or below Kucinich/Gravel levels can acclaim so much popularity. So I started looking into all these stories about the MSM silencing Ron Paul supporters.

On this issue, I may have to side against Ron Paul's backers...

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Story?id=3147940

That was the unmistakable conclusion of the online poll posted by debate sponsor MSNBC, which registered Paul with higher positive ratings and lower negative numbers than any of the other nine candidates on the stage.

ABC's post-debate Internet survey showed an even clearer victory for Paul, with the congressman taking more than 9,400 of 11,000 votes as of 12:30 p.m. Monday. (Rudy Giuliani is the next ranked candidate, with barely 150 votes.)

Okay, thousands of votes compared to less than 200? Well, that was only one poll.

http://pajamasmedia.com/strawpoll2008/results.php

In the last several days, in fact since the beginning of the Pajamas Media Straw Poll, PJM has received vastly more messages and phone calls from supporters of Ron Paul than from any other candidate, indeed from supporters of all the other candidates put together.

In recent days – after votes were deducted from Mr. Paul’s total because, among other things, someone voted for Mr. Paul over 229 times from one IP within 72 minutes – these messages and calls have become increasingly rude and abusive, even threatening.

I think Mr. Paul's support has been overblown.

[depakid]

1. "the unmistakable conclusion of the online poll"

LOL. Internet polls.

Trouble is, Americans are generally so ignorant about statistics that they'll believe this reflects reality.

Sort of like many here do every time Gallup makes some ridiculous claim.

[Robson]

2. Another conclusion

That voters in the USA are so fed up with the conventional hand picked Party candidates who neither listen to the people, nor govern effectively for the greater good that a maverick candidate looks very good like Paul or Gravel. I've seen this "independence day" movement developing in my state for several years where voters are sick of the same ole pablum that comes out of their overly focus group tested political mouths.

As I recollect Paul voted against the Patriot Act and the Iraq War when others were afraid to. That deserves a little respect IMHO.

[depakid]

3. Maybe, maybe not

but you won't see evidence of that either in internet- or in cheap media polls, which are basically worthless for anything other than maybe plotting trends over time.

[GeneCosta]

4. I have respect for Paul being an independent thinker

Just pointing out the fact his support is being overblown. The corporate machine is still working.

[silverback]

6. Support...

No, the online polls don't reflect Pauls support in the general population.

What it reflects is his support among activist supporters who answer such polls.

Most online polls have less than 100,000 responses total.

Paul probably has 4% or so support in the general population at this point, but that translates into MILLIONS of people,and Pauls supporters are rabid, guerrilla campaigners.

They make their own political ads and publish them.

They print their own fliers.

They build their own websites.

They have to, Paul has no corporate sponsership as he can't be bought.

Is that spam? I don't think so. The internet pollers are just upset because Pauls campaign points out how inaccurate their methods are.

[CGowen]

5. I heard he is going to be on the Daily Show today....

The FOX poll was a text message poll.And the MSNBC poll was only one IP allowed.

[primative1]

7. Maybe thats what happened to the "internet voting" idea ...

Remember a few years back when some people were talking about what a great idea it would be to have internet voting instead of having to go to the polls?
Wether or not the results are genuine, they still are results and obviously the powers that be do not approve of them :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yq_7251dqc8