NY Times: Study Cites Human Failings in Election Day Poll System

[LilKim]

Didn't see this posted. Sorry if it already has been.

The research firms that designed the $10 million polling system used by news organizations during last year's presidential election have concluded that the system erroneously showed John Kerry to be leading the race not because of a technological breakdown but because of more human variables. These included the relative youth of the pollsters, who were more successful securing interviews with supporters of Mr. Kerry as they left polling places than with those of the actual winner, President Bush.

The findings by the two firms, Edison Media Research and Mitofsky International, were in a 77-page report released yesterday by the consortium of six news organizations - five television networks and The Associated Press - that had commissioned the new system.

More: http://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/20/politics/20exit.html

[Carolab]

1. Are the so-called media going to keep printing this junk science

unquestioningly? Doesn't anyone know how to think and report analytically and to get differing opinions on an issue?

This burns me up. Just report what was posited from the source, write exit polls or NEP off as "unreliable" based on JUNK SCIENCE?

I don't think so.

[buddysmellgood]

4. We seem to be posting in pair :)

[buddysmellgood]

2. " were more successful securing interviews with supporters of Mr. Kerry "

Gosh, sounds like these pollsters didn't get the memo. The problem with the exit polls was that too many people voted for Kerry.

[The Doctor.]

3. Coughcoughcoubullshitcoughhackcough!!!!!

They're just covering their asses!

They had it right and are backpeddling to explain how they were 'wrong'.

But the original exit polls were right.

Goddamnedcocksuckingmutherfuckers.

[TruthIsAll]

5. Hold it. It's not so bad. NYT said the "research firms" have concluded....

They're just repeating what the study concluded, not necessarily buying it.

Are they asking other "experts" to tear it apart?
Probably wishful thinking on my part.

[Mojorabbit]

6. Could be

I found this statement interesting.
"As we walk up toward the '08 campaign, the political desk of our paper would want a further debriefing of what went wrong," Mr. Frederick said.