Practical Polls

* Methods of gauging opinion

- Having a feel

-> Great politicians (Hitler, Truman, Queen Elizabeth) can sense what the people want

- Polls, ideally random, work for everyone else

-> Problems with polls

=> Who gets asked?

=> When people get asked?

=> How are the questions phrased?

=> How does one interpret the data gathered?

=> Do you publish the data if you don't like it?

-> Types of polls

=> Serious info gathering polls

=> Push-polls

+> Questions phrased to lead the respondent

=> Annoyance polls

+> Call late at night or ask disturbing questions

* Moving on the opinion data gathered

- Gauge opinion and then do what seems right

-> The old-fashioned, scrupulous method

- Slavish following of polls

-> The Clinton method, now the Bush model

-> Do whatever the polls suggest