AP continues to tout old poll showing 12-point Lieberman lead while ignoring more recent polls showing closer race
Last week, Media Matters for America noted that an August 25 Associated Press article about the Connecticut Senate race "summarized the state of the race by emphasizing a week-old poll showing Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman with a 12-point lead over Democratic nominee Ned Lamont rather than two more recent polls that show the race in a dead heat."
In an August 29 article about former Republican vice-presidential candidate Jack Kemp's plan to campaign with Lieberman, the Associated Press continued to misleadingly tout the outdated Quinnipiac poll. The AP also ignored two other polls and downplayed a third, all of which are more recent and all of which show a closer race. The AP reported:
A Quinnipiac University poll last week showed Lieberman with a 12-point lead over Lamont among likely voters, while an American Research Group poll showed Lieberman with only a slight advantage. Republican Alan Schlesinger received single-digit support in both polls.
In fact, the Quinnipiac poll wasn't "last week," it was two weeks ago -- the poll was conducted August 10-14 and was released August 17.
The three polls released since the Quinnipiac poll:
- The American Research Group showed Lieberman with a 2-point lead. The AP mentioned the ARG poll, but failed to note that it is more recent than the Quinnipiac poll and characterized the ARG poll only vaguely.
- A Rasmussen Reports poll also showed Lieberman with a 2-point lead. The AP omitted any mention of this poll.
- The AP did not mention a Zogby poll, the newest of the four, that put Lieberman's lead at 10 points.
The Quinnipiac poll is not only the most out-of-date of the four polls, it also showed the largest lead for Lieberman. Yet the Associated Press consistently touts this old poll at the expense of newer polls showing a closer race.
The Zogby poll was taken from Aug. 15 to Aug. 21. The Rasmussen was conducted only on the 21st, which makes it more recent. Even the ARG poll is more recent than the Zogby poll. The ARG was conducted on Aug. 17-21.
Just pay attention to the polls they want you to see.
Sit back and enjoy some more Republican "Good News".
has a well known liberal bias - remember? these guys live in a 'faith based' world. They make up their own reality as the go along. What I do wonder, though, does the BS they spout actually get anyone to change their position and vote for them? Or does it keep those of us who abhor this administration home from the polls since if things are so rosy, our side won't win anyway? Or is it just to make all those folks with W'04 stickers still on their SUVs feel better about being an idiot??
I think the stoopid factor in the U.S. is strong enough that people will vote for somebody becsuse he's popular, and I think you're right about the "Good News" for people with W stickers on their cars.
I sure hope good poll numbers for the Zombie party don't keep smart people from voting. Has the opposite effect on me.I mean, I've always voted, but if the Repubs were pulling way ahead in the polls,I'd be more likely to crawl on broken legs to vote.
IMO, one of the stupidest excuses for not voting is the feeling that the voter's choice can't win. Make it closer, show them you're watching, and if enough do that, who knows, you might even win.
What's the difference? It still has Lieberman in the lead. As was discussed on another thread, all the MO.org money is going to have to be pumped into that race now. It is already raising hackles with candidates in tight races that could use the extra funding.
Should have taken a hint from the old proverb...pick your battles wisely, and learn when not to fall on your sword.