Can we all agree that the polls have become a meaningless game?

[hedgehog]

When Steven Colbert can draw 13% of the vote in a poll:

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_2008__1/2008_presidential_election/comedian_colbert_reaches_double_digits_as_third_party_candidate


that's got to tell us that the people just aren't looking seriously at the candidates right now or else they aren't giving straight answers to the pollsters.

[SteppingRazor]

1. That Rasmussen story's hilarious:

"These are my people," Colbert didn't say when he wasn't asked about the high support from young voters discovered by Rasmussen Reports. "They know who I am and what I'm about, and so forth. Is this thing working, are we on the air? Oh, it's the Internet? Well why didn't you say the Internet?"

:rofl:

Who knew Rasmussen had a sense of humor?

[wyldwolf]

2. no, sorry

Polls are a snapshot of what people are feeling at the time the poll is taken. No more, no less.

[ccpup]

3. I completely agree*

*unless "my" candidate is polling ahead of everybody else, of course. :silly:

[Donnachaidh]

4. I've BEEN saying that all along

But of course you have the factions that get positively orgasmic over polls for *their* candidates. And then you get multiple postings ad nauseum of said polls.

[DaveJ]

5. I think people are looking for a superhero

Since they can't find one they are diversifying their interests.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

6. Should I Ignore Bush*'s Plummeting Polls?

DSB

[LanternWaste]

7. I think that when a disparate number of polls...

I think that when a disparate number of polls are put together and the all results are collated, we may not get a definitive answer, but I think we're left with a pretty good general snap-shot impression.

So no, I'm afraid that I don;t agree that polls are meaningless.

[Frances]

8. Very rational assessment, LanternWaste

But as an earlier poster pointed out, any poll just shows what people are thinking on the day the poll was taken. The people may be thinking something very different on the day of the election.

I tend to watch the candidates very carefully during primary season because the way they respond to events as they unfold is helpful to me when I make my final decision.

[cuke]

12. I agree

And you're not alone in looking at how the campaigns respomd to events as an indication of how they would govern. I do the same.

[rinsd]

9. Actually around 10% seems about right in any 3 way race with virtually any 3rd party candidate.

[sniffa]

10. whatever hiLLary hater

you can't stop the goddess of peace.

[BootinUp]

11. I have a feeling Colbert will pull a Brewster

just before the election.

tips to those who catch the reference.