QUICK QUESTION, please:

[elleng]

Have I lost it completely, or did I read somewhere, today, not to worry about Iowa 'polls,' because pollsters only ask, when asking whom will you support first, hillary, edwards or obama???? 'Others' aren't presented even as choices!

I swear I read it, and can't find it; only got to computer an hour ago, read mail and rawstory, and read financial times earlier. SO HELP PLEASE!

OK, I'll GET UP!!!!

[jillan]

1. I haven't come across that one - but it sounds good to me.

[elleng]

2. Sounded great to me, so

whomever finds it, I'll buy a your choice when you visit DC (or Delaware!)

[PatSeg]

3. Whoa, that would be interesting

Unless we hear from people who have been polled, we don't always know what they are being asked.

[frogcycle]

4. there are dozens of pollsters

some may do what you say. There are no rules. They are just businesses selling a product. On the one hand, being right would seem to be desireable, to get repeat business. On the other hand, reporting what the customer wants to hear and brag about may be more lucrative.

Don't pay attention to polls for a variety of reasons. Getting an actual forecast of what will happen in the caucus room is like predicting the OJ verdict.

[Frustratedlady]

6. I was at Biden headquarters today and they were calling.

One of the guys made a comment about an answer someone had given him and I told him not to put a lot of stake into the answers, as we are getting so tired of answering the same old questions, so we might throw a curve. For instance, if a Hillary caller finds out I'm for Biden, they ask who my 2nd choice will be and I'll say Obama or Edwards. If Obama's people call, I'll say Edwards or Dodd... They lose interest real quick like.

I understand they want to know ahead of time, but they also know most of us don't decide until the last minute AND that we get polled by all the candidates and hired pollsters, ad nauseum.

[frogcycle]

7. there is a distinction between the campaign calls and "independent" polls

the calls to which you refer are called "id" calls - just to identify supporters and independents - to help focus future activities - further calls, giving rides to caucus, etc.

those results do not affect the published polls at all

When staffers make them, they will ask followup questions, try to recruit precinct captains, try to sway the undecideds. When hired callers make them they probably just ask the stock questions and move on

I expect a lot of answers are just a version of "oh go away"

[Frustratedlady]

8. No, I realize that. I'm doing it.

But, what I was trying to say to the guys...badly, I guess...is that it isn't unusual for Iowans to play games with the callers, out of frustration and/or to get their attention. I know, it isn't nice, but after all this time, "nice" gets old and 10-12 calls/day need "variety"...whether it's a poll or a call from campaign headquarters.

We generally know when we answer the call (or look at the caller ID) whether it is from the local campaign or a national poll.

[frogcycle]

9. I asked one guy who sounded wary when he answered

"do I get a prize for being like the jillionth person to call you today?"

He laughed and said "something like that" - then I said I'd try to make it quick - ended up having a nice chat with him

Lots of people just pick up the phone and hang it up.

[Frustratedlady]

5. No, they ask who you support, but don't usually ask for the top 3 only.

It hasn't been my experience, anyway. We get several polls/week. Generally, they will ask if you are going to caucus, if you have chosen a favorite, who it is, and who is your second choice.

I have usually been able to figure out who is paying for the polling. I would guess the one who has had the most polls (for like forever, long before she announced) is Hillary. you would almost get through a long, long series of questions and then they would ask about electing a woman and eventually ask about Hillary.