Monday, October 04, 2004

The roller caster we call polls

Monday, 4pm: President Bush loses 4 points to Kerry after another bad day in Iraq.
Tuesday 7am: New questions regarding Kerry's service cause the President to gain 5 points.
Friday 12pm: The results in! Kerry beats Bush in the debate and gains 7 points.

Am I the only one who has to question the validity of polls? I don't understand how there can be so many shifts in public opinion over two candidates, especially when 95% of the electorate has already made up its mind. Is this the media just trying to maintain its hold on public opinion? Its pretty scary when so many people really on the "objective" mainstream media for their political views.
I also abhor the way that the media simplistically draws relationships and conclusions from certain events. Example: The dow gained 35 points today on news of positive job earnings. The world is far too complex and the general public should be smart enough to realize that these aren't simple cause and effect events. President Clinton didn't singlehandedly ressurrect the economy and President Bushes war against Iraq didn't suddenly turn the whole world against us. But the media would have us believe these things.

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