The truth behind the whole polling scam...

[PermanentRevolution]

It just became frighteningly clear. The general consensus is that the media is trying to sway public opinion in Bush's favor, and possibly set the stage for another Republican theft of the election. But it goes deeper than that. Even if the voting machines are on the level (not likely, but still...) imagine what the consequences of these polls will be if Kerry wins the election.

We know Gallup is oversampling by 12% this time, and they can still only muster up an 8% lead for Bush. So we know that Kerry is in all probability ahead right now. BUT... nobody is hearing that. All they're hearing is Bush's huge leads in the polls. So this turns the election into a win-win scenario for Bush. If the voting machines are rigged, the polls cover up the true numbers, allowing the theft to go unnoticed. If they are on the level and o theft occurs, Bush can still use the polls to challenge Kerry's legitimacy.

Look at what we've seen: Republicans urged to vote by absentee, with vague warnings of Democratic plans to steal the election. Republican efforts to prevent verified voting from taking place. Republicans touting the polls showing Bush's supposed lead. Now what happens on election day when the election results show a Kerry victory? Suddenly, it becomes a suspicious upset. Bush can say that the discrepancy between the polls and the results points to foul play by the Democrats, and challenge the results. And, thanks to GOP efforts to prevent any way of verifying the votes, the GOP can say that there's no way to prove that Kerry's victory is legitimate. Then all the stories we already know about will begin to break in the national media: secret programs embedded within the machines that can alter the results for one candidate or the other; security flaws in the voting machines; etc.

Then, although it's been the GOP fighting to keep these flaws operational and active, the story becomes that the Kerry campaign found a way to rig the machines to give a surprise upset, because the media will report the story like that. The election results get bogged down in legal proceedings again, ultimately coming up before SCOTUS. Just like before. Except now, the Democratic Party is the one linked to fraud, and when SCOTUS puts Bush in for his second term, that confirms the message to the majority of people in this country that we Democrats are the cheaters and liars, that we tried to steal the election away from Bush, and that we were trying to undermine the democratic process.

I hope I'm just being paranoid, but I've learned long ago that when the GOP is involved, paranoia doesn't go far enough.

[dennis4868]

1. okay but....

the PEW poll just came out with an 8 point Bush lead and I think PEW is a legit poll.

[West Coast Democrat]

2. But CSM came out with a new poll today showing Kerry up by 1 pt

[PermanentRevolution]

10. Pew has been all over the place

over the past few weeks. 8% Bush now, 3% last week, 6% the week before, 2% Kerry before that...

IBD/CSM/TIPP just came out today, showing a tied race. They've been showing a pretty consistent tie all along.

http://www.pollingreport.com/wh04gen.htm

Who the hell knows? But these polls are definitely going to make it easier for a Bush challenge and harder for a Kerry one no matter what the final election results are.

[MallRat]

3. If Kerry wins, and the GOP cries foul, I WILL LAUGH.

No, no... I will CACKLE, extend a long middle finger, and yell at the top of my lungs:



-MR

[RaleighNCDUer]

4. Of course

Why do you think the FL GOP was warning about Dem plots to steal the election? They were obviously setting up the grounds for a challange, and a Bush loss will look as suspect to them as Cleland's loss looked to us.

[newyawker99]

22. Hi NCevilDUer!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[mbee]

5. Tough luck - they are the ones who resisted heavily the

paper trail. WE WILL WIN AND THEY WILL NOT CHANGE OUR VOTE THIS TIME THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

[PermanentRevolution]

13. You may have misunderstood...

If Bush can use the lack of paper trails to get the election results thrown back into the courts, he'll wind up in office again. The Supremes will put him in just like they did back in 2000. Why do you think the Repugs have been fighting paper trails all this time? So that:

1) They can alter the results without getting caught, allowing another 2000-style election theft.

2) If they lose, they can challenge the results on legal grounds, saying that the lack of a paper trail calls into question the legitimacy of the results.

In any sane court, the fact that they had been fighting tooth and nail against paper trails would give a judge pause, so I have no doubt they'll lose in Florida court, but once it gets to the Supreme Court, we know exactly what will happen.

Like I said, I really hope I'm paranoid. I'm just worried that I'm not.

[MsUnderstood]

6. Put the pipe down

I think you've had your last hit for the day my friend. . .

[el_gato]

9. Maybe you should put the pipe down MsU

Did you not learn anything from the 2000 election?

[MsUnderstood]

21. Let me tell you about the election this year

Forget 2000, I already see the devestation:

In Florida, Jeb Bush (who screwed over the floridians for his brother) was re-elected. HOw in the hell does that happen?

In Florida, Jeb Bush is doing the EXACT same thing he did in 2000 to alienate democratic voters

In American BBV is being allowed so Diebold can give the election to Bush

In Ohio, a republican is removing names from the list of voters for not using the right paper weight.

In 12 different states, republicans are putting anti-gay hate legislature on the state ballot in order to bring republicans to the ballot box in record numbers. They know they can't get the swing votes but are hoping to bring in those who don't vote but hate regularly.

The Gallop poll is mis-sampling the American public in order to distort the numbers so democratics feel hopeless and lost, and decide "fuck it im not gonna vote then"

The media is the worst--the praise the president when he lies and turn on each other like Hyenas over dead carnage.

I can't put down the pipe cause if I wake up I might scream and go insane from the terror.

Have a nice day.

[nine30]

7. Fundamental shift likely taking place..

I think there is a fundamental shift taking place..and contrary to popular belief that started before the Repub. convention. Remember that Bush went into the convention just a hair above Kerry.

Are the polls exaggerating the slight edge or is that whats really happening ? Have the Nazis actually succeeded in making large segments of America believe that they would be safer under Bush, and a Kerry administration means another catastrophic attack ? Has the FlipFlop Label stuck ? All good questions.

[moondust]

8. The pollsters' end game.

Simply make a valiant attempt to be ACCURATE on the last day or two before election day and in the aftermath claim you got it right at the end when it really counts. Credibility saved!

[knowbody0]

11. cheer up

i listened to rush while driving old country road today. he's accusing democrats of stealing votes by a rush to register the young (under 30) who really know nothing of the world and should not vote. he was screaming as usual, asking his listeners if they want an america run by kids. i laughed so hard i almost ditched my volvo. don't worry.be happy. send some love to the un evolved.
peace out

[nine30]

12. Thats hilarious !!

So what does he want America run by -- a bunch of middle aged cigar smoking country club Republicans ?

[displacedtexan]

14. You forgot to add 'illegal drug using' to your description (eom)

[Ksec]

15. Polls

The Polls sway the voters in that they make people give up. You see it all over DU. That defeatist attitude, its working. I understand how hard it is to keep positive when all you ever hear is a media whos looking out for their own corporate interests by electing the Repubs who whore for them at the expense of the people. We are the ones in the right here. We have reality on our side and that always wins in the end. If people want another four years of this trainwreck then let them waddle in there own failures. I wont waddle with them.

[PermanentRevolution]

18. No defeatism here...

On a level playing field, Kerry wins by a landslide. Even on a biased field, I think Kerry's gonna win it. I'm just preparing for what the Bush response might be when the results come in and Kerry is victorious. Do any of us think he's going to leave without a fight?

I'm really looking forward to Thursday. Big JK rally at Miami Arena following the debates. Gonna be really cool to see him speak live for the first time.

[magnolia]

16. I've got it!

I've watched enough reality shows to know that they edit them in such a way that you are certain one person will get voted off the island, out of the house, whatever...and then the person you least expects gets ousted. It's all about drama and ratings.

Election night will be "The most dramatic rose ceremony ever!!!" Kerry will get the final rose...Bush will be seen sobbing in the limo...and all stations get high ratings!

[marlakay]

17. Kids like the thought of it being about them!

I told my daughter (25) how important this election is and how we really need the young people and if they vote in large numbers the politicians will have to start doing more things for them. She liked that thought.

[dansolo]

19. Just bring up the 2002 elections

If a Kerry win causes the GOP operatives to start screaming about how the polls indicated that Bush was in the lead, then we need to remind them about how the 2002 elections turned out. There were a number of elections, most notably in Georgia, where there was something like a 12 point turnaround from the polls immediately prior to the election. The spokespeople for Kerry/Edwards need to be prepared to counter with these facts if this is attempted. Challenge them to renounce the legitimacy of their own victories in 2002.

[mbee]

20. Start sending the polls that favor Kerry to the news media day in

and day out and you will be able to refer to that anyone questions Kerry's landslide. Democrats are not going to go quietly into the night the way they did the last time.