Is Gore polling? Fascinating new questions in latest Zogby poll.

[Mugsy]

I'm on Zogby's online mailing list for their monthly poll. My answers are fairly consistent, so depending on the topic, sometimes I get asked, sometimes I don't. But I've been taking part for years now, and can tell when a specific group/industry has hired them to poll a particular topic. I found yesterday's poll most fascinating. Here are just some of the questions:

After the usual questions of whom I voted for in 2000/2004 and how likely I am to vote in 2008, it asked the following questions:

o Is your overall opinion of Al Gore very favorable, somewhat favorable, somewhat unfavorable or very unfavorable or are you not familiar enough to form an opinion?

o Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore was recently awarded the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize, which he shares with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Do you agree or disagree with the decision to award Al Gore the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize?

o Is your overall opinion of Rush Limbaugh very favorable, somewhat favorable, somewhat unfavorable or very unfavorable or are you not familiar enough to form an opinion

o Earlier this year, the Landmark Legal Foundation submitted an unsolicited 2007 Nobel Peace Prize nomination of Rush Limbaugh to the Norwegian Nobel Institute. Do you agree or disagree that Rush Limbaugh should have been awarded the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize?

o Do you agree or disagree that states should issue driver licenses without requiring proof of legal residency, such as a valid Social Security card, to make it easier for undocumented immigrants to obtain driver licenses and car insurance?

o How supportive would you be of a policy that would allow states to issue a second type of driver license for those who cannot provide proof of residency, which would allow them to drive legally but would not serve as valid state identification?

o Do you agree or disagree that state and local governments should be allowed to impose a tax on Internet access, similar to the taxes currently imposed on cable television and phone service?

o In 1998, Congress adopted the Internet Tax Freedom Act, which bars taxes on Internet access. The ban was renewed in 2004 but is set to expire Nov. 1, 2007. Which of the following actions by Congress are you most likely to support?

o Do you agree or disagree that Internet service providers should be allowed to speed up, slow down or block any type of digital content based on who owns the content, the source of the content or the destination of the content?

o Do you agree or disagree that Internet service providers and wireless communications companies should be allowed to block legal communications on cell phones or the Internet if the company determines the content is too controversial or objectionable?

o Do you agree or disagree that an Internet service provider should be allowed to terminate or suspend your service if you participate in any conduct that the company believes could damage its reputation, such as posting negative comments about the company on message boards or visiting Web sites that criticize the company?

o Do you agree or disagree that Internet consumers should be able to pay a flat monthly fee for Internet usage, regardless of the amount of bandwidth they use?

(Followed by about a dozen questions regarding the RIAA and online music theft, a few about credit, and a bunch on illegal immigration.)

o When deciding which presidential candidate to vote for, how significant of a role do presidential debates play in your decision?

o Are you currently or have you ever been a member of the National Rifle Association? (a couple of new questions on the NRA never asked before.)

No question the RIAA and the NRA are polling to see what political positions they can push, but the questions about a SPECIFIC candidate is unprecedented in the four years I've been taking their polls.

Yesterday, DFA (Democracy For America) revealed that Gore leads their online poll among Democrats, and are demanding that he clear the air once and for all as to whether he's running (or endorse someone and remove all doubt). Then suddenly I'm polled on how favorably I view Gore? Huh.

[TwilightGardener]

1. I don't know--is Limbaugh polling for a Prez run too?

[WI_DEM]

2. I'm on the Zogby on-line poll too and don't think it's Gore whose polling

it's Zogby polling like Gallup polled to see if the winning of the Nobel Peace Prize is helping Gore poll better if he were to become a candidate. The press loves to print these types of stories becaues they love a horse race and if a Gore were to run against a Hillary it would pit her husband's VP and against his wife.

p.s.
besides if a candidate or would-be candidate were polling they wouldn't use a "Zogby on-line poll" to do it.

[Mugsy]

4. What polling suggests.

No pollster suddenly conducts a poll "for their own curiosity", and the question of a Gore bid has been a hot topic ever since his movie came out. Also, no such poll was ever done during the 2004 race regarding Hillary or any other candidate on either side.

The questions about Limbaugh likewise are meant to gauge Gore's popularity among Republicans (those who rank both Rush and Gore highly would be a great indicator of electability, noting how poorly Hillary polls among Republicans.)

[WI_DEM]

5. No it's the media attention as I suggested

It's not Gore polling using a Zogby online poll. If he were to poll he would hire a private pollster. And it's not the first time Gore has been polled. He has been polled in various polls for the last several years. And yes, one of the reasons he is being polled as it was with Gallup last week was because he won the Nobel Peace Prize and they want to see if that helps him. Gallup suggested not much--he went from 10% to 14%.

[Dhalgren]

3. I believe Al when he says he isn't seeking th Presidency. I think

that we should just leave him alone about it. He is a lifelong politician, he knows the score, knows how to read polls, knows what's involved in running for the WH. He says he isn't interested and I believe him. He has chosen a life for himself and we should respect that.

[Mugsy]

6. But he hasn't.

Gore has never said he isn't "seeking" the Presidency, and has yet to unequivocally say he will not run under any circumstances, nor has he endorsed one of the current candidates... most suspiciously, Hillary, the most obvious person to receive his endorsement... suggesting he doesn't agree with some of her positions/decisions.

Gore has said repeatedly he has no "plans" or "intention" of running, but that's it. He has yet to say he WILL NOT run under any circumstances.

I've noticed there is a certain population here on DU like likes to shoot down every idea or observation like it is some sort of sport, whether they may personally like the idea themselves. All I'm doing here is making an observation, and noticing how unprecedented it is, which should make anyone suspicious. Instead, others have decided to tear the question apart rather than express what they personally desire.

Should the possibility of Gore's polling be dismissed so readily? I suspect most of the nay-sayers on here would also love it if he ran.

[Dhalgren]

7. Oh, absolutely, if it were up to me, Gore would run. If all he was waiting

on was for me to call and ask, I'd be on the phone right now. I think that Gore may be uniquely equipped to rebuild this country, to restore our form of government - I believe that no one elected in this race, as it stands now, will do anything but continue in the footsteps of George "Caligula" Bush. Al Gore would not do so. Al Gore would bend his whole effort into restoring our democracy. I believe that. But unless the convention calls for him next summer, I don't see him entering the race, I just don't. It is a shame, but I think that he has decided no...