Legal Commentary

How The Political Media Works

By Big Tent Democrat

By Big Tent Democrat

Speaking for me only

Here is a fine example of how stupid the political Media can be. Walter Shapiro writes:

There is a danger in political reporting in placing too much stock in street-corner and restaurant-booth interviews. (The risks of worshipping at the shrine of polls are perhaps even greater.) But still, there are hints that Obama, who is narrowing the gap against Clinton in recent statewide polls, may be tapping into something even here in Altoona, where the 19th century offered more promise than the current one.

Shapiro has no clue whatsoever if Obama is tapping into anything. In fact, he ignores his own warning and is worshipping at the shrine of polls. The funny thing is he seems to have no understanding of polls at all. Consider this question, is it true that Obama has been "narrowing the gap?" Recently, it is not true. In the last few days, in every poll showing a result that can be compared to a previous poll by the same POLLING OUTFIT, Obama has lost ground. He has lost 6 points in the SUSA poll, 8 points in the Insider Advantage poll and 5 points in the PPP poll. Instead of narrowing the gap in the polls, Obama is actually losing ground in the polls.

Shapiro not only fetishizes polls, he fetishes them without understanding them. Bottom line? Political reporting is almost always incompetent.

Full post as published by TalkLeft on April 11, 2008 (boomark / email).