11/5    wtf is this?
        http://www.pollingreport.com/2006.htm
        Can someone explain the rapid turn in polls?  Don't tell me it's
        GOP TV advertising; but it would be the only principal reason.
        \_ In case you haven't noticed for many polls out there you need to
           add +10-15 points in favor of the R. This is because conservatives
           in general are very hushed about their intentions and they don't
           like to take polls or talk to pollsters.
           \_ The same reason why you never hear anyone claiming to be R
              in SF even though 1/5 are registered R. They'd get beat up
              or ridiculed if their friends find out. It's worse being R
              in SF than being a gay man in Tennessee.
           \_ The same reason why you never hear anyone claiming to be R
              in SF even though 1/5 are registered R. They'd get beat up
              or ridiculed if their friends find out.
              \_ So you think the open minded liberal and friendly folks in
                 the SF area would physically assault someone for being R?
                 \_ Absolutely. SF is tolerant to anyone liberal. That's
                    why you never hear the other 1/5 of the voice. They're
                    scared of liberals.
                 \_ No just SF. Many parts of the south bay as well.
           \_ That goes for exit polling too, apparently.  In most countries
              exit polls are used to see if the election was fair.  For some
              reason, in the United States conservatives don't like admitting
              they voted for their candidates.  Either that or the election
              is not fair, which can't be possible, right?
              \_ Elections have been rigged in this country before either
                 of the current parties existed.  That goes without saying.
                 As far as exit polls go, yes, I believe there is a difference
                 between some small third world country doing exit polls and
                 the US spanning 3 time zones with exit poll reports coming
                 out from the east coast before the west coast polls have
                 closed.  It isn't that hard to tweak the numbers and there
                 is a very partisan reason for doing so (to make late voters
                 not bother).  As far as talking to exit poll people, no, I
                 absolutely don't have the time to waste talking to some exit
                 poll taker for whatever media outlet.  There is no value or
                 requirement to do so in order to support my candidate so I
                 wouldn't do it.  I don't 'admit' to having voted for my
                 candidate(s).  I just 1) don't care to spend my time telling
                 you and 2) don't think it's any of your business anyway.
        \_ Yes.  Because polls are a measure of who is being polled.  In
           tight races with small samples it only takes a small change in
           the pollees to shift the final numbers a significant amount.
           The pollees to shift the final numbers a significant  amount.
           That's why I've said for years that polls are useless. In a wide
           margin race you don't need one and in small margins everything
           falls within the margin of error so there's no point to it.