The National Republican Congressional Committee has a poll in the field. I got polled last night. It was a pretty extensive poll, with about 36 questions. I felt sorry for the kid on the other end of the phone. He was having a hard time reading the questions. Some of them were quite lengthy and some of the names he had a hard time pronouncing. One question really irked me. It was something like:
Partisan control of the Congress is at stake. If Kellam wins, with would allow liberal Nancy Pelosi to be named speaker. Democrats would then be able to raise taxes, cut and run on Iraq, and give amnesty to illegal immigrants. With this information, who would you vote for, Drake or Kellam?
I know they are testing message here. But really – was that necessary?
I hope this poll gets released to the public.
VIVIAN J. PAIGE | All Politics is Local 
This happens in all political polls, hoping to get a result that will be seen as favorable for their preferred candidate. Even non-partisan polls may set up the question so that they can try to gauge public opinion. No use in expecting otherwise, polsters will keep up with this practice.
Ironically, it’s President Bush who favors amnesty.
Vivian, with things I’ve read on blogs about Bush, Allen and Drake, that comment’s as tame as a kittycat.
Sadly VJP, those kinds of questions are necessary. The DCCC/DSCC ask the same types of questions to see whether or not they turn people off, create a reaction, etc.
Most are based in fact. I haven’t seen a test message that reads “If you knew John Doe high-fived Vlad the Impaler while torturing Ottoman Turks, would you be more or less likely…” blah blah blah.
You want something you can potentially frame — as you said.
All that you guys said I agree with. Still, I found the question (especially since the kid reading it couldn’t even pronounce “Partisan” or “Pelosi” – even after I had him read it twice) irksome.
I’ve had a hand in constructing a poll or two so I know what they are doing here. Some people – not y’all – may not understand what they are doing here.
that’s a push poll, not a real poll. They have no bearing in reality whatsoever. It most definitely does NOT happen in all political polls, typically only those commissioned by one of the candidates. Stick to the independents and you may find some results skewed by poor question design–but the intent with questions like the above are to move numbers and then report them favorably.