2016 Postmortem

muriel_volestrangler

(101,421 posts) Fri Feb 24, 2012, 04:22 PM Feb 2012

How can a Gallup poll have 21% of Democrats saying Santorum is too liberal?

http://www.gallup.com/poll/152954/Half-Say-Obama-Liberal-Agree-Issues.aspx?utm_source=add%2Bthis&utm_medium=addthis.com&utm_campaign=sharing#.T0ebqHvZQBQ.twitter

According to that, more Democrats thought Santorum was 'too liberal' than thought Obama was. It's crazy. It says only 5% of Republicans think he's too liberal, which, on its own, might be believable; but how on earth can more Democrats think he's too liberal than Republicans?

I've been trying to see some obvious flaw in the way the numbers are set out, but can't. Everything seems to add up.

15 replies

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Highlight:

How can a Gallup poll have 21% of Democrats saying Santorum is too liberal? (Original Post) muriel_volestrangler Feb 2012 OP

Maybe because Gallup's 'Democrats'aren't? sinkingfeeling Feb 2012 #1

Right, 'self-identified?' elleng Feb 2012 #5

All phone poll demographics are self-identified, by definition. nt TheWraith Feb 2012 #12

Gallop is having some issues lately. JoePhilly Feb 2012 #2

Can't. Obviously something wrong with the poll, elleng Feb 2012 #3

Because it's historically been an unreliable, B.S. polling org? kysrsoze Feb 2012 #4

Gallop's just horsing around again? neigh! ChairmanAgnostic Feb 2012 #7

Ask a FORMER married, female CATHOLIC how "conservative" Santorum is HockeyMom Feb 2012 #6

for starters, people lie to pollsters. unblock Feb 2012 #8

self-reporting Enrique Feb 2012 #9

Yes, that's the thing - this would be a widespread misidentification muriel_volestrangler Feb 2012 #10

And more people say Santorum is less conservative than Romney! WI_DEM Feb 2012 #11

Worded the question in a way it was misinterpreted. appleannie1 Feb 2012 #13

Right. elleng Feb 2012 #14

Because Democrats have a sense of humor? Wait Wut Feb 2012 #15

sinkingfeeling

(51,499 posts)

1. Maybe because Gallup's 'Democrats'aren't?

Reply to muriel_volestrangler (Original post)

Fri Feb 24, 2012, 04:24 PM

Feb 2012

elleng

(131,449 posts)

5. Right, 'self-identified?'

Reply to sinkingfeeling (Reply #1)

Fri Feb 24, 2012, 04:27 PM

Feb 2012

TheWraith

(24,331 posts)

12. All phone poll demographics are self-identified, by definition. nt

Reply to elleng (Reply #5)

Fri Feb 24, 2012, 04:45 PM

Feb 2012

JoePhilly

(27,787 posts)

2. Gallop is having some issues lately.

Reply to muriel_volestrangler (Original post)

Fri Feb 24, 2012, 04:25 PM

Feb 2012

There must be something in their polling model that is broken.

elleng

(131,449 posts)

3. Can't. Obviously something wrong with the poll,

Reply to muriel_volestrangler (Original post)

Fri Feb 24, 2012, 04:26 PM

Feb 2012

OR the interpretations by whomever.

kysrsoze

(6,025 posts)

4. Because it's historically been an unreliable, B.S. polling org?

Reply to muriel_volestrangler (Original post)

Fri Feb 24, 2012, 04:26 PM

Feb 2012

I recall seeing lots of results over the years, which didn't follow the same results from other polling orgs. That seems like too high a percentage to be a joke... unless America's just turning into a country full of Nazi-wannabes. That could be it, I suppose. Sigh.

ChairmanAgnostic

(28,017 posts)

7. Gallop's just horsing around again? neigh!

Reply to kysrsoze (Reply #4)

Fri Feb 24, 2012, 04:28 PM

Feb 2012

HockeyMom

(14,337 posts)

6. Ask a FORMER married, female CATHOLIC how "conservative" Santorum is

Reply to muriel_volestrangler (Original post)

Fri Feb 24, 2012, 04:27 PM

Feb 2012

I LEFT the catholic church for exactly the same reasons that Santorum wants to put into place. So, now I have to have my GOVERNMENT legislatate the teachings of the POPE IN ROME?

Santorum makes he HATE the catholic church even more than I already do.

unblock

(52,510 posts)

8. for starters, people lie to pollsters.

Reply to muriel_volestrangler (Original post)

Fri Feb 24, 2012, 04:28 PM

Feb 2012

and others just have no idea what they're talking about.

also, i can see someone taking the view that they want to be sure he's not mistaken for a plausible choice, so they want him to be as crazy right-wing as possible, to ensure he loses.

finally, some democrats are insanely right-wing, but still vote (d) out of family tradition.

Enrique

(27,461 posts)

9. self-reporting

Reply to muriel_volestrangler (Original post)

Fri Feb 24, 2012, 04:29 PM

Feb 2012

respondent is asked, "would you call yourself a liberal or a conservative", and the respondent lies, to mess with the pollster. That's my guess, although it would mean that a lot of people are doing this, and if true, then all their surveys are suspect.

muriel_volestrangler

(101,421 posts)

10. Yes, that's the thing - this would be a widespread misidentification

Reply to Enrique (Reply #9)

Fri Feb 24, 2012, 04:43 PM

Feb 2012

Though technically the self-reporting is "Democrat, Independent or Republican". The 'liberal' part is their view of Santorum, Obama and Romney.

But, since the 'Obama is too liberal' number is smaller than the 'Santorum is too liberal' number, that means there must have been at least 4% of Democrats who said the latter, but not the former. That's not a self-identification problem - that's inability to see basic reality - or choosing to screw with the pollster, when the pollster knows it. It was probably a lot more than 4%, because you'd expect a few Democrats to say "Obama is too liberal, but not Santorum", and for every one of those, you'd need another stating the perverse view to make up for it.

WI_DEM

(33,497 posts)

11. And more people say Santorum is less conservative than Romney!

Reply to muriel_volestrangler (Original post)

Fri Feb 24, 2012, 04:44 PM

Feb 2012

My feeling is that many people don't really know Rick Santorum. The media and even the Obama campaign have focused mainly on Mittens. It's only really the last couple of weeks that the focus has been increasing on Ricky.