Pollsters Drop Edwards From Head-to-Head Match-ups

http://www.alternet.org/blogs/election08/74277/
So, now, Survey USA, which conducts an influential state-by-state poll, has decided that John Edwards is not sufficiently "viable" to be included in their head-to-head match-ups for the general election.

This is in keeping with a major theme of campaign 2008: our media and political establishments narrowing the field before most Americans get to cast a vote.

Sarah Lane pointed this out at DailyKos …
I just got off the phone with a representative from Survey USA. I was perplexed by a recent poll done by Survey USA in conjunction with local Oregon news affiliate KATU News, where Edwards was left out of the polling. In case you didn't know, Edwards has deep support here in Oregon. Oregonians gave more money to Edwards than they have to Clinton or Obama. If you'd like to contact Survey USA and ask them why they left Edwards out of their polling while Giuliani was not, you can call them here: 1-800-786-8000. You can email them here at their news tip line: thenews@katu.com
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/1/17/161231/183/895/438467

The short version of the story is that SurveyUSA told Lane that they had made a "judgment call" in deciding that Edwards had no shot at the nomination. Lane took issue with the inclusion of Giuliani in the head-to-heads, as Giuliani trails Edwards in both national polls and delegates. But I think that misses a few points. SurveyUSA is stripping the Edwards' campaign of one of its best selling points: the fact that he does better than the other Dem candidates in theoretical match-ups with everyone in the GOP field. In fact, against the GOP's strongest candidate in head-to-heads, John McCain, only Edwards among the top Dems wins comfortably.



My letter:

They know its down to those two like the rest of us.

I mean lets face it, it is not going to be Edwards in the WH come 2009 and i'm not saying that to make Edwards supporters angry but hey lets get on with this mother of a battle.

I'd actually like a debate between Clinton and Obama and let them duke it out.

That would be something to watch.

are going to bring remotely the same kind of change in policy, laws, and accountability (despite their heavy ties to corporations) that Edwards would bring to the office, and that we just need to accept he just isn't "getting the support he needs", do you NOTICE anything about this site? It's flush with Edwards supporters, and we've been here for years - it's because of his specific wording, policies, and strength in stating all the right things that the Democratic nominee should be discussing - find his speech that was posted in GD-P and see what an Obama speech should sound like.

But, what am I thinking!?!?! - Obama or Clinton more than likely are not going to get in because the GOP controls the voting and counts it, and the Democratic party doesn't cheat like the GOP has in FL, OH and other places with stopping people from voting, giving less booths to Democratic areas, and tabulation rigging, nor do they lie blatantly about everything - the GOP plays dirty and that's why they're in power with the dumbest man I think could possibly hold the title of president!

I understand you appear to like one of the other two a lot, that's nice and all, but realize this - the GOP-TV has constantly been harping for a choice between Clinton and Obama because they're going to have their dessert either way - they will be getting a female candidate who's husband had sex with an intern, my God, in the oval office when he was president, or, a black candidate who admittedly used to do drugs, and has a name of Barack Hussein Obama - which sounds like a terrorist, and that's not direct attacks on them - that's stating facts - Bill philandered in the White House and Barack Obama has an unfortunate name (I like his name, but most of America when hearing that full name, as the GOP will say fully when they say his name in discussions and emails, will think terrorist).

Is that FAIR? No, but they CONTROL GOP-TV and they will talk nonstop a month before the election about race or gender being a stumbling block for the candidate of the Democratic Party, and show them losing ground in the polls, and despite massive lines to the contrary, they'll say the Democrat lost it all when it boiled down to California, but McCain beat Obama by 15,000 votes or some bullshit.

All the standard people I know that don't really pay attention to politics who typically have said the last 5 election cycles that they're voting like I am - ARE NOT saying that this time - they're saying "if Hillary's the DEM nominee don't be mad but I'm not voting I cannot stand her" or, "I'm voting for McCain, I cannot put her in the white house". And I won't even say some of the really bad stuff I hear about Barack.


Just face it, unless we stand up and demand transparent voting - your desire to see Obama or Clinton will be for naught because the BFEE and GOP-TV will be airing the news that in a close vote, President-elect John McCain took victory from the Democrats!


I wish it was going to be easy, but it's not, and if we're stuck getting Obama, a very inexperienced campaigner who slips up often, or Clinton with her baggage aplenty, then we're going to be fighting tooth and nail to get them in office against McCain, who will ultimately be the GOP nominee. I think Hillary will be ours, and Hillary Clinton versus John McCain is going to be a very tough battle for us. I'm honestly not going to be much involved in that, nor will many people I know.

that someone saw this coming. :(

:(

Little dose of reality on a Saturday afternoon.

If you'd like to repost it, and say I saw this from another DUer, and I agree, feel free. I'm sorta feeling like we're about to be stuck with eternal GOP rule unless people wake the hell up. President Romney....


:puke:

a team. there is so much working against the American people right now. what I said in my post is extremely obvious, but people don't want to discuss it. And, you know this country is teetering on the brink of a major recession when chimp jr. will come out and say a stimulus package is urgently needed to help this economy NOW.

the writing's on the wall... I guess people cannot read between the cracks.

You should say. Get it out in the open so people know about this stuff.

I hope we're wrong.

I usually don't say much around here, but these words, sadly, indicate what is, to me, a huge part of the problem. This isn't entertainment. This isn't a boxing match. Nor is this "American Idol," or whatever the current rage is in the arena of bread and circuses designed to daze and placate the masses. Too many Americans are just interested in "watching," in being entertained. This is dead serious. It isn't about what's going to be fun to "watch." This is about who's going to wield power. Power that directly affects the lives of each and every one of us, both here and abroad. I'm much more interested in seeing the best candidates get a fair shake in the process, even if it isn't "fun." I don't mean to be getting down on you personally, sunonmars, but your words provoked a response because I hear far too many comments like this -- not so much here on DU, but out there IRL -- and I find it disturbing. This is a good part of the reason for the marginalizing of candidates by the M$M, IMO. Our "news" has come to more closely resemble infotainment than REAL NEWS, and the news networks want the ratings of a "mother of a battle." It sickens me that our political process has become just something else to "watch" on TV, a chance to cheer for the winners and boo the losers. That isn't what this was supposed to, or should, be.

and damn, your letter is GOOD! you really should try to make real contact with the campaign with that letter.

If any progressive minded American just sits idly back and watches as Edwards has this done to him and doesn't comprehend WHY they're doing it (because he is going to fight for the POOR & WORKING CLASS, health care, jobs, fair tax laws, end the false war quickly and probably go after the B*sh adm), then I really doubt the ability of many people to have comprehension - because they're literally going to screw over our country til it literally is a complete and utterly raped shell of its former self!

Viable my ass. Giuliani has failed miserably, he's still getting them done for him, excellent point.

Ya know you're right, just take a tiny bit of comfort in that and try and give that letter to the campaign.

Come on progressives, let's fight!

candidates. Democrates have to narrow quickly so the republicans can start deciding how to steal the elections again.

one that doesn't bounce back?

I just cut and pasted the e-mail addy into my personal e-mail. Good luck.

Take it for what it's worth...I've lost a lot of credibility in Zogby, but right now C-SPAN is showing the latest rolling averages that has Clinton at 45%, Obama at 39% and Edwards at only 6%...yesterday's poll had nim at 12%...that's quite a drop off in the past 24 hours. I haven't seen other poll numbers...I'll check TPM Election Central later...but seems the trends have not been looking good for Senator Edwards over the past couple days...blame the corporate media as you will...but unless he wins in South Carolina it's the beginning of the end.

Nothing would surprise me. I wasn't impressed with Zogby when he appeared on the Daily Show.


I think some pollsters and the media are working together to marginalize Edwards and demoralize the Edwards voters so that they will be afraid their vote will be "wasted" if they vote for him.

I'm an agnostic here...I have no candidate and am not jumping about media blackouts or polls...I find it interesting to watch the interplay between the corporate media and the candidates...and the reaction it brings here. Many times it's gotten very predictable.

Most people here are getting a lesson on what research and polling are about. They're a very inexact science and unless you understand how the poll is structured, when it was conducted, if it was weighted and many other variables, you never get a full picture. But then all these company want out there are "horse race" numbers...things the talking heads (their clients) pay to yak and yak about. It's turned political reporting into Sportscenter. Supposedly people want "winners" and ignore "losers"...just like people are all agog about Tom Brady while no one gives a shit about the quarterback for the Detroit Lions.

There's no question the corporate media has treated Edwards as a third on a match...cause his story isn't as divisive as Hillary's or "exciting" as Obama's. They never were concerned with substance, their job is to sell...create Roman circuses that draw ratings. The key to any successful campaign is to break through that corporate media filter.

As an undecided, I'm still strongly considering Senator Edwards and his name will be on my Feb. 5th ballot...he sure hasn't been marginalized here.

Not the best news coming out today after his fund drive yesterday. It appears John's message is going to be ignored by these Aholes and there isn't much we can do about it unless WE FIGHT BACK. We'll HAVE to take the fight to them, otherwise WE ALL become DISENFRANCHISED.

Does anyone know if Peter Hart is conducting any focus groups on the candidates???



Earlier I was reading a thread (( link below )) about how some of the Nevada SEIU member's attending an Edwards rally said, "A lot of us are going to caucus for John. Everyone knows our union wanted Edwards from the beginning but settled for Obama .......


It's hardly a strategy that Bonior would confirm. But neither would he deny it when asked directly by the HuffPost. "I can tell you this much," Bonior said. "We're going to be marching into that convention with a whole lot of delegates."

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x2716800



Delegates are VERY important.

GO JOHN, GO........... Ya Gotta FIGHT THE POWER, FIGHT THE POWER THAT BE:thumbsup:

Survey USA, a survey to poop on!

Your letter is great. I hope we can get them to change their "minds" about this. If this was a "judgment call," it's very BAD judgment.

who has ZERO deligates to date? Who hasn't gotten even into the teens in any primary or caucus thus far? Who trails Ron Paul overall?

He better not give up, he better fuckin' fight!

filling the air with things that are rather irrelavent, I do not think caucasus are that relavent, unless I am mistaken.

I am supporting Edwards all the way to the end, no other candidate is viable and change does not have anything to do with skin color or gender. If you want change, you better support Edwards with all you've got.

How it isn't OBVIOUS folks that they're in business to influence public opinion- and not to reflect it is really quite beyond me.

I suppose there's a subset of people who just like being manipulated....

Almost down to Kucinich-type numbers.