Why polls aren't worrying Obama's team - Sun Times

[rndmprsn]

http://www.suntimes.com/news/marin/1099400,CST-EDT-carol10.article

...What does it mean? Next to nothing. And Obama's team not only knows it, it thrives on it.

They think "horse race" in the classic Seabiscuit sense.

Out of the gate, the thoroughbred who leads too early and by too great a margin is more often than not the vulnerable one, the one in danger of losing it all to the horse who strategically holds back, waits, and then thunders in the final furlongs to finish first.

Obama's political guru, David Axelrod, and his Chicago-based firm, AKP&D lay it out on their Web site. "We win tough races. . . . campaigns no one thought could be won," it states. "The governor who came from 20 points behind" . . . (Iowa's Tom Vilsack). "The incumbent mayor who came back from 20 points down in only 20 days" . . . (Deedee Corradini in Salt Lake City)

"The congresswoman who won Dan Quayle's old seat in an upset" . . . (Indiana's Jill Long).

Axelrod & Co. can now include in its victory list the skinny unknown from Chicago who in one short year went from a mere 26 percent in the polls to toppling front-runner Hillary Clinton who was a full 22 points ahead of him last August.

"The national numbers mean nothing," said John Kupper, the "K" in AKP&D, last week by phone. "These are not national elections but state by state elections. We have vote goals. We know prior performance models."

[Hope And Change]

1. K & R!

[Peacetrain]

2. K & R .. the strategy in a nutshell

[polichick]

3. That's what I keep telling a friend who is obsessed with the Gallup tracking poll - thanks!

[DCBob]

4. Obvious to many but ignored by MSM

It would seem the MSM has forgotten the general election is won by state electoral college votes. National polling means little to nothing unless there is a wide spread. BTW, this is only my second post but I am a long time DU lurker. You folks are a great resource!

[rndmprsn]

5. welcome...

[DCBob]

6. Thanks!

DU has the most comprehensive and current "up-to-the-minute" information and some of the best discusion of all the political sites I have found. Thanks for all your efforts!

[DainBramaged]

7. Welcome to DU

Now go home (just kidding).

:yourock: :woohoo: :hi:

[DCBob]

9. DainBramaged

Thanks for the rousing welcome. Your handle is great. SNL skit wasn't it? Long, long time ago. It was hilarious. I have not seen that in decades.

[DainBramaged]

11. Nope, damaged brain (lol) read my Journal!

Glad you have decided to stay!

[DCBob]

12. SNL skit

You are aware of the SNL skit, right? The confused football player talking about the need to wear protective gear like your helmet otherwise you could get "dain bramage" or "be injured or seriously kilt". It was hilarious. This was from the 80's, I believe. The glory days of SNL. Probably a vid of it out there somewhere.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

I can't remember an election where the media EVER portrayed it as a blowout.

Since the party affiliation numbers are fairly close nationally, the polling numbers are never going to be that hugely off except in really unusual situations. A 5 point national popular vote win could be a huge electoral vote landslide.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

10. I can't remember an election where the media EVER portrayed it as a blowout.

Since the party affiliation numbers are fairly close nationally, the polling numbers are never going to be that hugely off except in really unusual situations. A 5 point national popular vote win could be a huge electoral vote landslide.

[Undercurrent]

8. We're in good hands!