Romney Team Slams ‘Flawed’ Poll That Shows Mitt Flailing

[bathroommonkey76]

Mitt Romney’s campaign is publicly arguing that the methodology of a WaPo/ABC poll tainted its finding that his national numbers are tanking. However, polling experts who talked to TPM say that the survey is in line with a broad set of evidence that Romney’s general election appeal is declining — even if the poll’s approach is less than ideal.

The poll in question couldn’t have looked much worse for Romney’s presidential hopes. While it indicated he was still strong in the primary, his national numbers showed a rapid fall with Obama leading him 51-45 among registered voters. Romney pollster Neil Newhouse says these top line numbers should be disregarded because the question came after a series of queries referencing various recent stories surrounding Romney, including whether voters think his wealth is a positive or negative, whether they think he did more to create or cut jobs at Bain Capital, whether they feel his 14% tax rate is fair, and whether his Mormon religion affects their views of his candidacy.

“The poll introduced specific negative information about Governor Romney immediately prior to asking the ballot match-up against President Obama,” Newhouse wrote. “While I certainly understand the difficulty of designing a questionnaire to learn as much information as possible about a campaign, and the compromises that sometimes have to be made, the questionnaire design used by the Post/ABC Poll in this case is seriously flawed.”

Jon Cohen, director of polling for the Washington Post, told TPM in an e-mail that he felt the results held up.

More here:

http://2012.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/02/romney-team-says-brutal-wapoabc-poll-was-biased.php?ref=fpnewsfeed

[Bicoastal]

1. WAAAAAAAAAAAAAA NO FAIR BAD POLL BAD POLL!!

Are these guys for REAL?!

[kenfrequed]

3. Gingrich will use the poll

And I think he should. I almost feel sorry for Bomby McGingrich as I think the Republican establishment is trying to eliminate anyone who isn't "mittens." This is the first year in the last thirty plus years where everyone decided that S.Carolina wasn't as important as Florida.


If Gingrich wins then he loses in the generals by scaring off moderates(yay!)

If Romney wins then he loses in the generals by trying to woo moderates and the ultra right wing at the same time (hooray!)

Personally for down ticket damage I would have preferred Bachman, but what the hell.... these clowns should finish off their brand either way.

[bathroommonkey76]

2. Snip taken from the article...

"Americans told the Post by a 2 to 1 margin that the more they hear about Romney, the less they like him."

So Mitt will be in the 20 % area around election day. LOL

[RKP5637]

4. Poll or not, Romney is Flawed and a Failure. All the poll does is underscore these facts! n/t

[bulloney]

5. But Faux Snooze polls are 100% right on, right Mitt? No problems with methodology in those polls.

[Kalidurga]

6. So his numbers dropped because the pollsters told the truth about Romney?

Can they do that at the polls

[Drunken Irishman]

7. Bwahaha! That's the message of a LOSING CAMPAIGN.

[Angry Dragon]

8. Willard ........... Mr. Entitled

[Mz Pip]

9. Have there been any polls

showing him beating Obama outside the margin of error? No mastter how many time Romney tries tio reinvent himself and his positions people don't believe him. He's one of the most unauthentic personalities in politics today.

[Obama3_16]

10. Poor Romney. This poll was also partially done before jobs numbers came out

So even if they have a new poll saying Romeny looks like a male model for JC Penney and seems like a great guy to serve on your local HOA board prior to asking if people would vote for him or Obama, he's probably still going to lose ground in the next one.

heheheh.

[Johnny2X2X]

11. Rasmussen

What about the Right leaning poll Rasmussen? It had the lead at 7 points. Romney stand very little chance and he knows it.

[Boombaby]

14. The Razzies?

Wow!

[underpants]

19. That's why Daniels, Rubio, Ryan, Christie, Thune are not in the race

They all know that it is going to be next to impossible to beat Obama himself, his money, and his organization.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

12. Generally poll questions are supposed to be rotated.

Still Romney's numbers heave been trending this way in other polls.

[Botany]

13. Who is advising Romney's campaign anyway?

The Romney camp says nothing then the story about this poll goes
away in a few news cycles but when they call attention to it becomes more
of news story.

Mitt, let me run your campaign I'll do it cheap and it doesn't matter who runs
your campaign anyway because you are gonna lose this election in a landslide
w/ the only question being just how big Obama's margin of victory will be.

[BeyondGeography]

15. What is this, the "Always let them see you sweat" rule?

Fer chrissakes, it's a freakin' poll in early February. Snicker and ignore.

Bunch of rookies.

[Obama3_16]

16. only explanation is his internal polling is much worse so he's going for sympathy vote

since GOP standard line has been to attack media, polling, objective fact, science....it only stands to reason. He will question everything not in his favor, and a bunch of lunkheads will believe him.

[On the Road]

17. "The Question Came...

...after a series of queries referencing various recent stories surrounding Romney, including whether voters think his wealth is a positive or negative, whether they think he did more to create or cut jobs at Bain Capital, whether they feel his 14% tax rate is fair, and whether his Mormon religion affects their views of his candidacy.

I have to say I agree that that constitutes a push-poll and the results should be taken with a grain of salt. You certainly can't compare it to a poll taken without those questions.

[elleng]

20. Thanks; thought it might have been.

[yellowcanine]

23. I would agree if he produced his own polling showing a different result -

complete with the questions asked of course. But he doesn't. Why is that? Surely his campaign is already doing some national polling.

[Alexander]

21. The correct answer: "The only poll that matters is the one on Election Day"

Most politicians, when confronted with unflattering polls, are able to pretend like they either don't pay attention to or don't care about the polls - even if they do.

The fact that Romney's campaign is whining about polling methodology shows quite clearly that he does pay attention to and does care about the polls. This is a rookie mistake, and it suggests that Romney's campaign is amateurish at best.

[yellowcanine]

22. So Willard why don't you show us your poll which has you doing much better?

Take your time. We don't mind waiting.