Biden // Current TV

Oh, let me count the ways. Almost all of this, by the way, is lifted from Mark Bluemthnal's outstanding Exit Poll FAQ. For the long version, see over there.

1. Exit polls have a much larger intrinsic margin for error than regular polls. This is because of what are known as cluster sampling techniques. Exit polls are not conducted at all precincts, but only at some fraction thereof. Although these precincts are selected at random and are supposed to be reflective of their states as a whole, this introduces another opportunity for error to occur (say, for instance, that a particular precinct has been canvassed especially heavily by one of the campaigns). This makes the margins for error somewhere between 50-90% higher than they would be for comparable telephone surveys.

2. Exit polls have consistently overstated the Democratic share of the vote. Many of you will recall this happening in 2004, when leaked exit polls suggested that John Kerry would have a much better day than he actually had. But this phenomenon was hardly unique to 2004. In 2000, for instance, exit polls had Al Gore winning states like Alabama and Georgia (!). If you go back and watch The War Room, you'll find George Stephanopolous and James Carville gloating over exit polls showing Bill Clinton winning states like Indiana and Texas, which of course he did not win.

3. Exit polls were particularly bad in this year's primaries. They overstated Barack Obama's performance by an average of about 7 points.

4. Exit polls challenge the definition of a random sample. Although the exit polls have theoretically established procedures to collect a random sample -- essentially, having the interviewer approach every nth person who leaves the polling place -- in practice this is hard to execute at a busy polling place, particularly when the pollster may be standing many yards away from the polling place itself because of electioneering laws.

5. Democrats may be more likely to participate in exit polls. Related to items #1 and #4 above, Scott Rasmussen has found that Democrats supporters are more likely to agree to participate in exit polls, probably because they are more enthusiastic about this election.

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Follow the link for the other five reasons.Oh, let me count the ways. Almost all of this, by the way, is lifted from Mark... more

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Joe Biden Votes

The Delaware senator voted shortly before 9 a.m. EST Tuesday at a private school about... more

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It's Election Day 2008

Democrat Barack Obama's bid to become the first black president faced the final... more

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866-OUR-VOTE: Take a lawyer to the polls!!!

==========================>HEY EVERYBODY

Greenpointer
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Palin Unleashes New Attack Against Obama On Coal - From The Road

MARIETTA, OHIO) - Seizing on a newly released audio tape picked up by the Drudge Report, Sarah Palin took the opportunity here in coal country to accuse Barack Obama of “talking about bankrupting the coal industry.”

“He said that, sure, if the industry wants to build coal-fired power plants, then they can go ahead and try, he says, but they can do it only in a way that will bankrupt the coal industry, and he's comfortable letting that happen,” Palin said. “And you got to listen to the tape.”

The audiotape Palin was referring to was recorded by the San Francisco Chronicle in a Jan. 17 interview.

“Why is the audiotape just now surfacing?” Palin asked, leading someone in the crowd to shout, “Liberal media!”

“This interview was given to San Francisco folks many, many months ago,” Palin said. “You should have known about this, so that you would have better decision-making information as you go into the voting booth.”

In the audiotape, Obama reiterated his call for a cap and trade system on carbon and greenhouse gases.

“So if somebody wants to build a coal-powered plant, they can,” Obama said. “It's just that it will bankrupt them because they're going to be charged a huge sum for all that greenhouse gas that's being emitted.”

An Obama spokesperson said that Obama’s remarks were taken out of context and pointed out that in another part of the interview, Obama said that the idea of eliminating coal plants was “an illusion.”

“The point Obama is making is that we need to transition from coal burning power plants built with old technology to plants built with advanced technologies--and that is exactly the action that will be incentivized under a cap and trade program,” the spokesperson said. “We know that additional work is necessary to develop and deploy these technologies. That is why Obama has argued for a robust funding program for carbon capture and sequestration. It’s strikingly similar to what McCain has said (in fact McCain goes a step further saying he wants to transition completely away from coal).”
MARIETTA, OHIO) - Seizing on a newly released audio tape picked up by the Drudge... more

vincius
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Hidden Audio: Obama Tells SF Chronicle He Will Bankrupt Coal Industry

Please read update about the San Francisco Chronicle neglecting to mention Obama's willingness to bankrupt the coal industry at bottom of this blog.)
Imagine if John McCain had whispered somewhere that he was willing to bankrupt a major industry? Would this declaration not immediately be front page news? Well, Barack Obama actually flat out told the San Francisco Chronicle (SF Gate) that he was willing to see the coal industry go bankrupt in a January 17, 2008 interview. The result? Nothing. This audio interview has been hidden from the public...until now. Here is the transcript of Obama's statement about bankrupting the coal industry (emphasis mine):

Let me sort of describe my overall policy.

What I've said is that we would put a cap and trade system in place that is as aggressive, if not more aggressive, than anybody else's out there.

I was the first to call for a 100% auction on the cap and trade system, which means that every unit of carbon or greenhouse gases emitted would be charged to the polluter. That will create a market in which whatever technologies are out there that are being presented, whatever power plants that are being built, that they would have to meet the rigors of that market and the ratcheted down caps that are being placed, imposed every year.

So if somebody wants to build a coal-powered plant, they can; it's just that it will bankrupt them because they're going to be charged a huge sum for all that greenhouse gas that's being emitted.

That will also generate billions of dollars that we can invest in solar, wind, biodiesel and other alternative energy approaches.

The only thing I've said with respect to coal, I haven't been some coal booster. What I have said is that for us to take coal off the table as a (sic) ideological matter as opposed to saying if technology allows us to use coal in a clean way, we should pursue it.

So if somebody wants to build a coal-powered plant, they can.

It's just that it will bankrupt them.
Amazing that this statement by Obama about bankrupting the coal industry has been kept under wraps until this time.

UPDATE: NewsBusters' Tom Blumer has found out that the San Francisco Chronicle story published on January 18 based upon this January 17 interview did not include any mention of Obama's willingness to bankrupt the coal industry which you can hear on the audio. You can read the story here when you scroll down to the "In His Own Words" section. Way to cover up for The One, SF Chronicle!
Please read update about the San Francisco Chronicle neglecting to mention... more

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Obama goes both ways? on Gay Marriage

ABC News' Teddy Davis, Sunlen Miller, Tahman Bradley, and Rigel Anderson report:... more

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Hate Crime or Halloween Prank?

In reference to the Halloween incident where the police were called about the... more

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Obama's final weekend marred by 'illegal' aunt | World news | The Observer

Obama's campaign to become the first black American President was rocked yesterday, only 72 hours before election day, by the revelation that his aunt is an illegal immigrant in the US.

News about Obama's relative is a chance for the McCain campaign to generate some last-minute negative headlines about Obama. Four years ago Zeituni Onyango, 56, who is mentioned in Obama's personal memoir, was instructed by a court to leave the country after being denied political asylum. However, she now lives in local authority housing in Boston.

Illegal immigration is a political minefield in US politics and the story could be a vote-losing headache for Obama. Her refusal to leave the country does not make her unusual in America - there are an estimated 10 million 'illegals' - but the issue is a hot button one, especially with the white working-class voters courted by both Obama and John McCain.

Illegal immigrants are often accused of taking jobs and government services from US citizens and legal residents. Onyango, Obama's half-aunt on his father's side, has donated to his campaign, with five small gifts totalling $260. Those donations may turn out to be illegal, since Onyango is not a US citizen. His campaign said in a statement: 'Senator Obama has no knowledge of her status, but obviously believes that any and all appropriate laws be followed.'

The revelation came as McCain cut Obama's lead in the polls and police forces in major cities made extra security preparations for election day.

In Chicago, Obama is holding a rally downtown after the polls close on Tuesday night and it is believed that up to a million people could flood the city's streets. All police leave has been cancelled and off-duty firefighters have been told to keep their kit ready at home. The unspoken concern among some is that a surprise Obama loss - especially with most polls predicting a win for the Democrat - could lead to civil unrest.

Detroit and Los Angeles were also deploying extra police out of concern for the potentially heightened emotions raised by this election. Yesterday McCain was nudging into a slight lead in one element of a three-day tracking poll by respected pollster John Zogby. The overall survey still gave the victory to Obama by five points, but McCain was a point ahead on the third day.

The poll found that McCain's support was increasing among independents and working-class voters. It could prove that McCain's recent tactic of pushing blue-collar issues, symbolised by his adoption of 'Joe the Plumber' as a campaign totem, is working. Though other surveys have shown McCain starting to close on Obama, virtually every other national poll recently suggests Obama has a healthy lead
Obama's campaign to become the first black American President was rocked... more

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Top rumors of presidential campaign - and reality

When John McCain and Barack Obama started running for president in 2007, they were two... more

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Obama denies knowing "Auntie Zeituni" illegal status - Returns her donations

WASHINGTON - Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama said Saturday he did not... more

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