21
Oct
2008
Google Does Elections
This is pretty cool.
Google has a feature on maps.google.com where you can analyze the polls! It’s pretty cool and you can look at everything at once, not just one site.
Click on “Electoral Votes Estimates” and play away!
12
Oct
2008
22
Aug
2008
Texans on the Election
A new poll produced by members of the UT-Austin Government Department and the Texas Politics Project, found that 67% of Texans think the country is moving in the wrong direction. This reflects similar polls across the rest of the country.
Texans do, however, support John McCain over Barack Obama 42 to 33%, and incumbent Republican John Cornyn over challenger State Representative Rick Noriega 44 to 31%. Libertarian Bob Barr and Independent Ralph Nader are both polling less than 5%.
Keep in mind, however, that Nader will not be on the ballot in Texas.
Find more detailed information here
14
Jul
2008
Cell Phones, Polling and President Truman
Why Obama Could Be Winning by a Lot More Than You Think
Not everyone will agree, but for a number of reasons, this election seems like its Barack Obama’s to lose. He’s been routinely giving speeches to enthusiastic crowds of 50,000 or more, he’s been raising money faster than any other candidate in American history, and perhaps most importantly, he is a youthful, exciting, energetic candidate that represents a change in a change election.
John McCain on the other hand has struggled not only to keep pace financially, but also to inspire the same kind of enthusiasm in the electorate that Obama has demonstrated. With the faltering economy, an increasingly unpopular war, and close ties to an incumbent president with some of the lowest approval ratings in recorded history, it certainly seems like McCain would have his work cut out for him. In fact, all conventional wisdom says this should be a slam dunk win for Obama…
However, today’s Gallup tracking poll has Barack Obama listed with a mere three-point advantage over John McCain, 43% – 46%. Three points – that’s all? Can that be right? With everything that’s going on, how can it be that Obama’s only up 3 points in the polls?
In fact, most of the major tracking polls – Rasmussen, Newsweek, CNN, McLaughlin, – have the race at only a 1% – 5% point lead for Barack Obama; most are basically within the margin of error. How can it be that this seemingly lopsided race is so close? One shudders to think – but is it possible that all these polls are just plain wrong?
Maybe.
In 1948, President Harry Truman defeated Republican challenger Thomas A. Dewey by, what was at that time, the slimmest margin in the history of American politics. This narrow and frankly unexpected victory by Truman was forever immortalized by the photograph of Truman holding up the early edition of the November 3rd Chicago Tribune, bearing now-famous headline – “Dewey Defeats Truman”
How did the Chicago Tribune get it so wrong?