To the Point
Polls and Differences of Public Opinion
In the 19th century, Benjamin Disraeli said, "there are "lies, damn lies, and statistics." In the 21st century, we can add public opinion polls to that list. Public opinion sampling is a 5-billion dollar business that's still growing. Promoters, advertisers, politicians, and the public itself, all want to know what people are thinking. But how accurate are the polls? Do they reflect public opinion or do they mold and shape it? We hear some lively debate about the use and abuse as well as the methods and messages of public opinion polling, with representatives of the Warren Poll, Gallup Poll, Arab-American Action Network and syndicated columnist Arianna Huffington. Newsmaker: Simon Comfortably Beats Riordan Hardened political pros had said it wouldn't happen but yesterday, neophyte millionaire Bill Simon beat former LA Mayor Richard Riordan in California's Republican gubernatorial primary. Lou Cannon, long-time White House correspondent for The Washington Post, looks at the campaign that took victory for granted. Reporter's Notebook: Death in Afghanistan: Leave No Man Behind In Afghanistan this week, six American soldiers died trying to recover a fallen comrade. Robert Hodierne is managing editor of The Army Times. The former Vietnam War reporter-photographer looks at the military's "leave no man behind" doctrine, which makes for great drama and tragic reality.
By Warren Olney • • 1 min readIn the 19th century, Benjamin Disraeli said, "there are "lies, damn lies, and statistics." In the 21st century, we can add public opinion polls to that list. Public opinion sampling is a 5-billion dollar business that's still growing. Promoters, advertisers, politicians, and the public itself, all want to know what people are thinking. But how accurate are the polls? Do they reflect public opinion or do they mold and shape it? We hear some lively debate about the use and abuse as well as the methods and messages of public opinion polling, with representatives of the Warren Poll, Gallup Poll, Arab-American Action Network and syndicated columnist Arianna Huffington.
Simon Comfortably Beats Riordan
Hardened political pros had said it wouldn't happen but yesterday, neophyte millionaire Bill Simon beat former LA Mayor Richard Riordan in California's Republican gubernatorial primary. Lou Cannon, long-time White House correspondent for
The Washington Post, looks at the campaign that took victory for granted.
Death in Afghanistan: Leave No Man Behind
In Afghanistan this week, six American soldiers died trying to recover a fallen comrade. Robert Hodierne is managing editor of
The Army Times. The former Vietnam War reporter-photographer looks at the military's "leave no man behind" doctrine, which makes for great drama and tragic reality.