All the News That's Fit to be Tied

I have an axe to grind, but unlike the New York Times, I freely admit it.

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Declaring War on Exit Polls

In almost every primary now they tell how women voted, how blacks voted, how latinos voted, white men, women, seniors, you know, almost every category. Well I looked at my voter card and it doesn't tell my age, race, sex, preference or any other detail beyond name, address, party affiliation, etc. So how do they tell. They poll people as they exit the voting place. Not everyone, mind you, just a sample. Using this sample they extrapolate to all men, women, minorities, all races, etc. Just one trouble-while they state these percentages as facts, they are merely statistical speculation based on a limited number of voters and then extrapolated to represent an entire group. Another words, the old axiom "if liars can figure, then figures can lie," comes into play. While the news media's stated intention is to inform you, their real intention is to get you to wonder why you did or didn't vote with your group, whether it be race, gender or age. For example, if you are black and 90% of all blacks voted for Obama, what's wrong with you if you didn't. As much as media types protest about putting them in a box, like liberal, conservative, middle-of-the-road, they have no trouble putting you in a box especially if you are a minority of any type. Remember that the next you hear, 100 percent of all women voted for Hilary and you (being a woman) voted for Obama. Remember they are just speculating. Exit polling of this type is dishonest and manipulative, but it's no surprise from a media that's taken sides; and that's no bull.