# Election polls if the media were totally objective and even-handed? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [October 28, 2008, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-polls-if-the-media-were-totally-objective-and-even-handed/469898 "2008-10-28T03:58:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-polls-if-the-media-were-totally-objective-and-even-handed/469898/61 "2008-10-29T23:46:25Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > What, do you really think such racists are “only a small percentage” of the total **population?!** I think racism is fairly pervasive, but I’m saying that I think it’s only a small percentage who would vote against Obama _solely_ for racial reasons. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2008, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-polls-if-the-media-were-totally-objective-and-even-handed/469898/62 "2008-10-31T17:39:48Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > I think racism is fairly pervasive, but I’m saying that I think it’s only a small percentage who would vote against Obama _solely_ for racial reasons. Ah. IOW, you mean people who would vote Dem this year if the candidate were white. Yes, that is probably a small percentage – but, as we saw in the WV primary coverage, not a trivial one. ---
**Author:** ![What\_the](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f4b2a3/32.png) [@What\_the](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_the)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-polls-if-the-media-were-totally-objective-and-even-handed/469898/63 "2008-11-01T12:39:36Z")
To get back on target a little … Polls … why is it that media (liberal and conservative) feel the need to sponsor polls? Seems kinda like making news. Even-handed … spin this all you apologists for the Obama-loving media …[http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D945SHBG1&show\_article=1](http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D945SHBG1&show_article=1). No fair using Eric Alterman or Media Matters. ---
**Author:** ![prisoner6655321](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5f8ce5/32.png) [@prisoner6655321](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/prisoner6655321)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-polls-if-the-media-were-totally-objective-and-even-handed/469898/64 "2008-11-01T19:11:27Z")
If the media were totally objective and even-handed then McCain wouldn’t even be in the polls right now. Ron Paul would have won the nomination. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-polls-if-the-media-were-totally-objective-and-even-handed/469898/65 "2008-11-01T19:45:15Z")
> [@What\_the](#): > > To get back on target a little … > > Polls … why is it that media (liberal and conservative) feel the need to sponsor polls? Seems kinda like making news. Eh? The news is the state of public opinion. Polls are just a means to find it out. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-polls-if-the-media-were-totally-objective-and-even-handed/469898/66 "2008-11-01T19:46:19Z")
> [@prisoner6655321](#): > > If the media were totally objective and even-handed then McCain wouldn’t even be in the polls right now. Ron Paul would have won the nomination. . . . 😕 What do you base that on? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-polls-if-the-media-were-totally-objective-and-even-handed/469898/67 "2008-11-01T19:48:53Z")
> [@What\_the](#): > > Even-handed … spin this all you apologists for the Obama-loving media …[http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D945SHBG1&show\_article=1](http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D945SHBG1&show_article=1). > > No fair using Eric Alterman or Media Matters. If that study – based on media content “over the past two months” – is reliable, I would call it bandwagoning. The Media Matters study I linked to above is from earlier in the year. Now it’s obvious Obama is going to win, and nobody wants to sing out of key. Wouldn’t be surprised to find something similar in Reagan’s favor if media content were studied for September and October of 1980. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-polls-if-the-media-were-totally-objective-and-even-handed/469898.md?page=3)