# McCain campaign "push-polling" **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 3, 2008, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-campaign-push-polling/466308 "2008-10-03T13:34:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2008, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-campaign-push-polling/466308/21 "2008-10-03T21:08:33Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Where does it say that the McCain campaign is doing this? I didn’t go to your link, but your quote doesn’t say anything about who the pollsters are. No one ever proved who did the anti-McCain push-polling back in 2000 either, but everybody knows, you know? Remember, the court of public opinion is not a court of law. Proof beyond reasonable doubt is not a necessary standard. ---
**Author:** ![LilShieste](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9f8e36/32.png) [@LilShieste](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LilShieste)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2008, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-campaign-push-polling/466308/22 "2008-10-03T21:17:50Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Remember, the court of public opinion is not a court of law. Proof beyond reasonable doubt is not a necessary standard. Well, yeah, but that doesn’t mean that it shouldn’t be held to _any_ standards. **John Mace** is asking why we should believe that the McCain campaign is behind this, and not just some rabid McCainines? ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2008, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-campaign-push-polling/466308/23 "2008-10-03T21:30:25Z")
> [@LilShieste](#): > > Well, yeah, but that doesn’t mean that it shouldn’t be held to _any_ standards. **John Mace** is asking why we should believe that the McCain campaign is behind this, and not just some rabid McCainines? You’re right. I would expect nothing less than for McCain to publicly and passionately campaign these efforts unconditionally. Looking forward to it… ---
**Author:** ![LilShieste](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9f8e36/32.png) [@LilShieste](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LilShieste)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2008, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-campaign-push-polling/466308/24 "2008-10-03T21:44:19Z")
> [@ArchiveGuy](#): > > You’re right. I would expect nothing less than for McCain to publicly and passionately campaign these efforts unconditionally. Looking forward to it… :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2008, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-campaign-push-polling/466308/25 "2008-10-03T22:19:46Z")
:smack: > [@LilShieste](#): > > :dubious: :smack::smack::smack: That should be _ **condemn** _, not “campaign”. Obviously, you can tell who I think is giving tacit approval (if not outright support) for such efforts… ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Rand\_Rover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2008, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-campaign-push-polling/466308/26 "2008-10-04T00:37:00Z")
So in a thread about people making unsupported accusations about someone, the OP makes an unsupported accusation about someone. Isn’t that special. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2008, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-campaign-push-polling/466308/27 "2008-10-04T01:24:01Z")
> [@Rand\_Rover](#): > > So in a thread about people making unsupported accusations about someone, the OP makes an unsupported accusation about someone. Isn’t that special. The OP made a supported accusation. Perhaps you’re special. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2008, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-campaign-push-polling/466308/28 "2008-10-04T01:37:19Z")
> [@Rand\_Rover](#): > > So in a thread about people making unsupported accusations about someone . . . No. The OP is about people making **false** accusations about someone. ---
**Author:** ![LilShieste](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9f8e36/32.png) [@LilShieste](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LilShieste)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2008, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-campaign-push-polling/466308/29 "2008-10-04T01:54:53Z")
> [@ArchiveGuy](#): > > :smack::smack::smack::smack: That should be _ **condemn** _, not “campaign”. Obviously, you can tell who I think is giving tacit approval (if not outright support) for such efforts… ☹ That does make more sense. 🙂 There’s a fine line between “backing” and “condoning”. Either would be pretty low, but the latter at least has plausible deniability. ---
**Author:** ![Rand\_Rover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2008, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-campaign-push-polling/466308/30 "2008-10-04T02:05:58Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > The OP made a supported accusation. Perhaps you’re special. I didn’t see any support. Care to point it out? ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2008, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-campaign-push-polling/466308/31 "2008-10-04T02:08:45Z")
> [@Rand\_Rover](#): > > I didn’t see any support. Care to point it out? It’s the quoted segment of an article published in _The Guardian_. Pretty much everything between “Quote:” and “Rove”. If that’s too complicated, it’s the part in the square box. ---
**Author:** ![Rand\_Rover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2008, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-campaign-push-polling/466308/32 "2008-10-04T02:17:13Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > It’s the quoted segment of an article published in _The Guardian_. Pretty much everything between “Quote:” and “Rove”. If that’s too complicated, it’s the part in the square box. Oh. Ok. Never mind then. No since in arguing with an idiot. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2008, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-campaign-push-polling/466308/33 "2008-10-04T02:28:51Z")
> [@Rand\_Rover](#): > > Oh. Ok. Never mind then. No since in arguing with an idiot. No, but I keep arguing with you anyway. What can I say? I like a challenge. ---
**Author:** ![rayh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@rayh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rayh)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2008, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-campaign-push-polling/466308/34 "2008-10-04T02:49:41Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > No, but I keep arguing with you anyway. What can I say? I like a challenge. Your name really is true then? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2008, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-campaign-push-polling/466308/35 "2008-10-04T02:52:54Z")
> [@rayh](#): > > Your name really is true then? 😛 Yep. It’s a reference to English weather. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Carol\_Stream](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c2a13f/32.png) [@Carol\_Stream](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_Stream)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2008, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-campaign-push-polling/466308/36 "2008-10-04T04:24:39Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Story in the [_Guardian:_](http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/oct/03/uselections2008.barackobama1) What could possibly make the people called by the pollsters “victims”? Victims of what? Someone calls you on the phone and asks you questions, even if you think they are unfair or deceiving, and now you’re a victim? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2008, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-campaign-push-polling/466308/37 "2008-10-04T04:28:51Z")
> [@Carol\_Stream](#): > > What could possibly make the people called by the pollsters “victims”? Victims of what? Someone calls you on the phone and asks you questions, even if you think they are unfair or deceiving, and now you’re a victim? :dubious: Do you believe it is appropriate for campaigns to perform such actions? ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2008, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-campaign-push-polling/466308/38 "2008-10-04T04:36:32Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > Do you believe it is appropriate for campaigns to perform such actions? No, but unless they can show actual loss (ie., they voted for the other guy, then discovered that whatever they were told wasn’t true) they aren’t victims, _per se_. ---
**Author:** ![Carol\_Stream](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c2a13f/32.png) [@Carol\_Stream](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_Stream)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2008, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-campaign-push-polling/466308/39 "2008-10-04T04:38:22Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > Do you believe it is appropriate for campaigns to perform such actions? No, but that’s irrelevant. How were these people harmed, to the level of being “victims” of anything? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2008, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-campaign-push-polling/466308/40 "2008-10-04T04:54:36Z")
According to the standards set by the Jeremiah Wright biz, McCain must renounce, denounce, and roundly condemn each and every instance. Otherwise, its the same as if he did it himself. Might as well relax, McCain is sliding in the polls, and the Forces of Darkness are likely to panic. You’ll look back on these as the Golden Days of cordial fair play. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-campaign-push-polling/466308.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-campaign-push-polling/466308.md?page=3)