Thursday, May 11, 2006

Polls: For What They're Worth

There it was, tucked in at the tail-end of a NY Times story on President Bush's current poll numbers.

A story that went on for nearly two pages picking through the polling data that Bush's numbers are the lowest of the low at 31 percent for general performance as president.

Numbers driven down primiarily by gas prices and the Iraq war.

Then, in the last two paragraphs, the Times reveals that John Kerry and Al Gore -- they guys who didn't even get the job -- score even lower than Bush, at 26 and 28 percent respectively.

These guys didn't even get to bat, and they're numbers are in the toilet.

Kind of makes you wonder about the value and accuracy of polling as predicter of anything.

I suspect it reflects a general dissatisfication with politics and politicians more than anything else. And once again illustrates that while Bush and Republicans may be slipping, the Democrats are gaining no traction.

And one final thought: isn't it refreshing to have a president who doesn't base his decisions on the polls?

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