Max's Mewsings

Now, I am not going to address the MoveOn allegation that the former head of the Gallup Poll is some kind of evangelical Christian wingnut beyond pointing out that someone who doesn't work there any longer cannot change Gallup's methodology. (Clearly MoveOn included this to make it appear there might be some connection between the religious right and Gallup - a sleazy move, but par for the course in an American presidential race.)

I'm not even going to address the glaring holes in MoveOn's own analysis of polls from Gallup and others - except to point out that averaging averages is a very unsound practice.

What I am going to say is this:
Historically, when a political organization starts telling you the polls are wrong, it is usually out of fear. Their internal polling might be better, but is probably trending in the same direction as the poll they're saying is wrong. As most political operatives know, bad polls beget more bad polls - there is a bizarre momentum that accompanies bad news - so you try to reverse the slide. When you get desperate, you shoot the messenger.

Obviously MoveOn is just a proxy for a disorganized Kerry campaign that has run out of ideas, has had to turn to former Clinton aids for help, and has no positive message to which people respond. With the three Presidential Debates coming in the next couple weeks, Kerry needs that knockout punch or an electorate willing to hear him out. Knockout's don't happen anymore, and voters won't listen to Kerry if they think he's going to lose.

I guess shooting the messenger is all they have left.