2016 Postmortem

HoneyBadger

(2,297 posts)

23. Polls mean nothing

Tue Dec 20, 2016, 12:13 PM

Dec 2016

They were wrong even when they were right. There were so many polls that would swing by double digits in a short period of time. No consistency. Yet we constantly pointed to "our" polls as proof that we were on track. My winning suggestion for 2020. Do not look at a single poll. Work as if you are 10 million votes behind. 24x7. And that is how you win.

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I just can't understand how the worst major party Presidential candidate in American history [View all] andym Dec 2016 OP

Because they both were highly flawed and unlikable Axolotls Dec 2016 #1

Clinton was not a bad candidate. HassleCat Dec 2016 #3

This is true. In politics, perception is reality... TCJ70 Dec 2016 #18

Well, she wasn't great zipplewrath Dec 2016 #22

She lost to Donald Fucking Trump! TransitJohn Dec 2016 #38

Trump was a good candidate. HassleCat Dec 2016 #39

He was a better candidate than Hillary in th GE. TransitJohn Dec 2016 #40

by any stretch... Locrian Dec 2016 #56

She was certainly able for the job... but charismatic and inspiring to a consumer society, she wasnt dionysus Dec 2016 #42

Maybe to you MFM008 Dec 2016 #13

The new DUer is referring to favorability polls and the like, go easy... JudyM Dec 2016 #16

Welcome to DU, Axolotls! JudyM Dec 2016 #17

Hi and thanks:) Axolotls Dec 2016 #59

RW propaganda was allowed to falsely paint Clinton as highly flawed and unlikable baldguy Dec 2016 #57

How bad was he? HassleCat Dec 2016 #2

Absolutely correct. Mainstream GOP and almost every major newspaper in the country was aganst him andym Dec 2016 #4

That was a mistake Axolotls Dec 2016 #6

You get it! Sekhmets Daughter Dec 2016 #35

I offer this as one reason: Garrett78 Dec 2016 #5

My President Was Black is fantastic andym Dec 2016 #7

The size of his electoral win historically wasn't very significant, as EC wins go. pnwmom Dec 2016 #8

Do not discount Bear Creek Dec 2016 #9

Reagan and W Bush were pretty shitty also. and someone as great as Obama should have won by much JI7 Dec 2016 #10

he won for the same reason White Cops go free even when they are on video JI7 Dec 2016 #11

Corrupt Bear Creek Dec 2016 #12

Comey, Voter suppression, Russia... !!!! uponit7771 Dec 2016 #14

Neither can the statisticians. Coyotl Dec 2016 #15

Because this country is full of a bunch of idiots, racists, and misogynists. beaglelover Dec 2016 #19

Theft. ElementaryPenguin Dec 2016 #20

And Russia True_Blue Dec 2016 #24

Celebrity... Wounded Bear Dec 2016 #21

Polls mean nothing HoneyBadger Dec 2016 #23

+1 uponit7771 Dec 2016 #34

One word - change kudzu22 Dec 2016 #25

I think knowing him from his t.v. show got him a lot of help. gvstn Dec 2016 #26

sadly, i think you're right. americans are so stupid they pick a reality tv star for POTUS. TheFrenchRazor Dec 2016 #46

Corporate Media oldtime dfl_er Dec 2016 #27

Hate filled radio in the midwest. Christian, GOP, and Lunatic Fringe IADEMO2004 Dec 2016 #28

Some people are stupid. forgotmylogin Dec 2016 #29

there was undoubtedly an element of that. nt TheFrenchRazor Dec 2016 #47

The blame rests squarely on CNN and Jeff Zucker. duffyduff Dec 2016 #30

Because the electorate preferred him to the alternative. TransitJohn Dec 2016 #31

Electorate didn't prefer him. He lost by almost 3 millions. LisaL Dec 2016 #32

Zoinks! TransitJohn Dec 2016 #33

80,000 votes spread out over 3 states. Garrett78 Dec 2016 #36

Whatever you say. TransitJohn Dec 2016 #37

Who said nobody misjudged anything or did anything wrong? Garrett78 Dec 2016 #44

No. He was the worst candidate in history. Yes, it was close, but she should dionysus Dec 2016 #43

I don't know what you're saying "no" to. Garrett78 Dec 2016 #45

Im saying she should have destroyed him... he should have been blown out dionysus Dec 2016 #50

i don't know why you keep saying this . a large majority of white voters go for people like Trump JI7 Dec 2016 #51

Yep. Vitter of Louisiana, where more Republicans blame Obama than Bush for response to Katrina. Garrett78 Dec 2016 #53

Huge percentages of Americans subscribe to patently false beliefs. Garrett78 Dec 2016 #52

Yes but this is the first time sipportimg that level.pf crazy went mainstream, beyond a fringe dionysus Dec 2016 #54

I sincerely hope it isn't going to be "triangulation 2.0" dionysus Dec 2016 #41

This is the direction republicans want to take us. Rex Dec 2016 #48

The irony is that Hillary almost won in a landslide andym Dec 2016 #49

He may be the most despicable and unqualified but he wasn't the worst candidate. He won. bowens43 Dec 2016 #55

Yet another Hillary-trashing thread. Enough, already. Paladin Dec 2016 #58

Do you ever do anything besides complain? mtnsnake Dec 2016 #63

Yeah. Every once in a while I put people on Full Ignore. Paladin Dec 2016 #64

Knock yourself out mtnsnake Dec 2016 #65

Here's where you're wrong and is the key to understanding how Trump won Yavin4 Dec 2016 #60

I took this from the Gallup polls andym Dec 2016 #62

When Washington becomes less and less responsive to the needs of voters... Orsino Dec 2016 #61