The math undermines the entire article, but it’s typical of the i-Robot, Steve Shearer. If he makes such an obvious math error, whose to say what other errors (non-truths) might be lurking in the Shock camp? It is also typical of the entire Shock standard practice recently — it’s all shrouded in secrecy. No sign of Shock, and repeated failures to keep his word as he continues his debate-gate.

Do the math… Schock: 56% / undecided: 13% / Callahan: 27% / Schafer: 2%. That covers all candidates AND the undecided (all the possible options to the question asked of voters), but it adds up to only 98%. In the 18th district, that leaves approximately 12,000 people unaccounted for. Where are those missing 12,000 human beings? Are they just figments of imagination?? Or maybe they’re actually WITH Shock – since nobody can seem to answer the question of his whereabouts (in spite of the handsome salary he earns at our expense!). Multiple calls to his office go unanswered; constituent requests for or about state services have been ignored. Is that what taxpayers are paying him for? Is that how he’d serve the 18th district in Congress??

OK, let’s be fair… for the sake of discussion, let’s assume this poll report is legit/accurate. Did anyone else notice the “unfavorable” ratings?? Of those who have heard of Shock, 12% have an UNFAVORABLE opinion. Meanwhile, only 9% of people knowing of Callahan say their opinion is unfavorable.

So, you may ask, how does that breakdown in real, sheer numbers (living, breathing, voting people)? Well, for the last congressional elections, roughly 202,000 voted from the 18th district. Using that same figure (which is probably low-ball, given the ehtusiasm and sky-high turnouts in this years’ primaries), with an 84% name recognition and a 12% unfavorable opinion, that’s close to 20,000 voters who see A-ron as UNfavorable. 20,000 is a LOT of votes for him to lose.

Therein lies the likely reason why Aaron continues to duck the debates (including a new cancellation yesterday, to which he’d previously agreed – another broken commmitment by Shock); that is, he’s a ’scaredy-cat’ to debate Callahan, because as more people get to know him, there will be proportionally more people who will view Shock UNfavorably.

Elaine,do you have a background in polling? You question the poll because you don’t like the results? Did you question the poll back in the primary too? We all know how those results turned out.

Doesn’t NBC use this polling firm too? If so, NBC isn’t a right wing organization at all. Why would NBC use this firm if they aren’t a good at what they do?

Is it possible, Elaine, that your apparent hatred of Aaron Schock skews the reality of the situation?

You can malign the polling company all you want as people did in the primay, but the polls Schock released in the primary were not overstated. His final vote tally confirmed that.

Let them debate. Bring it on. If he’s so darn popular, can’t hurt him right?

“Public Opinion Strategies (POS) describes itself as a “Republican polling firm”. It has offices in Virginia, Colorado and California.

“IRI’s annual reports for 2003 and 2004 include among their lists of volunteers a significant number of Republican pollsters, consultants, strategists, public opinion researchers, and campaign website designers, some of whom have come under fire for unethical practices.

“For example, Rob Autry and Gene Ulm are with Public Opinion Strategies, the largest Republican polling firm. POS was responsible for the “Harry and Louise” ad in the early 90’s that scuttled Clinton’s health insurance proposals. In 2001, it was charged with violating Virginia’s polling disclosure laws, and it has also been accused of using push polls to influence elections.”

You can follow links on this page to news stories revealing dirt on these pollsters.

If your mother says she loves you check it out! Double that for anything that Aaron Schock says.