A push-poll, in Wikipedia’s elegant formulation, “is a form of telemarketing-based propaganda and rumor mongering, masquerading as a poll.” Basically the caller starts off asking you innocent information as a real pollster would, then they gradually start pushing damaging information or lies usually prefaced with “Would you be inclined to support or not support so-and-so if you knew…”
I got one during the 1988 Presidential election – maybe even before they were called push-polls. It led up to “Would you be more or less inclined to support Michael Dukakis if you knew he had let out a black murderer and rapist on furlough who went on to rape and murder again?” I chewed the woman out for agreeing to push this lie, especially as she was obviously black herself, but I guess you take whatever job you can get sometimes.
Another infamous push-poll was masterminded by Karl Rove for his boss George W Bush in South Carolina’s 2000 primary against John McCain, when thousands of South Carolina Republicans were casually asked, “Would you support John McCain if you knew he had an illegitimate black love-child?” As always there’s some disgusting relation to the truth; in that case, the McCains had an adopted Bangladeshi kid, which many South Carolinians had seen, so the story was believable to them.
Well, Congressman John Campbell has joined this august company. Too chicken to come out and debate his opponent Beth Krom, incapable of defending his pathetic record, his extreme positions, or his stubborn refusal to even try to bring back any federal resources to his 48th District, John is more comfy hiring an out-of-state firm to call South County voters to badmouth his opponent while pretending to conduct a poll. That is, hiding behind a wall and throwing muck at Beth.
This story is courtesy of Juice friend and Libertarian Assembly candidate Debbie Tharp, a scathing critic of John Campbell (and not a Krom voter.) Last night she got one of these calls. Was she planning on voting? Was she voting for Jerry Brown or Meg Whitman? Was she voting for John Campbell or Beth Krom? Her atypical answers palpably frustrated the drone on the phone.
Were things getting better or worse in Irvine? “They’re getting worse there, and everywhere else.” Are Irvine’s problems the fault of Beth Krom and the other Democrats on the Council, or the Republicans on the Council? “Neither, really, the problems are systemic and nationwide.”
And here it became a push-poll: “Do you think Irvine’s problems are the fault of Beth Krom’s sweetheart deals and no-bid contracts?” At this point Debbie began to berate the caller for spewing GOP talking points while posing as a pollster. “What company are you with? Who paid you?” Debbie demanded. No answer was forthcoming. “You’re legally required to tell me what company you’re with!” (which may or may not be true, LOL) CLICK.
But they had push-polled the wrong lady. The number, 623-505-1247, leads to Westgroup Research. Westgroup Research is a disreputable firm specializing in exactly this sort of thing, headquarted in Phoenix Arizona, deep Arpaio territory. (Congressman, couldn’t you have at least hired some Irvine sleazebags?)
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All of this segues curiously but neatly: Debbie discovered that Westgroup Research has put in bids to do polling for Corrections Corporation of America (CCA) the private prison giant connected to Governor Jan Brewer that stands to profit from SB 1070 and which has raked in BANK from Sheriff Arpaio’s rampages. Debbie has been doing a lot of research on CCA, and will be publishing an article on her findings HERE, joining the Orange Juice blog team in the wake of Gabriel’s stinging “Sausagefest” criticism.
And to get back to the point: Consider the contemptible character of John Campbell who will not face his opponent in a debate, but will instead hire Arizona’s Westgroup Research to plant anti-Beth propaganda in Irvine residents’ ears. Consider that when you vote.
That wasn’t precisely the questions that were asked. This sleaze ball on the phone actually went on to name names, not just the general Democrats or Republicans, but darn it, I was fuming so bad by this point that I forget them all. You pretty much nailed it Vern. This was the gist of the call. 😀
I cracked out my trusty Psy 101 book and did a little research. The specific psychological mechanism that the bad guy is attempting to use here is called “mental contamination”, which is defined by Wilson and Brekke “as the process whereby a person has an unwanted judgment, emotion, or behavior because of mental processing that is unconscious or uncontrollable (Wilson and Brekke 1994, p. 117).
It is, in other words, a form of brain washing, meant to force the victim to doubt what they already know about the candidate by casting aspersions. What makes this psychological manipulation particularly dangerous is that research studies have proven that peoples’ opinions are affected by the hypothetical questions in the survey, even though they deny that this is the case. This proves that mental contamination is both unconscious, and uncontrollable… Unless of course, you are an informed voter like Vern, someone who is onto the trick, or a pissed off political candidate/ psychology student with a chip the size of Texas on her shoulder. Then, it is an open call to war. I’m taking the gloves off. I don’t feel like playing nice anymore. I don’t give a flying crap if I get the “Miss Congeniality” award for third party candidates.
You think you can buy another term, John? Just like Meg thinks she can buy the governorship with 99 million dollars? We are not for sale John, and we are not idiots, but apparently you think we are. I honestly hope you don’t show up to any debates at this point, because it is just one more nail in the coffin of your political career, showing just how much contempt you have for your constituency.
You know what you get for trying to brain wash my fellow citizens John? What you get is a one way ticket back to the private sector. How do you think your constituents will feel knowing that you have so much contempt for their intelligence? Go home. You are not wanted here anymore you crooked, malfeasant, self serving con artist.
It’s not completely a “push poll” – they’re probably trying to see what issues and messaging resonates with the voters.
If you see more talk about Beth Krom’s sweetheart deals and no-bid contracts, expect that that question polled well.
Baloney John, it was a con, and the most loaded question on the planet. Furthermore, there was no attempt to acquire demographic data which is necessary in a real poll. This I know, because I am highly educated in the social sciences by one of the best schools in the nation. Your subtle ploy here of trying to further manipulate the voters with your catty comment about Beth’s record will not work in light of this article. If this is John Campbell himself
1) you need to be ashamed of yourself for trying to psychologically manipulate your voters
2) those push polls should be criminal, we’ll be taking care of that soon
3) come defend your actions at the debate, quit trying to hide from your angry voters
And to GF, that was funny. You could always vote for Mike Binkley who is a stand up man who loves his country. The other thing this poll was guilty of was insinuating that there were only two candidates in each of the races, when in fact, there are 4 viable candidates for the governor’s race, the other two being Dale Ogden and Chelene Nightengale, and 3 viable candidates in the congressional race, the one not mentioned in the poll being the a fore mentioned Mike Binkley.
Is it too late to write in surfing legend Corky Carroll?
“Do you think Irvine’s problems are the fault of Beth Krom’s sweetheart deals and no-bid contracts?”
What part of that question is biased. Krom proudly gives no bid contracts and massive sweetheart deals to her political friends. She actually boasts of these deals.
See Moxley’s latest:
http://www.ocweekly.com/2010-08-19/news/larry-agran-great-park-irvine/
Mr Irvine,
Your comment here was an example of exactly how our political debate should be carried out. You provided a link to the proof in the pudding and trusted the intelligent voter to go look up the evidence themselves. I am proud of you for engaging in the true spirit of democracy.
That is a great article huh?
The objection here wasn’t that the aspersions cast weren’t true, but only that John Campbell is resorting to psychological manipulation rather than an honest defense of his positions.
By the way, here is a little primer to help, should any of you here be caught up in one of these underhanded mind games over the next couple of months:
From the article “What is push polling?” at http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-push-polling.htm
“The pollster in a push poll will also often fail to ask for demographic information, which is a key part of any real poll. In addition, push polling agencies rarely identify themselves or the campaigns they work with. ”
I can attest that this is true, as this is what happened on this call. Furthermore, the sleaze ball told me that he could not reveal the company that he worked for as this would skew the survey report. This is NOT true. Of course, the failure to ask demographic data tends to make such an oversight redundant.
Also from the article: “Because push polling is frowned upon by most of the political community, political campaigns are usually careful to distance themselves from push polling. These “polls” are often funded by groups which support a particular candidate, allowing the candidate to claim no knowledge of the poll. They are administered by companies which specialize in telemarketing, since push polling is simply one form of telemarketing.”
(But I gotta say, it is pretty obvious what the source of this poll was.)
One more thing. this jerk apparently doesn’t have to reveal anything about this poll. The push poll disclosure act of 2005 was killed in the house and the senate by the dirty incumbents who rely on this mental manipulation to keep their opulent jobs. Thank God for caller ID 😀 I think it may be time for another California Proposition, because in this great state of California, we don’t need to rely on dirty incumbents to get a needed law passed. We can do it our damn selves! I Love Democracy!!!
Debbie,
They don’t really need to ask you for demographic information, because they are starting with a database that includes your age, party affiliation, sex, and any demographic information they can associate with your address. They could have added information on magazine subscriptions, memberships, and other data.
And it really does sound like a standard candidate poll that is testing different lines of attack and seeing which ones move the most voters, rather than a push poll, which is generally a late campaign strategy.
Mayor Quimby,
Uh uh, no way no how. The only time Campbell’s name was mentioned in the supposed poll was when he was asking who I would vote for (my answer was neither, I would vote for Mike Binkley http://www.votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=165 ). I know when I am being push polled. It was Beth Krom this and Beth Krom that.
I know why you guys are trying to contradict the fact that this is a push poll. The fact is, one way John can certainly lose this election is by relying on underhanded tactics like push polls instead of showing up to do an honest debate. He has been identified as a potential upset in the November election.
His actions have been self serving by not removing himself from Cash for Clunkers vote due to the conflict of interest created by his private sector work in the auto industry, and then voting against party lines in favor of it, knowing this will benefit his business. And his actions have also been contrary to the best interest of Orange County (voting for the bailout). Add to this his current investigations by the OCE: http://www.citizensforethics.org/under-investigation , and he is the weakest incumbent in the state. Being caught resorting to an underhanded tactic like push polling amounts to political suicide. Yet here we are…
Mayor Quimby, if you are trying to bail John out of the muck stew he has made for himself because you are afraid Beth Krom will be even worse, or she will bury our already dead economy, I have a suggestion for you… don’t vote for either of them. Honestly, why keep voting for the people who are robbing us blind? Start from scratch Mayor Quimby. This isn’t a pipe dream or an unrealistic expectation. You know what the unrealistic expectation is? Expecting to be able to keep your personal freedoms and your economy afloat on the backs of this broken one party system. Stop being the sheep. If you vote for someone you know is crooked because you think that the other person is even more crooked, you are letting the fox and the wolf vote on which one of them gets you for dinner.
They…are…manipulating…all of us! I for one am done with this game. How about you?
lol.
I’m no fan of Campbell or anybody else who thinks that Atlas Shrugged is anything more than turgid rambling prose. Campbell is a spoiled arrogant fop who is almost as embarrassing as “Asteroids!” Dana Rohrabacher.
Still, I doubt it’s a push poll. It’s just standard testing of different negative attack lines to see what they will roll out in their vicious hit pieces against Beth. That’s the way they roll.
Let me add that I encourage all Republicans in the 70th AD to vote for Debbie. Don Wagner has promised that he will accomplish nothing there, except to propose symbolic bills that he know will lose. I think Debbie’s losing symbolic bills would be much more interesting, and she is certainly much stronger on personal freedom than Wagner, who believes the nanny state should interfere even more in our personal lives and we should put even more people in jail for victimless crimes like smoking marijuana.
Like Devore, but worse.
Wow, thanks Mayor Quimby! Honestly, it will be an absolute field day for me to go to Sacramento and play tattle tale for two years. By the time I get done pissing off all the corporate cronies my office will be in the broom closet in the bassement and everyone will be trying to trip me with my lunch tray in the cafeteria 😀
John Campbell should always be remembered as the first politician to push for the sale of the Orange County Fairgrounds. That was back in 2004 and I remember it well.
He is one poor excuse for a human being!
So John Campbell is sticking with the National Republican script of just running out the clock and refusing to debate the opposition candidate(s). Instead of helping our district with stimulus funds to improve schools or transportation, he puts party before his constituents. We could have used federal $ to improve our horrible transportation / traffic or struggling schools.
Has John done anything for our district besides do a few clean-up projects for his Big $ Newport Beach pals?