ABC Reset Republican Debate Tally After Ron Paul Win?
Why does the media keep playing games with Ron Paul?
FreeMarketNews.com-ABC TV apparently reset its tally of who won the Republican debate it broadcast on August 5, Sunday morning.
At 10 AM EST, Congressman Ron Paul (R-Tex) was winning the debate with over 1,000 votes. Mitt Romney was next with 106. After the debate at approximately 11:10 AM EST when the tally was rechecked, ABC showed Ron Paul had just 445 votes. Second was “Nobody Won. I’m Voting Democratic.”
Of course, it could all be an innocent gliche, and perhaps ABC will explain these tallies or see fit to rectify them. But it has long been FMNN’s contention, along with others, that Ron Paul, an old fashioned Jeffersonian conservative, would serve as a metaphor and magnifying glass for America’s current political difficulties and expanding corruption.
The debate itself was apparently little promoted. In fact, ABC marketed the debate so shallowly that Drudgereport.com didn’t seem to carry a blurb about it on its front page, and neither did Google News.
To set the stage for the debate, ABC moderators began with polling numbers that showed Ron Paul at just two percent, yet the numbers on the ABC website, at 10 AM EST and again at the end of the debate (before the tally was reduced), showed him winning the debate, as he has before, by a wide margin.
A search of Internet sites revealed some confusion about the debates times and where it was airing. Posted one confused would-be viewer: “What a bizzare time to hold a debate and what a screwy format for a debate. It won’t air in my area until 11:00 am.”
Ron Paul will likely win the online debate poll by large numbers in any case. But changing poll numbers always generates questions. ABC is said to have manipulated its comment boards before as regards Ron Paul. (Edited after posting.)
Update: DrudgeReport.com put up a post-debate poll that showed Ron Paul winning the debate by wide margins (with 45% of the vote) as of 12:30 PM EST. Ron Paul continued to pull away in the ABC TV poll as well, despite the apparent tampering.
FYI
Poll
{{{{DRUDGE POLL}}}}WHO WON THE REPUBLICAN DEBATE IN IOWA?
Brownback
13% 2,764
Giuliani
18% 3,775
Huckabee
3% 705
Hunter
2% 383
McCain
2% 415
Paul
43% 9,081
Romney
14% 3,036
Tancredo
3% 678
Tommy Thompson
2% 392
Total Votes: 21,229
Drudge has reported stuff erroneously time and again. Why would anyone care what he says?
Why would anyone care about a BS internet poll such as this (or what a liberal blogger such as caroline says about anything)?
John asks – Why does the media keep playing games with Ron Paul?
1. Your source for the story is a partisan Paul group.
2. Because his candidacy is a joke.
This reminds me of your race John when you claimed to have a poll showing 40% for you in the 6th district.
Rudy won the (way too early) debate with the one answer challenging that liberal Iowa reporter who somehow pops up every four years as a political expert.
Big loser(s) – Tancredo, Hunter, Brownback, Thompson and Paul. These five are kind of like the sideshow at a cheap carnival…”step right up and see the moron politician who actually thinks people give a crap about what he says”.
It’s time to cut the field to the serious contenders…Rudy, Mitt, Huckabee and Fred (McCain has the chance to bow out gracefully).
Obviously nothing here but a bunch of “One Trick Pony” lovers. Do away with the radicalislamomuslimfaciast fearmongering and everyone but Paul siintegrates to nowheresville–even my former gov. the huckster.
[...] Wesley Clark Contact the Webmaster Link to Article mitt romney ABC Reset Republican Debate Tally After Ron Paul Win? » Posted at Control Congress on Sunday, August 05, 2007 Why does the media keep playing games with Ron Paul? FreeMarketNews … votes. Mitt Romney was next with 106. After the debate at approximately 11:10 AM EST when the tally View Original Article » [...]
bb,
You are the one who responds to caroline the most.
Obviously, that would be illogical if you really think no one cares what she says.
Wouldn’t be the first time your dogma barked at the truth.
David
He plays his role well: Attack all Democrats and insult and Degrade the Democrat party whenever possible, a.k.a. trench warfare.
John,
Again, we have passionate Ron Paul supporters who have extensive email tree alert links to any internet/TV poll out there. I’m not bashing Ron Paul but for heaven’s sakes, you gotta wonder when the guy gets no more than 3% in the major polls.
Hoads
I guess this is still the time to support who we really like, and who we think can beat the top Democrat. But I’ll support the Republican nominee whoever it is. How about you and bb?
Fox News devoted a whole segment to a one on one interview with Ron Paul today so let’s see what the next Ramaussen, Zogby, Fox News, etc. polls show to determine if Paul has any traction among Republican voters.
Bill,
You got it. I’ll be supporting whoever wins the Republican primary and if its Ron Paul-count me in.
I will support the Republican nominee if he or she is a Republican. Ron Paul is a Libertarian willing to risk American security by ignoring real threats just as Bill Clinton did.
Bill,
I’ll support anyone willing to buy me a stout.
MD
Mickey Mouse isn’t as nice of a guy as he’s made out to be.
Mad Dog, I’ll buy you a stout.
The next time you’re at your favorite tavern, just tell the barkeep “to put in on captain_menace’s tab.” They’ll know what you’re talking about.
As for the support… just write in “Bush/Cheney” on the ‘08 ballot. Republicans in ‘08, right Bill?
bb
I’m concerned about your loyalty to the party.
John
He should have just said “yes” since he doesn’t think Ron Paul has a chance.
Bill
LOL
Hoads
Is it not wrong for the media from Fox to ABC to play games with results and coverage of Ron Paul?
FYI
LATEST ABC POLL!
Ron Paul
29,423
Mitt Romney3,801
Rudy Giuliani2,886
Nobody won. I’m voting Democratic.2,741
Nobody. I’m waiting for Fred Thompson or Newt Gingrich to enter the race.2,606
Mike Huckabee2,393
Sam Brownback1,003
Tom Tancredo675
John McCain644
Tommy Thompson389
Duncan Hunter380
Total Vote: 46,941
Not a scientific survey.
I’m surprised by those results. I, for one, was very disappointed in Paul. He bumbled like a blithering idiot. Of course, none of them was very impressive.
I suspect Paul did so well because of his internet following. It won’t nearly be enough to carry the day.
I’m tired of his “blame the U.S. first” rhetoric. It’s getting old, and it isn’t true. Suggest you read the following.
Of course, I expect plenty of bashing from the “Neo-Con” fairytale crowd.
http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=21817
SOCIALIZED MEDICINE WILL BANKRUPT THE COUNTRY!
Mac I think Ron Paul is the biggest opponent of socialized medicine. Seems like everyone else is “Hillary Lite” with this stuff.
Bill
I didn’t say I was against his policies or his platform. I just thought he sounded like a blithering idiot.
By the way, Zogby shows him getting 2% in the debate. The scammers who logged into 50 or so different places to vote for Paul only screwed themselves. They made his margin of victory so ridiculously large, every pollster in the Country questioned the results.
I think Paul is a bit of a hypocrite as well. He does a fine job with earmarks for his district and blasts everyone else. I seem to recall something about $3.5 million for a “shrimp museum” in his district. In fact, I read where he had $400 million in earmarks for his district. Would anyone else call that a real porker?
SOCIALIZED MEDICINE WILL BANKRUPT THE COUNTRY!
Mac
Of course the internet results are going to be different than Zogby. Generally folks on the internet are more intelligent than the person watching American Idol. But I met a gentleman recently who questions the whole telephone survey thing: Some polling orgs will only call registered Republicans for this. Think about it. Think about it long and hard. It’s really not that difficult.
Bill,
So does that mean you only trust self-selected internet/telephone/text msg polls? It is rather obvious that Paul only ranks in those type of polls and until the self-selected and solicited poll results compare , we can only deduce that Paul is an internet phenomenon that cannot gather traction amongst the general population.
Well Mac is trying to say the internet results for Paul are “inflated”. There’s a difference in what you two are saying.
Hoads
“Self selected”? that sounds like a talking point. You know when people watch Fox and call in they’re “self selecting” too unless they’re in a nursing home and can’t operate the remote without slobbering on it.
A couple of other points this person made (and I don’t want to steal his thunder or his ideas) but…
For example…
I’m a homeowner who has always voted Republican (for the most part except some local and statewide elections)
and…
I’m on a “do not call” list which prevents some polling orgs from calling me.
also…
I’ve never registered as a Republican. (You don’t have to in GA) And the list of “likely primary voters for some orgs is off the list of registered Republicans. And don’t forget about all the independents. So you might say the numbers for Paul with these groups might be “deflated”.
Bill,
self-selected poll: any poll that requires a person/participant to initiate the polling process– results in what is known as “selection bias” meaning those who participate introduce bias into the poll results because they have chosen to participate in the poll (versus being selected based upon a scientific process)
solicited poll: a poll where a pollster contacts the participant based upon a list derived from a randomized scientific process
I’m sure there’s more appropriate lingo within the industry but this is just my own differentiation. Fox and others conduct both kinds. You have to look at the poll description at the bottom of the results which gives number of those polled. date and margin of error.
Hoads
Some of the polling orgs are “corporate owned” just like many of the “conservative” talking heads, political activists and strategists. But I think the key lies in their definition of “likely primary voter”. But my main concern at this point is the voting machines in Iowa are also “corporate owned”.
I for one agree with Paul. We should follow the Constitution. As of yet {I am 50} I do not know any one that has ever been called to partake in one of their polls. I will not vote for any one in the “top tier” for the simple reason they will not change much. Our country is going in the wrong direction and the direction needs to be changed.
Walt
I agree!