Portland pollster scrutinized for controversial Presidential poll

[Angel Heart]

http://www.kgw.com/news-local/stories/kgw_011408_news_oregon_election_poll.2239263c.html

Portland pollster scrutinized for controversial Presidential poll

08:16 AM PST on Tuesday, January 15, 2008

By Pat Dooris, kgw.com

James Kennedy, an assistant attorney general in New Hampshire, will present an unusual request to a Multnomah County, Oregon, judge on Wednesday January 16, 2008.

Kennedy will ask the judge to order Portland pollster Bob Moore, and his employee Kristina Britton, to travel to New Hampshire and answer questions from a grand jury.

The grand jury is investigating whether Moore and his company, Moore Information, illegally conducted a “push poll” on New Hampshire voters before the 2007 presidential primary.

A push poll is a survey purporting to be unbiased---but is actually an effort to plant negative information about a candidate in the minds of voters.

KGW TV gained access to the actual questions and statements read during phone calls to voters.

Moore has denied the charge.

Under New Hampshire law, a push poll exists if all three of the following criteria exist, according to the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office.

1. The call is on behalf of, in support of, or in opposition to, any candidate for public office;

2. The recipient is asked questions relative to opposing candidates which state, imply or convey information about the candidate’s character, status, record, or political stance; and

3. The call is conducted in a manner likely to be construed by the voter to be a survey or poll to gather statistical data for entities that are independent of any political party, candidate, or interest group.”

The state has no law against push polls in the primary, but it is forbidden before the general election unless the person or group paying for the push poll is identified up front.

After 400 voters were called November 11, 2007, both Mitt Romney and John McCain’s campaigns complained to the New Hampshire Attorney General.

Moore has refused to disclose who hired him, but did issue a statement that read “Moore Information has never, currently does not, nor will it ever engage in push polling.”

http://www.kgw.com/politics/stories/kgw_011408_news_controversial_poll.21dd0265.html

Excerpts from controversial NH primary poll

05:33 PM PST on Monday, January 14, 2008

A survey of New Hamshire voters in November 2007 conducted by Moore Information of Portland has prompted controversy over the nature of some of the questions.

KGW obtained a copy of the poll script used. Here are excerpts, including some of the most controversial questions posed to voters.

Excerpts from Moore Information survey of New Hamshire voters:

Here are some statements about John McCain. After hearing each, please tell me if you are more likely or less liely to vote for McCain for President. IF MORE/LESS LIKELY: Is that much more/less likely or somewhat more/less likely?

Q9: McCain is a decorated navy fighter pilot who spent six years in a Vietnamese prisoner of war camp. While a prisoner of war, McCain was tortured on a regular basis.

Q14: McCain's sons have followed his footsteps in serving our country. His oldest son was an A Six pilot in the Navy with 256 carrier landings. Another son is a midshipman at the U.S. Naval Academy and his youngest son is a Marine serving in Iraq.

Q16: McCain was the first member of the U.S. Senate to recognize our Iraq strategy was not working. In 2003, he called for an aggressive counter-insurgency campaign similar to the surge now being successfully implemented by General Petraeus. He was also one of the first to criticize Defense Secretary Rumsfeld's lack of aggressive action in Iraq. Defense experts said McCain's early call for stronger action was "the very picture of courageous political leadership." If McCain had been President we may have already won the war in Iraq.

Q20: Next, Mitt Romney is a member of the Mormon Church. Mormons believe the Book of Mormon is more correct than the Bible. Mormons claim the Book of Mormon was given to a prophet in the 1800's by the Angel Moroni. On any given day, the Mormon Church is working to baptize thousands of people who have already passed away so they can be converted to Mormonism and join in the Glory of God.

Based on this, would you agree or disagree with those who say the Mormon Church is a cult religion not in the American tradition? IF AGREE/DISAGREE: and would that be strongly or just somewhat agree/disagree?

Here are some statements about Mitt Romney. After hearing each, please tell me if you are more likely or less likely to vote for Romney for President. IF MORE/LESS LIKELY: Is that much more/less likely or somewhat more/less likely?

Q30: Romney is a member of the Mormon Church. The Church did not allow African Americans to be priests before 1978.

Q31: According to a 2007 Boston Globe story, Romney has not served in the U.S. Military. Instead, while many people his age went to Vietnam, the Mormon Church got him a deferment so he could be a Mormon missionary in France. After returning from France he got a student deferment so he avoided military service all together.

Q32: Romney's five sons have never served in the military. During a recent campaign event, Romney was quoted as saying that working in his presidential campaign is the same as serving in the military.

Q35: Romney is a member of the Mormon Church. Mormons believe the Book of Mormon is more correct than the Bible.

Q44: Opponents of Mitt Romney say that Romney not only does not have the courage of his convictions, but changes his positions to suit whatever office he is currently running for. In a time when America needs a strong, courageous leader to fight global terror, Romney's lack of real convictions and political opportunism means he is the wrong choice for President and someone we can't trust as Commander in Chief.

Q45: Opponents of Mitt Romney say he lacks real American values and a true commitment to America. He got the Mormon Church to use their influence to avoid military service during Vietnam. When asked why none of his five sons were willing to serve in the military like John McCain's sons, Romney said with a straight face that they were serving the country by trying to get him elected President. Anyone who would tell us that working on a political campaign is the equal to service their country in a uniform and risking their lives does not understand what this country is about. Romney is the wrong choice to be Commander in Chief.

Statement by Moore Information regarding poll controversy

03:51 PM PST on Monday, January 14, 2008


Moore Information Statement

January 14, 2008


Moore Information has never, currently does not, nor will it ever engage in push polling.

The objective of public opinion research is to explore the public's awareness, perceptions, attitudes and reactions to information in the public arena. Part of this research can sometimes involve asking controversial questions in order to determine the public's awareness, knowledge and reaction to the information.

In a November 2007 survey of 400 New Hampshire GOP presidential primary election voters, we explored a variety of issues about GOP presidential candidates. All of the information we tested in the survey was in the public domain, either in media articles, on internet blogs or in other campaign related communications. Our assignment in the survey was to determine how widespread the information was and what impact it could have on public opinion. Some of the questions apparently made some our respondents uncomfortable, but asking direct questions about controversial information is sometimes part of an opinion research company's job.

The State of New Hampshire has no statutes governing polling practices in the Presidential Primary election. In this survey Democrats were not interviewed and there were no questions asked about the general election.

American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR) has good definitional information on what is push polling and what isn't push polling. "Negative or disturbing information about a candidate does not automatically make a survey a push poll,” said AAPOR President Nancy Mathiowetz. “Message testing, when campaigns test the effectiveness of possible messages about opponents and even themselves, is very different; and it is a legitimate form of surveying.”* More is found at the following link: http://aapor.org/aaporstatementonpushpolls

Moore Information is a public opinion research company, specializing in campaigns and public affairs, using standard sample sizes and methodologies, and in accordance with standard industry practices and contractual agreements for confidentiality.

* quote excerpted from an AAPOR press release dated 11/16/07, titled "AAPOR Provides Clarification on 'Push Poll' Issue"

More: AAPOR Provides Clarification on 'Push Poll' Issue"