Focus Group for Election 2004 - C-Span earlier tonight. Who watched?

Participants were saying "Bush is an honest, moral man...he respects his wife"
From the same focus group: He is not very smart (but he surrounds himself with very smart people!), he lied to get us into war, we do not approve of the tax refund, we are worried about the deficit, we don't agree with sending the 87b to Iraq... but he is so likable I would like to ride with him on a plane (spending 4 hours without peanuts!.
We admire him because he dared go to Iraq because of his principles even if nobody agreed with him. Defended America.
Almost nobody in the group (including the Democrats) knew about the democratic candidates. I guess it is because THE MEDIA does not cover anything to do with the democratic campaign... only snippets of destructive criticism.
Bush is crazy but Americans are even crazier!!!!
I should not have watched that focus group....
But, by the way, they will be discussing it tomorrow during open phones in C-Span tomorrow.

The guy directing the survey sat down with a roomfull of "pundits" to discuss what they had just seen (they were apparently spying on the group from behind a one-way mirror). I wish I could remember their names--hey, I'm 58 and suffering from CRS syndrome--but you've seen them all nattering on and on about everything. The only guys not in the room were Coulter and Novak ;^)

Anyway, the guy conducting the group explained what had just happened, and it really isn't as bad as it might seem at first. Most everyone was concerned about the deficit AND most everyone seemed to hate and fear Ashcroft and the Patriot Act. How bad could that be?

Also, there was a lot of confusion about the Demo Candidates and several of the focus group types mentioned Andrews name. Also, there seemed to be a positive perception of Clark, though everyone wanted to know more about the candidates as a whole (this is how I interpreted what the group director was telling the pundits--I may have misunderstood some of it). Another thing the group members seemed to share was the view that the Dems are spending too much time fighting each other, and hacking at each other, but again, who knows?

I took part in several focus groups (for money) in NYC and it seemed like this one just followed the standard format as it went. I hope to see it again when I don't have to channel surf between it and the WOrld Series.

Damn them Mariners!

PEOPLE HATE ASHCROFT!!!!!!!!!!!!
But again, what there is not to hate about the guy?
even a dead guy beat him, what else can you say?

I can't understand? The consensus that mouths disapproval at Ashcroft and the Patriot Act becomes shrill and demanding when national security--like at airports, isn't tight enough. What would make security tighter? Greater implementation of invasive monitoring and and restriction of personal liberty?

The term "doublethink" explains it quite nicely.

Orwell was right (at least about the propganda part, time will tell about the rest), he was just off by 17 years.

am I just Crazy? What?
<runs away screaming>

plane (without peanuts or food or drink) just talking to Bush! Puke! But many in the group selected him.

It was run by Peter Hart who is a Democratic pollster.

The pundits were Mark Sields, Craig Crawford, Al Hunt and about 2 others who I didn't recognize.

Peter Hart had to be very nice to treat everyone's opinions neutrally and respectfully no matter how stupid they were.

Overall, if I was Karl Rove, I'd be feeling pretty happy if I watched it.

Even unhappy people or people who don't like Bush's policies like Bush. They all loved Laura.

One guy said Bush lied and screwed up Iraq, but he'd still vote for the $ 87 billion, and would vote for Bush too.

I came in the middle. I wish I had heard who these people were. Were they all Democrats, or a mixed group or what? I didn't hear it.

Pretty interesting. He asked questions like if you were on line with someone at an airport and the plane was overbooked, and this famous person wasn't famous, would he work his way onto the plane or not? Bill Clinton? Oh yeah - he'd figure some way to weasel his way onto the plane. George Bush - no he'd probably wait in line and wait for the next plane. That kind of thing.

Watch it if it comes on again. I'm hoping to see the beginning that I missed.

or as mixed as it gets in Exton, PA. Token Afro-American and Jew.

If they asked me about Laura Bush, I would've said "who?".
Damn, I wish I coulda been there, I would've been babbling through all the awkward silences. ;-)

AMERICANS!!! Watched some of it but had to turn it off. Just too depressing. We talk here about which candidate can beat Bush, but judging from call-in shows and that focus groups - how do they think? How do they vote? All of our candidates are too smart and wonky for the masses. If we really want to win we have to find a movie star.

Sorry folks but America is washed up.

different and better for us all. If the press did their
job, Bush would be history. They want more, they want
someone to lead, fix the country and get us out of Iraq.

Hart said Lieberman was toast. He also said that Clark,
Dean and Edwards had interest from the table.

As for who would you vote for? most of the votes were in
the HELL NO! to sort of neutral-50-50 chance. A few were
in the leaning toward bush but only one or maybe two
were definite bush votes.

I think he's toast.

Hart: We've been talking about (positives) about *...any areas in which you are not so positive, areas of concern?

Pennsylvanian #1: Well (offering a positive)...

Hart: So is there anything you have found disappointing? If not, that's ok too.

Penn #1: No, not really.

Other Pennsylvanians: Silence.

I was aghast. After more discussion (where eventually some minor concerns were expressed about how he is not that good at speaking off the cuff--nothing major such as the things frequently discussed on this board, with no awareness expressed at all of factual matters or events), some woman then said how much she supported him, thinks he's doing a great job, hopes he gets reelected ...

I had to change the channels to avoid road rage at that point.

the participants in a focus group? Sounds like they get the most uninformed ones. If the media is involved in the picking, then yes, they do get the uninformed one.

with the talking points. The others were agreeing that as a military man he may be too rigid.

I liked the part when they all seemed to agree that bush is a dunce.

It was on again this morning and I moderated my criticism somewhat after watching a later section. Even though, for the most part, the group was clueless, they were sincere, and subjects were being introduced which they were forced to think about, although they had a limited foundation to build it on.

It was scary to have an inside look at what our polling data is based on, but I think it was a positive step that people were beginning to have exposure which may lead to greater awareness--somewhat like the exchange here offers.

That is the most positive thing I can say about it.

Couldn't stay for the whole thing. It was infuriating to watch, but is probably a reflection of reality. The number one thing I took away from that was that there were only a couple of people who were planning to vote for Bush for definie, and that no one, even those who liked him, seemed to think he was very smart. That was a cheerful thing, at any rate. I was also suprised that there was so little recognition about even those candidates who've been major players in government for years. How could anyone avoid knowing Gephardt, who's run for president before and was on TV all the time post-911?

Of course the Clark basher annoyed me, especially considering he was so definite about such very vague charges. It shows the media has gotten some messages across, even if people still perceive Bush has "honest" and "trustworthy".

..here and on another thread.

What I found funny/interesting is that they kept describing Dean as "quiet" and "reserved", lol. I guess that's how he looks from a distance or something? I guess this could work for Dean, if they have the image of him as a "quiet country doctor from Vermont", they will be less likely to believe critcism of him being a "hothead". Or they could be shocked. I don't know. They seem to be basing their opinions on thin air and don't even know the candidates, at this point.

For all the maddening things they said, I think it's pretty clear that Bush is still in trouble. With the exception of the Bushbots, they seemed to be looking for an alternative. Remember, people in this country don't really vote with their head, they go with how they "feel". Just because they are ignorant about the Democratic candidates, doesn't mean they won't vote for the nominee if they like him and continue to be dissatisfied with Bush on the issues.

and was shocked to see how many of them didn't know who the Dem candidates are! Are they living under a damn rock? Or what? I understand that our media barely covers them but, Come On! They have been campaigning forever. Sheesh! Their admiration for the shrub was absolutely BAFFLING! If they are representative of America.....we are in a SAD state!

Most people don't pay any attention until the primaries start. That's when you start getting media coverage. A lot of folks don't even make up their mind until after the conventions!

Welcome to America. It ain't DU.

:smoke:

..after I heard a couple of the women say they would overwhelmingly vote for Bush by giving him a "10" (at which point I screamed "YOU DUMBASS!!!"). I can't understand what others of my sex see in George Bush or Republicans in general. They only think of women as incubators...

An uninformed and sometimes ignorant mass!