I think I've been push polled.........

Much has been made of Congressman Dick Gephardt's front-runner status in recent Iowa Polls conducted by The Des Moines Register. I subscribe to The Des Moines Register and am a registered Democrat but I've never been called by The Register's Iowa Poll. I went to my first caucus in'76 at a neighbor's house, there were six or seven of us and missed being voted as precinct representative to the county convention by one vote(the fellow who cast the deciding vote confided to me that he wanted to vote for me but his mom wanted to be pricent rep too and since he still lived at home...)

Anyway, I digress.

Just before all this hoopla about Gephardt leading in Iowa I was called not once but twice by the same polling organization. I was read a list of statements about four, and only four, of the Democratic candidates: Dean, Kerry, Edwards and Gephardt. Then I was asked after each statement whether or not I thought whose position it best reflected. I remember it was a long and deeply involved poll and at times a little confusing and repetitious, especially over the telephone. Yet after all the time this poll took I still did not yield the desired results: I remained stedfastly committed to Congressman Dennis Kucinich.

Just this even I received a telephone call from a young lady identifying herself with a polling organization. I could tell that she was not a local phone-bank volunteer but a for-pay telemarketer.
She asked if I was planning to attend the up-coming Iowa Caucus. I said I was. She asked if I strongly supported any of the candidate and when I said "Kucinich" she hung up.

I don't know what to think of this. Maybe I'm looking for something that's not there. But there seems to be something a little hinky with these polling calls I've received. I'm probably reading too much into it and being a little too paranoid. But I am puzzled.

Oh, well, it's probably innocent. I just wanted to pass my experience along. It's Monday Night Football time.

only in Florida. I'm a delegate to the convention though, maybe they're trying to feel the pulse of the delegates since it doesn't look as if we're going to have the straw poll at the convention. Yesterday I was polled by some outfit named "LSI", I told them I was unwavering in my support for Dean, she said "thank you" and hung up. Tis the season for pollsters.

Begin with, "I'm glad you called me this evening. I'm looking forward to sharing my views with you. Before we begin, what is the name of the organization you represent?" At least then you (and we, hopefully) will know who's not being kosher with their polling.

although it wasn't a political one. It was obvious when the person on the phone was trying very hard to get me to agree with an opinion I'd repeatedly said I did not agree with.

Always stick to your opinions. Of course, feel free to change your mind in the presence of new information, but until then, don't be bullied by anyone.