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MineralMan

(147,230 posts)
Sun Oct 13, 2024, 09:59 AM Sunday

So, Why Would Trumpers Want to Bend Polls?

People, including the media, are talking about how "close" the election is, according to the polls. Personally, I don't think those polls accurately reflect what voters will do on Election day. So, if I'm right, why are the polls showing what they're showing?

Here's one possibility:

If right-wing-funded polls are showing a close race, based on poor polling or intentional fudging, I can think of only one reason. After the election, when Trump loses, part of the argument that the election was "rigged" will be based on those poll results.

Trumpers will say that Trump really won, because "look at those polls." "The counts must be rigged."

Watch for this. I'm afraid we're going to hear more of it.

38 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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So, Why Would Trumpers Want to Bend Polls? (Original Post) MineralMan Sunday OP
That mostly, but also studies have shown that when a voters candidate is losing, there is a greater chance of not voting Ferrets are Cool Sunday #1
RSO rso Sunday #2
It's the polls that just want to hedge their bets arlyellowdog Sunday #3
I think they make it look close for those Billionaires to keep shoveling money his way. flying_wahini Sunday #4
Nailed it Mineral Man rich7862 Sunday #5
Very likely but perhaps we can head off that challenge... swing st voters should all go on x(twitter), instagram, etc Jmb 4 Harris-Walz Sunday #6
Instill despair. It's a tactic of dictators and a tactic of those who want to be a dictator. SupportSanity Sunday #7
I think another reason is oldmanlynn Sunday #8
that's the whole point 4catsmom Sunday #9
Same tactics he used when organizing Jan 6th KS Toronado Sunday #10
I Posted Much The Same Thing Yesterday DallasNE Sunday #11
100%... but also the media benefits from showing it as a close race LymphocyteLover Sunday #12
The polls are rigged liberalla Sunday #13
That's a logical theory. And polls rely heavily from responses received on landlines by so-called "likely voters". Texin Sunday #14
Helps with the claim of stolen election moniss Sunday #15
My thinking is DENVERPOPS Sunday #25
I had a post about the time frames etc. moniss Sunday #34
The USSC is their end game........... DENVERPOPS Sunday #35
They will point to these polls as "proof" the election was rigged, YodaMom2 Sunday #16
Land lines vs cell phones. H2O Man Sunday #17
And even when they do poll cell phones Bettie Sunday #22
Right! H2O Man Sunday #26
I don't think they are accurately capturing Bettie Sunday #29
Yeah, that's what Olbermann said too Farmer-Rick Sunday #18
You are spot on MineralMan. I really Emile Sunday #19
This is what I suspect as well. Quiet Em Sunday #20
i've been thinking that for quite awhile now nt orleans Sunday #21
Yep Figarosmom Sunday #23
Close polls also motivate his supporters to turn out to vote. Sogo Sunday #24
Yep. dalton99a Sunday #27
Try for a stampede effect as well bucolic_frolic Sunday #28
I agree with you. pandr32 Sunday #30
Forget the rightwing funded polls, just look at the "legitimate" ones, and they say the election is close. JohnSJ Sunday #31
100% Nigrum Cattus Sunday #32
And I would say... Zambero Sunday #33
This is a part of litigation strategy LetMyPeopleVote Sunday #36
Win or lose, Trump has always wanted to raise Johonny Sunday #37
He's going to say it's rigged even if he wins. BlueTsunami2018 Sunday #38

Ferrets are Cool

(21,650 posts)
1. That mostly, but also studies have shown that when a voters candidate is losing, there is a greater chance of not voting
Sun Oct 13, 2024, 10:02 AM
Sunday

I know that seems antithetical, but past numbers seem to agree.

rso

(2,406 posts)
2. RSO
Sun Oct 13, 2024, 10:03 AM
Sunday

In addition, it’s a tactic to try and demoralize and discourage the anti-Trump vote because Harris will lose anyway.

arlyellowdog

(1,284 posts)
3. It's the polls that just want to hedge their bets
Sun Oct 13, 2024, 10:04 AM
Sunday

It’s all about making money. A poll is rated based on the final result, even if they’ve been way off. The population isn’t really swaying back and forth between Harris and Trump. The polls are just trying to have the closest guess in November. So it’s based on who to count.

flying_wahini

(7,898 posts)
4. I think they make it look close for those Billionaires to keep shoveling money his way.
Sun Oct 13, 2024, 10:07 AM
Sunday

Trumps got to know that when he loses he is going to need to pay more lawyers gobs and gobs of
Cold hard cash.

As we used to say; Money talks and bullshit walks.

rich7862

(132 posts)
5. Nailed it Mineral Man
Sun Oct 13, 2024, 10:08 AM
Sunday

90% of all the polls measuring this election are owned, operated and controlled by trump maggots.

The polls are showing these numbers so trump can claim he was cheated in the election and he

hopes to get his army of maggots to assault our democracy, our government and our people.

trump is a violent criminal who will stop at nothing to keep his power and money, his evil twin vance

is a compliant enemy of democracy for power and wealth.

Jmb 4 Harris-Walz

(578 posts)
6. Very likely but perhaps we can head off that challenge... swing st voters should all go on x(twitter), instagram, etc
Sun Oct 13, 2024, 10:14 AM
Sunday

and declare that they are ignoring pollsters calls OR better yet HARRIS voters can state that they are telling the pollsters they are voting for Trump to make his campaign think race is close when in fact it was a deliberate attempt to skew the polls. Basically, it’’s copping to the tricks they are actually doing 😂

oldmanlynn

(243 posts)
8. I think another reason is
Sun Oct 13, 2024, 11:01 AM
Sunday

If you show a tight race, then the message to voters is to go out and vote. Your vote may count. If you show one side is ahead by 10 points, then the losing side voters may just decide to stay home.

I think it’s wrong to put out incorrect polls, but I think that both sides really want to see the polls tight so they get their voters out.

KS Toronado

(19,157 posts)
10. Same tactics he used when organizing Jan 6th
Sun Oct 13, 2024, 11:25 AM
Sunday

LOOK AT THE POLLS, THE POLLS, THE POLLS prove the election was stolen from me. And his stupid
followers think polls are more accurate than actually counting them.

Texin

(2,627 posts)
14. That's a logical theory. And polls rely heavily from responses received on landlines by so-called "likely voters".
Sun Oct 13, 2024, 11:59 AM
Sunday

How many young working age voters have landlines in this country now? In fact, how many landline reliant people still use them? We have a landline because our internet/telephone provider requires it, but in this household, the phone is plugged in but muted. When I'm sitting in our library where I have my computer, I can hear that it's ringing very faintly, but I never pick it up. And on my iPhone if I don't recognize the caller's number, I let it rollover to voicemail if they care to leave a message.

moniss

(5,329 posts)
15. Helps with the claim of stolen election
Sun Oct 13, 2024, 12:06 PM
Sunday

and their justification for what they have planned after they lose. I expect several states to not certify using the phony "stolen" claim in an attempt to prevent 270 electoral votes and to throw it to the House. I expect the SC to issue whatever rulings are needed to make it happen.

DENVERPOPS

(9,787 posts)
25. My thinking is
Sun Oct 13, 2024, 12:40 PM
Sunday

that they already have tons of shit prepared, "legal challenges", and also Ton's of corrupt shit just waiting to be dumped...........Including their Infamous "October Surprise" that has helped them win so many presidential elections previously.......

These so-called "RepubliCONs" can keep the election results tied up forever with "legal" challenges in all the Red States.......
And what they can't accomplish with the legal challenges, they can attempt to accomplish their win through violence.....

moniss

(5,329 posts)
34. I had a post about the time frames etc.
Sun Oct 13, 2024, 01:42 PM
Sunday

quite awhile back. There are scenarios where it gets past the legal deadlines for certain things and in the most extreme example the current Vice President ends up being declared the President because of the gridlock. Having said that the problem with all scenarios about deadlines is that the MAGA majority on the SC may well grant extension after extension even though there is no provision Constitutionally for them to do so. Basically we have a scenario in the SC now where the MAGA majority is saying to the country "We don't care if it's pitch black outside. We said it is daylight and that's the final word."

DENVERPOPS

(9,787 posts)
35. The USSC is their end game...........
Sun Oct 13, 2024, 06:12 PM
Sunday

The USSC can interject a decision, without ANY constitutional authority what-so-ever, just like they did in 2000.
Because a big stink wasn't made, the 2000 became a president for them to interfere for a final ruling on anything and everything in a presidential election.

YodaMom2

(44 posts)
16. They will point to these polls as "proof" the election was rigged,
Sun Oct 13, 2024, 12:07 PM
Sunday

if/when Oranganus loses. But it’s also intended to demoralize Democrats and depress the turnout - to help Rs win.

Rs did the same in ‘22 - they flooded the zone in the final weeks with polls from polling firms no one had ever heard of (and that were almost exclusively founded/financed by Republicans, or very right-leaning organizations). And all of these new polls showed a miraculous surge by right-wing candidates in the last days of the election year. They knew that many of the most frequently cited authorities (think 538) are poll aggregators. They pull in polls from all over the country and compile them, and then forecast based on the aggregate. These fake polls skew the aggregated results in favor of R candidates.

And create panic among the Democrats. Which is exactly what it’s doing now.

Bettie

(16,827 posts)
22. And even when they do poll cell phones
Sun Oct 13, 2024, 12:35 PM
Sunday

how many people do you know who answer the phone if they don't know who is on the other end.

Heck, I usually text my kids to ask if it is a good time to call, because all of them keep their phones on silent and don't answer unless they know who is it AND want to talk to them.

Then there are the calls that don't count, because "a few minutes of your time" for a pollster tuns into half an hour or more of push poll questions...

Farmer-Rick

(11,060 posts)
18. Yeah, that's what Olbermann said too
Sun Oct 13, 2024, 12:17 PM
Sunday

He added that some trusted and accurate polls will move around data to make it look like Trump is winning. They won't screw all their polls, just one or 2, or just the swing states. It's to appease the Magats.

It's because journalist and pollsters are tired of dealing with threats, intimidation and political pressure from Trump and his cult. So, if they throw out a couple of polls that make Trump look good, they can point to them and say, "see we are unbiased and support Trump when the data indicates."

Also, even some of the best polling corporations and universities have donors, filthy-rich owners, board members and right leaning CEOs. What's the harm in screwing and manipulating a few polls to give the boss, the board or our donors what they really want?

And the sites that aggregate polls aren't free from Magat pressure and intimidation either. The Magats have caught on to how those sites work and use the same manipulative tactics on them too.

Since mostly only Magats use these tactics, the polls will swing right because of it.

Most all the filthy-rich who own America are supporting Trump and his cult. To them it's about more wealth. To us it's about democracy.

Emile

(28,305 posts)
19. You are spot on MineralMan. I really
Sun Oct 13, 2024, 12:24 PM
Sunday

think this election will be a blowout in favor of Harris and the right wing rigged polls will give them their excuse for whining like sorelosers.

JohnSJ

(95,448 posts)
31. Forget the rightwing funded polls, just look at the "legitimate" ones, and they say the election is close.
Sun Oct 13, 2024, 12:58 PM
Sunday

If there is a problem, and I have said this before, I think it is in the sampling where people are not answering calls from numbers they do not recognize, and that may not be counted for adequately.

Those who use 2016 as the example of "faulty" polls conveniently ignore the comey event, 11 days before the general election. That definitely was a major contributing factor. Before comey Hillary was leading by around 5 points. After comey, and the media pushing the LIE that the email investigation was reopened, those poll numbers quickly sank to even. Which is why 2016 isn't a valid measure of the accuracy of the polling, because it was upset by a "black swan event".

We will know soon enough about the accuracy of the polls this November.

The polls are saying we are losing support among African Americans and Latinos, even though they still overwhelmingly support VP Harris over trump. The problem they say is that their number supporting VP Harris are less than the numbers that supported President Biden in 2020 by about 10% less. I have no idea how accurate that is, but what I observed was President Obama in campaigning for VP Harris went out of his way to encourage those Demographics to VOTE.

It will be very tough unless we have at least the same support from African Americans and Latinos as we did for Biden in 2020.

I don't think we can count on the never trump republicans, which I view as the undecided category. The other undecided are those who have the Israeli/Palestinian issue as their prime motivator.

In other words, I think there are a lot of unknowns in the mix.

Zambero

(9,533 posts)
33. And I would say...
Sun Oct 13, 2024, 01:30 PM
Sunday

Why bless your precious MAGA hearts!! Sure looks like those Octoberish polls of yours turned out to be rigged!!

Johonny

(21,761 posts)
37. Win or lose, Trump has always wanted to raise
Sun Oct 13, 2024, 09:34 PM
Sunday

As much money off the suckers as he possibly can. Campaigning and holding office really have the same goal for the people. Bleed the rubes of every penny.

BlueTsunami2018

(3,824 posts)
38. He's going to say it's rigged even if he wins.
Sun Oct 13, 2024, 09:37 PM
Sunday

The whole idea is to destroy any and all confidence in the election system. Only his people can make sure it’s fair.

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