A SECOND LOOK AT THAT ZOGBY SCHIAVO POLL
By Michelle Malkin
April 10, 2005 12:44 AM
Last week, many conservative bloggers--self included--picked up on a LifeNews.com story about a new Zogby poll that showed a majority of Americans opposing removal of Terri Schiavo's feeding tube if the question was framed differently than most other MSM polls.
But now some skeptical bloggers--conservative bloggers--are revisiting the poll and asking questions about the sponsors, poll wording, and reporting on the poll. Cal Lanier at Football Fans for Truth notes:
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Life News reports that a "whopping" 79% responded that the disabled person "should not" be denied food and water. Zogby's release boosts the number to 80%.
Zogby's press release provides the details for 8 questions. But the full survey results (found here in PDF format) show that respondents were asked 11 questions. Zogby didn't provide details for three questions, including the one that got all the attention.
Why would Zogby leave that particular question off, particularly when its press release headlines the response?
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Good question. Bob Felton at Civil Commotion asked it and did not get promising results:
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A Zogby spokesperson described the poll to me as a joint-effort between themselves and the Christian Defense Coalition, and explicitly refused to vouch for the questions and responses reported by LifeNews. I’d have to talk to the Christian Defense Coalition about that, I was told. (So far as I understand the relationship, by the way, Zogby is acting properly. The work done by a consultant for a client is the property of the client; the information isn’t Zogby’s to give away.)
The LifeNews story did not disclose the Christian Defense Coalition as the source, intimating that Zogby was.
The Christian Defense Coalition has not returned phone calls, and LifeNews has not responded to an e-mail inquiry asking whether they stand by their story.
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Hmmm. I'll try to get answers on Monday. Looks like Kaus's instincts were right, but thanks to Cal Lanier and Bob Felton for doing the heavy lifting. As you all know, I was more than peeved about the MSM playing games with poll questions. If the CDC and Zogby did the same, a pox on them, too.
Oh, and not that the vast majority of MSM snobs and left-wing bloggers will acknowledge it, but note that it was conservative bloggers who calmly and methodically shed light on these irregularities and are pushing for answers. <sarcasm on> Not those models of civility, rationality, and intellectual honesty on the Left.</sarcasm off>
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