Obama Spends $21 Million On Polling

I was going through a website that outlines campaign spending and see that Obama has spent over $21 million on polling.

209.183.235.3...


I am just curious if any of you know why he would spend so much? I think this answers why the polls are favoring Obama so much.

Edit:

Just to be fair.... McCain has spent just under $2 million. 209.183.235.3...



[edit on 10/22/2008 by AndrewTB]

This is so Obama can see what the flavor of the day is.

Polls help his campaign determine what motivates people the most and what issues or policies peaks the most interest. Then these are the ones they focus on.

Personally, I think it has been a pretty good investment because it helps to weed out things that are unpopular to voters that could hinder his ability to win.

Hmmmm . . . 21 million and he can't quite get it that we were not in favour of the 'bailout' yet he voted for it anyway.

What a gomer.

Polls are funny . . . they say what you want them to say . . .

reply to post by AndrewTB


All politicians use polls to determine what people are concerned about, and also to find out where it's tactically sound to campaign. For example, when the Mccain campaign pulls out of a state it's because the polls show that it's impossible to win, and the campaign effort would be in vain there.

I think the reason Obama has spent so much more that Mccain is that he has more money & thus can afford it.

to think that all the polls are somehow rigged by the Obama campaign is absurd. Sure, they obviously spend a lot of money on them, but their polls are only a small amount compared to the total number of polls.

The reason Obama is ahead in the polls is because more people are voting for him.

Im not trying to convince anyone he bought the polls, I just want people to tinker with the possibility as money can buy anything.

People always tend to support whats popular, therefore good poll numbers on Obama's part will ONLY bring more support.

Originally posted by AndrewTB
Im not trying to convince anyone he bought the polls, I just want people to tinker with the possibility as money can buy anything.

People always tend to support whats popular, therefore good poll numbers on Obama's part will ONLY bring more support.

Riiight.... You don't want to convince people he bought the polls, just to "tinker with the possibility."
And then you go on to suggest that he would have every interest in buying the polls. Do you work for Fox News by any chance?

Seriously just think about the number of polls being conducted on a weekly basis, by so many different companies. Companies for whom accuracy and impartiality are the very basis of their existence.

ALL of the polls show the same trends, with margins of error, of course.
It would simply be impossible for anyone to buy all of the polls, much less keep it a secret, even IF they had all of the mainstream media on their side...

I understand that politicians need polls to an extent, but $21 Million is a staggering amount of money.

I really don't see how politicians of any party can justify the money that is spent on campaigning. It just seems obscene.

Originally posted by MrVertigo

Originally posted by AndrewTB
Im not trying to convince anyone he bought the polls, I just want people to tinker with the possibility as money can buy anything.

People always tend to support whats popular, therefore good poll numbers on Obama's part will ONLY bring more support.

Riiight.... You don't want to convince people he bought the polls, just to "tinker with the possibility."
And then you go on to suggest that he would have every interest in buying the polls. Do you work for Fox News by any chance?

Seriously just think about the number of polls being conducted on a weekly basis, by so many different companies. Companies for whom accuracy and impartiality are the very basis of their existence.

ALL of the polls show the same trends, with margins of error, of course.
It would simply be impossible for anyone to buy all of the polls, much less keep it a secret, even IF they had all of the mainstream media on their side...

I am only promnoting free thought while including my opinions.

Some people dont understand how much $22 million really is. Yes there are companies in which accuracy are their existence, that's why we see such a large spread in some of the polls.

Last I checked all of the mainstream media is on their side with the exception of fox, and even then it seems they too have a foot in the bed.

reply to post by AndrewTB


No doubt that 22 mil. is a lot of money, and I certainly agree that it's an absurd amount to use on polling, But then again I find pretty much all of the amounts used on campaigning absurd.

However I believe that if you total the amount of money used on polling (I don't have the numbers), I think you will find that the 22 mil used by Obama is but a drop in the ocean.

I agree that conducting polls to find out what people want to hear and then package it neatly as part of your program, is a backwards and manipulative way of doing politics, but unfortunately that is the state of politics these days, regardless of party affiliation.

Andrew, you are so cute...

Originally posted by AndrewTB
Last I checked all of the mainstream media is on their side with the exception of fox, and even then it seems they too have a foot in the bed.

So, are you also hoping to encourage people to tinker with the possibility that Fox News Polls are being bought by Obama?

Let me get this right. You think Obama has "bought" all the polls and that's why they have him ahead?

Interactive Polling Data

On topic, with as much money as Obama has to spend, I don't have a problem with him spending it on polls. If that's what he needs to do, I say go for it. McCain would if he could. I know he says he doesn't watch the polls. Yeah, right. He's lying. His campaign is trying to decide whether or not to bring Wright into the campaign again, based on the polls.

reply to post by AndrewTB



I bet the pollsters are laughing all the way to the bank. If you think they are going to kill this golden goose by giving Obama bad news, then I have a bridge for sale for you.

He's being taken. That's OK, because he intends to take your money if he becomes POTUS.