Here is why RCP confuses me

[TexasCPA]

In NC they keep three polls in their average and discard a poll taken on 9/18-9/19 and one taken 9/15 - 9/19. You include those two polls and it is tied.
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/nc/north_carolina_romney_vs_obama-174.html

In VA they keep four polls in their average. They do not discard a poll taken on 9/17.
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/va/virginia_romney_vs_obama-1774.html

NV there is a 9/18 poll in their average.
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/nv/nevada_romney_vs_obama-1908.html

In NM they are keeping a couple polls done in early September.
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/nm/new_mexico_romney_vs_obama-2027.html

I don't get their methodology of when a poll is considered too old to include. Keeping the 9/18-9/19 poll in NC out of their average is blatantly inconsistent to what they are doing in other swing states. They seem to use this to manipulate the race to make the election look closer.

[awake]

1. If it is not close then we would not check

their site as much, less clicks less ad money.

[gcomeau]

2. They're consistent...

They consistently hold onto Romney favorable polls as long as they can get away with to make the topline average look better. On the national race they held onto an AP poll that only had Obama +1 for at least three days after they dropped two other polls from the same time that had him +3 and +7...

[DemocratSinceBirth]

3. I Knew RCP Leans Right. Just Look At Their Editorial Links.

However I though they were honest aggregators of polls.


Disappointing.

[Jennicut]

4. The founders were conservatives and Forbes has a 50% interest in it.

They have a good website for looking up the most current polls but they outright support Republicans. So this is not surprising at all.

The site's founders say their goal is to give readers "ideological diversity". They have described themselves as frustrated with what they perceive as anti-conservative, anti-Christian media bias, and while Patrick Stack of Time magazine has described the commentary as conservative-leaning, the site includes columns and commentary from both sides of the political spectrum. Politico Executive Editor Jim VandeHei has called the site "an essential stop for anyone interested in politics."
The site was founded in 2000 by former options trader John McIntyre and former advertising agency account executive Tom Bevan. Forbes Media LLC bought a 51% equity interest in the site in 2007.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RealClearPolitics