I don't understand the polls.

[madaboutharry]

NBC/WSJ Clinton +7

Rasmussen Trump +5

How can both be true?

[gabeana]

1. Rasmussen

Is a rightwing outfit so it is not surprising

[rbrnmw]

2. Rasmussen leans heavily right

they had Romney believing he had it in the bag in 2012

[scheming daemons]

3. different likely voter models

Rasmussen, as 2012 showed, has a flawed likely voter model than skews 5 points or so to the right.

[Loki Liesmith]

4. no one takes Rasumussen seriously

least of all himself.

[Coyotl]

5. Don't question anything. Move on and vote the way the polls tell you to.

Seriously, there is probably a 5% psychological advantage to being called the winner before an election.

We need to realize we are being manipulated, not informed.

[MFM008]

6. Here's how to read a Razz poll

[pnwmom]

7. Here's the Rasmussen business model: design a poll that produces highly skewed results.

And then charge people MONEY to see the demographics that produced the results.

They really do charge money to see the demographics. They're only available to "Platinum members."

[La Lioness Priyanka]

8. rasmussen also predicted a mitt romney win. nt

[La Lioness Priyanka]

9. ..

http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2012/10/29/romney-rasmussen-win-election/

[davidn3600]

10. The reality is that all polls are wrong

The famous saying goes "There are three type of lies: Lies, Damn lies, and Statistics." Polls have margins of error. And there is also a degree of interpretation involved.

Pollsters seem to be having a bit of a difficult time getting an accurate read on the election. Some of that has to do with the fact that this isn't really a typical election.

I think you may see a little bit more convergence of the polls when the election gets closer (and after the debates). But right now they are going to be all over the map depending on their methodologies, turnout estimates, and who they are polling.

Mathematically speaking, considering the range in these polls are so large, it's difficult to have confidence in any of them.

[BainsBane]

11. Different turnout models

Polling averages are always more useful. The key, however, in this election and every other is getting out the vote.

[rock]

12. They're political

Get it?