In Defense of Public Opinion Polling Book

Perhaps it was one too many snide comments about "stupid polls," or just a growing dismay over Americans' cynical attitude toward public opinion polling, but Ken Warren decided it was time to defend his job. Sure, admits the president of the Warren Poll, it's easy to attack pollsters and polls: there is no such thing as a methodologically perfect poll, and the possible shortcomings and contaminations are endless. On the other hand, polls are remarkably accurate, and Warren has the data to prove it. His defense can be summed up this way: pollsters measure public opinion better than any competitor and are a valuable tool for recording and interpreting moments in history (like the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal), understanding the present (even Alan Greenspan consults economic surveys before raising interest rates), and planning for the future (local, state, and federal governments regularly poll constituents before implementing big-ticket projects). Warren explains the elements that make good polls really good and points the finger at bad polls that either "really 'stink'," such as push polls, or are "ill-fated," such as the Nielsen ratings. He also explains why politicians and the media love (and sometimes hate) opinion polls and depend on them for their survival. (In other words, don't believe it when politicians say they don't pay attention to the polls. While President Bush may not jump at every poll-generated statistic like his predecessor, he would be a fool not to pay attention.) Warren's favorite defense of opinion polling is that it advances democracy because it promotes popular government, and he looks at its growing use in democratic countries and its failure in totalitarian ones. Occasionally, Warren is blinded by his own enthusiasm (since when have historians been able to understand election results only by using polls results, and how many people really use them to "fit in"?),and he is clearly a better pollster than writer. Still, were the readers of this book to be polled on how well it does its job, the majority would give it a thumbs-up. --Lesley Reed Read More