Top Opinion: Poll Positions Stories from CBSNews.comhttp://www.cbsnews.com/track/rss/sections/opinion/pollpositions/main501863.shtml??source=RSS&en-us(c) MMVIII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.Tue, 06 May 2008 13:03:21 EDT15http://www.cbsnews.com/track/rss/sections/opinion/pollpositions/main501863.shtml??source=RSS&http://wwwimage.cbsnews.com/common/images/v2/logo_cbsnews_small.gif13623Tue, 06 May 2008 13:02:51 EDThttp://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/05/06/opinion/pollpositions/main4074858.shtml?source=RSS&attr=_4074858If polls that seem to be similar yield different results, you"ve got to find out why, writes CBS News director of surveys Kathy Frankovic. We often don"t look beyond the horserace. But we should.Fri, 02 May 2008 13:00:03 EDThttp://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/05/02/opinion/pollpositions/main4065521.shtml?source=RSS&attr=_4065521Polling seems easy, writes CBS News director of surveys Kathy Frankovic. But if you don"t also ask those questions in the right order, things can get complicated.Fri, 25 Apr 2008 14:30:02 EDThttp://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/04/25/opinion/pollpositions/main4045033.shtml?source=RSS&attr=_4045033The data suggest that any "problem" Obama has with older, working class white voters could start with voters a lot younger than we thought, writes Kathy Frankovic.Wed, 16 Apr 2008 10:30:04 EDThttp://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/04/15/opinion/pollpositions/main4018009.shtml?source=RSS&attr=_4018009With economic concerns at the forefront, this election could be like 1980, where the outcome wasn"t apparent until the end, and most pollsters missed it, writes Kathy Frankovic.Fri, 11 Apr 2008 14:30:03 EDThttp://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/04/11/opinion/pollpositions/main4009398.shtml?source=RSS&attr=_4009398Rush Limbaugh urged Republicans to cross over to keep the Democratic Party full of what he called "chaos and tumult, writes Kathy Frankovic, but the vast majority of crossover Republican voters for were sincere when they cast their vote.Wed, 02 Apr 2008 12:30:04 EDThttp://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/04/02/opinion/pollpositions/main3988828.shtml?source=RSS&attr=_3988828A 1973 book called Precision Journalism helped teach journalists how to apply and interpret polling data, and now, writes Kathy Frankovic, they are looking towards a future of "conversation."Thu, 27 Mar 2008 16:30:04 EDThttp://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/03/27/opinion/pollpositions/main3974247.shtml?source=RSS&attr=_3974247Tracking polls can be an effective way to measure change, though they have limitations, writes Kathy Frankovic.Mon, 17 Mar 2008 16:30:06 EDThttp://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/03/17/opinion/pollpositions/main3945103.shtml?source=RSS&attr=_3945103Will Americans admit to bias? For years, survey researchers have tried to figure out how to measure bias in voting behavior- whether or not people will say they would not vote for certain types of people. Kathy Frankovic reports.Mon, 10 Mar 2008 17:00:04 EDThttp://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/03/10/opinion/pollpositions/main3921735.shtml?source=RSS&attr=_3921735This year the superdelegates are being pursued by the candidates and their campaigns and - perhaps for the first time - by the voters themselves.Tue, 04 Mar 2008 15:30:04 ESThttp://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/03/04/opinion/pollpositions/main3905664.shtml?source=RSS&attr=_3905664Pollsters in developing democracies face difficulties unimaginable in the United States.Wed, 20 Feb 2008 12:36:07 ESThttp://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/02/20/opinion/pollpositions/main3851735.shtml?source=RSS&attr=_3851735After nearly 50 days of almost constant polling of the presidential race, CBS News director of surveys Kathy Frankovic says the sheer number of polls and the way the media handles them can present problems.Wed, 13 Feb 2008 14:00:03 ESThttp://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/02/13/opinion/pollpositions/main3826190.shtml?source=RSS&attr=_3826190Democrat Barack Obama says Hillary Clinton starts off at a disadvantage in a general election campaign. But CBS News director of surveys Kathy Frankovic says that polls' predictive value for November is dubious at best.Fri, 08 Feb 2008 13:00:03 ESThttp://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/02/08/opinion/pollpositions/main3807741.shtml?source=RSS&attr=_3807741Bill Clinton has drawn plenty of attention for his statements made during Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign. Polls show that views on Clinton's involvement are mixed, says CBS News director of surveys Kathy Frankovic.Thu, 31 Jan 2008 15:00:05 ESThttp://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/01/30/opinion/pollpositions/main3769985.shtml?source=RSS&attr=_3769985Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton have waged a bitter battle for the Democratic nomination, yet the people who have voted for them say they'd be fine with either as the nominee, CBS News director of surveys Kathy Frankovic reports.Tue, 22 Jan 2008 13:30:03 ESThttp://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/01/22/opinion/pollpositions/main3737199.shtml?source=RSS&attr=_3737199Interest in the 2008 election is higher than normal, which means voters have been exposed to plenty of media coverage. CBS News' director of surveys Kathy Frankovic looks at what the public thinks of the press' treatment of two candidates.Mon, 14 Jan 2008 12:30:03 ESThttp://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/01/14/opinion/pollpositions/main3709095.shtml?source=RSS&attr=_3709095There are many theories going around about how pollsters were so far off in their predictions about the New Hampshire Democratic primary. CBS News director of surveys Kathleen Frankovic says many of them don't stand up to scrutiny.Fri, 11 Jan 2008 11:08:24 ESThttp://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/01/11/opinion/pollpositions/main3699655.shtml?source=RSS&attr=_3699655CBS News' director of surveys Kathy Frankovic says New Hampshire was a fluid race and looks at the gender and race considerations that factored into voters' decision-making process.Wed, 02 Jan 2008 12:30:04 ESThttp://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/01/02/opinion/pollpositions/main3666416.shtml?source=RSS&attr=_3666416CBS News' director of surveys Kathy Frankovic looks at the history of the Iowa caucuses and finds that winning them doesn't always provide a bounce to the nomination, and that second place isn't always so bad.Tue, 25 Dec 2007 16:30:02 ESThttp://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/12/25/opinion/pollpositions/main3645903.shtml?source=RSS&attr=_3645903Between Christmas and New Year"s we can expect Silent Nights - or at least Silent Dinners - free from the ring of telephones. There will be a brief spate of polling peace on earth, says CBS News' director of surveys Kathy Frankovic.Wed, 19 Dec 2007 13:00:03 ESThttp://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/12/19/opinion/pollpositions/main3631770.shtml?source=RSS&attr=_3631770As the 2008 elections approach, surveys show that Democrats are more enthusiastic -- and thus paying more attention -- than Republicans, says CBS News' director of surveys Kathy Frankovic.Wed, 12 Dec 2007 14:00:03 ESThttp://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/12/12/opinion/pollpositions/main3610226.shtml?source=RSS&attr=_3610226The question of experience is a major factor in the race for the Democratic nomination, but CBS News' director of surveys Kathy Frankovic says having "enough" experience is more important than having "the most."Wed, 05 Dec 2007 13:00:07 ESThttp://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/12/05/opinion/pollpositions/main3577733.shtml?source=RSS&attr=_3577733Once again, presidential hopefuls are chasing after the youth vote, but history shows getting them to go to the polls is a challenge. And CBS News' director of surveys Kathy Frankovic says polling them is difficult, too.Wed, 28 Nov 2007 18:56:12 ESThttp://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/11/28/opinion/pollpositions/main3548914.shtml?source=RSS&attr=_3548914Iowa's caucuses, now only five weeks away, aren't like other elections, says CBS News' director of surveys Kathy Frankovic, which makes polling ahead of them, and forecasting their outcome, a challenge.Wed, 21 Nov 2007 10:30:03 ESThttp://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/11/21/opinion/pollpositions/main3530033.shtml?source=RSS&attr=_3530033Accusations of "push polling" have recently rocked the race for the Republican nomination. But CBS News' director of surveys Kathy Frankovic notes that such claims often turn out to be untrue.Wed, 14 Nov 2007 20:00:00 ESThttp://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/11/14/opinion/pollpositions/main3500264.shtml?source=RSS&attr=_3500264Plenty of contact with presidential candidates and a high interest in the 2008 elections means voters in Iowa and New Hampshire view the race far differently than national polls indicate, says CBS News' director of surveys Kathy Frankovic.Wed, 07 Nov 2007 12:00:05 ESThttp://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/11/07/opinion/pollpositions/main3464657.shtml?source=RSS&attr=_3464657The difference in how women and men vote in an election and react to political questions doesn't seem to matter much this year in the Democratic presidential selection process, says CBS News' director of surveys Kathy Frankovic.Thu, 01 Nov 2007 11:27:04 EDThttp://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/10/31/opinion/pollpositions/main3436042.shtml?source=RSS&attr=_3436042Faith's role in the presidential race is unclear, says CBS News' director of surveys Kathy Frankovic, who notes that voters want a president with strong beliefs, but know little about each candidate's religious views.Wed, 24 Oct 2007 16:31:36 EDThttp://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/10/24/opinion/pollpositions/main3401787.shtml?source=RSS&attr=_3401787As media organizations work to build public trust in the polls they conduct and report, CBS News' director of surveys Kathy Frankovic says reporting the methodology of such surveys is key to fostering confidence.Wed, 17 Oct 2007 13:00:05 EDThttp://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/10/17/opinion/pollpositions/main3377071.shtml?source=RSS&attr=_3377071Al Gore's Nobel Prize appears to have made the public view him more favorably. But if he were to return to politics, history suggests his poll numbers would fall, CBS News' director of surveys Kathy Frankovic says.Wed, 10 Oct 2007 13:00:06 EDThttp://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/10/10/opinion/pollpositions/main3352032.shtml?source=RSS&attr=_3352032Exit polls can often be useful in determining what motivates voters. But CBS News' director of surveys Kathy Frankovic cautions that they are prone to problems that can sometimes cast their predictions into doubt.Wed, 03 Oct 2007 13:00:03 EDThttp://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/10/03/opinion/pollpositions/main3324587.shtml?source=RSS&attr=_3324587When asking the public what kind of restrictions the government can put on speech, the phrasing of the question can be all-important, says CBS News director of surveys Kathy Frankovic.Wed, 26 Sep 2007 13:30:04 EDThttp://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/09/26/opinion/pollpositions/main3299491.shtml?source=RSS&attr=_3299491Polls conducted toward the end of an election can provide a look at last-minute shifts among voters, but as CBS News director of surveys Kathy Frankovic points out, some governments don't allow the release of such surveys.Wed, 19 Sep 2007 13:00:03 EDThttp://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/09/19/opinion/pollpositions/main3274821.shtml?source=RSS&attr=_3274821National polls may not be the best indicator of who will win in Iowa or New Hampshire, but CBS News' director of surveys Kathy Frankovic says they can be a good indicator of who will vote, and who they'll vote for.Wed, 12 Sep 2007 12:00:04 EDThttp://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/09/12/opinion/pollpositions/main3253552.shtml?source=RSS&attr=_3253552Despite a lack of evidence, many people continue to link Saddam Hussein to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. CBS News Kathy Frankovic says that falsehood and others persist for reasons of politics and psychology.Wed, 05 Sep 2007 11:30:03 EDThttp://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/09/05/opinion/pollpositions/main3234813.shtml?source=RSS&attr=_3234813A disaster or crisis can often make polling difficult. But CBS News' Kathy Frankovic says such events make polling all the more important, and make the public more likely to respond to pollsters' questions.Wed, 29 Aug 2007 12:30:05 EDThttp://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/08/29/opinion/pollpositions/main3216082.shtml?source=RSS&attr=_3216082Polls show that people now have more faith in the government's ability to handle a crisis than they did after Hurricane Katrina. But CBS News' Kathy Frankovic says people have remained skeptical of Gulf Coast recovery efforts.Wed, 22 Aug 2007 12:00:06 EDThttp://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/08/22/opinion/pollpositions/main3193620.shtml?source=RSS&attr=_3193620Barack Obama has called himself a "skinny kid with a funny name" " but is his name too foreign-sounding to American ears to get him elected? CBS News' Kathy Frankovic examines what polls have to say on the question.Wed, 15 Aug 2007 12:30:10 EDThttp://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/08/15/opinion/pollpositions/main3169223.shtml?source=RSS&attr=_3169223In general, people tell pollsters the truth when asked. But sometimes, says CBS News' Kathy Frankovic, they will stretch the truth to make themselves look better or conform to prevailing opinion.Wed, 08 Aug 2007 11:30:05 EDThttp://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/08/08/opinion/pollpositions/main3146519.shtml?source=RSS&attr=_3146519Polls indicate voters are paying attention to the early stages of the 2008 election, but according to CBS News' Kathy Frankovic, they'd like to dramatically alter the way presidential nominees are chosen.Wed, 01 Aug 2007 13:00:04 EDThttp://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/08/01/opinion/pollpositions/main3122601.shtml?source=RSS&attr=_3122601Less than half of registered voters say they believe Hillary Clinton could handle an international crisis. But does that present a serious obstacle to her White House hopes. Not necessarily, says CBS News' Kathy Frankovic.Wed, 25 Jul 2007 13:00:05 EDThttp://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/07/25/opinion/pollpositions/main3095856.shtml?source=RSS&attr=_3095856"Dewey Defeats Truman" shook the polling industry to its core in 1948. Since then, writes CBS News' Kathy Frankovic, pollsters have been refining the process of probability sampling, though bad predictions are still possible.Thu, 19 Jul 2007 16:00:08 EDThttp://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/07/18/opinion/pollpositions/main3069945.shtml?source=RSS&attr=_3069945Big polling firms often employ small armies of interviewers who actually make the phone calls and ask survey questions. CBS News' Kathy Frankovic examines the importance of these unheralded workers.Thu, 19 Jul 2007 16:00:08 EDThttp://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/07/11/opinion/pollpositions/main3043678.shtml?source=RSS&attr=_3043678First she was Hillary Clinton, then Hillary Rodham Clinton, and now she's just Hillary. Does that matter to voters? Not really, says CBS News' Kathy Frankovic, noting that most find the former first lady qualified to be president.Wed, 04 Jul 2007 09:00:03 EDThttp://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/07/03/opinion/pollpositions/main3013632.shtml?source=RSS&attr=_3013632President Bush's approval ratings are at record lows " can he possibly recover? CBS News' Kathy Frankovic says it will be difficult, and may even require an extraordinary rallying point.Wed, 27 Jun 2007 11:30:03 EDThttp://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/06/27/opinion/pollpositions/main2987075.shtml?source=RSS&attr=_2987075As the Fourth of July draws near, CBS News' Kathy Frankovic looks at polls about Americans' patriotism and finds that overwhelming numbers say they love their country but are a little skeptical of others, especially flag-waving politiciansWed, 20 Jun 2007 16:00:08 EDThttp://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/06/20/opinion/pollpositions/main2955109.shtml?source=RSS&attr=_2955109A poll shows the race for the Democratic nomination tied, but next month paints a much different picture. What's going on? At this early point in the race, nothing unusual, says CBS News' Kathy Frankovic.Thu, 14 Jun 2007 17:30:07 EDThttp://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/06/13/opinion/pollpositions/main2922360.shtml?source=RSS&attr=_2922360Hypothetical situations have been a favorite of pollsters for decades, says CBS News' Kathy Frankovic. From non-candidates to non-existant matchups, survey takers love asking "What if?"Wed, 06 Jun 2007 13:30:07 EDThttp://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/06/06/opinion/pollpositions/main2892180.shtml?source=RSS&attr=_2892180On some polls, how you phrase the question can determine the response. But CBS News' Kathy Frankovic writes that on a few issues, the public will respond the same way no matter what they're asked.Wed, 30 May 2007 13:30:05 EDThttp://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/05/30/opinion/pollpositions/main2866834.shtml?source=RSS&attr=_2866834Immigration is one of the few issues on which Democrats and Republicans aren't polarized. But CBS News' director of surveys Kathy Frankovic points out that GOP voters care about it a lot more.Wed, 23 May 2007 14:30:04 EDThttp://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/05/23/opinion/pollpositions/main2840736.shtml?source=RSS&attr=_2840736Partisan politics have led to a sharp rise in polarized respondents over the past 20 years as people answer poll questions in a way that suggests they know what's expected of them, writes CBS News director of surveys Kathy Frankovic.Wed, 16 May 2007 16:00:08 EDThttp://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/05/16/opinion/pollpositions/main2815264.shtml?source=RSS&attr=_2815264In the first installment of Poll Positions, CBS News director of surveys Kathy Frankovic cautions against reading too much into opinion surveys without taking into mind their context " and the motivations of pollsters themselves.