You are using an outdated browser.
Please upgrade your browser
and improve your visit to our site.
Skip Navigation

You Know Desperation Has Set In When...

Those of us who are both obsessed with polls and habitually attached to the idea of refreshing Real Clear Politics every ninety seconds should take note: The site seems to be doing funny things with its polling averages. Just two examples:

1. RCP usually includes PPP polls in its averages, but did not do so in the case of Colorado, where a recent PPP poll has Obama up a whopping ten points.  Hmmm.

2. The site has also been including Democracy Corps polls in its national average, or at least it did so last week, when Democracy Corps showed Obama with a slim three point lead. Now Democracy Corps has Obama's lead at nine points, and, whatdya know it, the poll is not part of RCP's average. 

Hmmm again. I could be doing my math wrong--and would love to be shown the error of my conspiracy-mongering ways--so if anyone has a good answer...

Nate Silver had RCP questions last week

Update: I stand corrected! RCP has explained that they will not be using certain partisan polls after October 11.  (Thanks to commenter phargle).

--Isaac Chotiner