We all want a lively political contest, whether it's Rick Lazio vs. Hillary Clinton or Battlin' Al vs. Gregarious George. So, let's cut through the hype with some sound methods for figuring out what's really happening in Campaign 2000. Follow the tracking polls. If one candidate is gaining strength in both polls, something is happening. Campaigns that are running behind often trumpet a single poll that's much more favorable than others.
Campaigns are specialists in lying with statistics.
Let the voter beware. Watch what's happening in the individual states. Dozens of new state polls are completed every week. They tell you which candidate has the momentum far more effectively than a national poll. Right now, Bush is behind in virtually all of them.