But I can understand why reporters will turn to the polls for guidance, particularly those they believe to be reliable, produced by experienced and highly regarded pollsters. I find myself turning again and again to pollster John Zogby for insight on the New York and national races, with no apologies. I'm not out and around the country these days, making my own judgments from interviews. So Mr. Zogby and several other pollsters have been invaluable to me. But here I am, pumping up the polls when I still have great questions about them.
Polls do intrude on elections.
Polls showing a candidate ahead will encourage that candidate's workers and stimulate his supporters to contribute money. Such a poll at the time of the election will also encourage a candidate's backers to get out and vote. On the other hand, the vote will tend to fall off for a candidate who is shown by polls to be behind - particularly if he appears well behind. Polls also can be wrong. Their interviewers simply may be asking the wrong questions.