The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-10-12
Politics
 -in- Passing

OOOGSS6 BY RAYMOND J. FITZPATRICK The Gallup poll, which helped win the presidential nomination for Wendell L. WiIlkie, is now an- athena to Republican leaders. It was Willkie's rise from nowhere in the Gallup poll that brought him first to the fore as @ serious con- tender at Philadelphia. His packers cited the poll figures to wavering delegates and it proved one of the most important factors in his nomination.
 When, shortly after the Repub- Mcan convention, the Gallup re- ports had Willkie leading in the presidential race, they were taken as G. O. P. campaign bibles. The first nationwide poll by Dr. Gal Iup, the results of which were an- nounced Aug. 5, gave WiIlkie BOA electoral votes to 227 for ROOse- welt. The Republican high conn mand at that time didn't make any complaints about the accuracy of the Gallup method.
 Later polls showed Roosevelt overtaking Willkie and there be- gan to be grumblings from Willkie campaign headquarters that the poll was all wrong, that it didn't truly reflect national sentiment. But when the latest Gallup poll was announced this week, there were cries to the high heavens from G. o. P. headquarters. The poll figures showed 42 states ana 499 electoral votes for Roosevelt to six states and 32 electoral votes for Willkie. The latest poll figures give Roosevelt 55 per cent of the Connecticut vote, and Willde 40 per cent.
 pr. Gallup's releases have been qualified by such "Outs" as inten- sity factors, margins of error, un. decided voters and so on, put even these haven't served to scothe the feelings of the G. 0. P. campaign leaders. So we have seen all week the claims that the Gallup poll is unreliable, and witnessed the Republican National Committee trot out new one, the Dunn poll, which gives Willkie the election.
 This comment is not offered to defend the Gallup poll, or any other straw vote, for who can forget the Literary Digest poll Of 1886 with its prediction ot a Landon victory? It is made only to illustrate one of the usual pol itical maneuvers: If it's some thing good for our side, hooray; if it's not, it must be lie.
 N will be interesting to see the next Gallup poll figures for Conn ecticut, so that an idea can be had of just what Willkie accomplished by his whirlwind tour of the state on Wednesday. There were crowds along most of the route, there were many more cheers than boOs,
 Il WIS noticeable from the sFesg bnsses that many Of those
 ching slle mOtorcade go by just
 0a there curiously. One report
 described the crowds as s.Eiuaed, Indifferent and mostly Democratic"
 It was unfortunate for the tour that speaking engagements in several towns had to be cancelled, and thousands who had gathered to hear the candidate were disappoin- ted. After waiting two and three hours in the chill evening air, many of those who had expected to hear Willkie didn't feel too kindly about it when he did not speak. Also, it did not seem the best of judgment to have Willkie in a closed car, practically invis- ible to spectators, as the motorcade raced through Hartford and other towns. Many of those who had waited just for glimpse of the nominee saw only a blurred line of cars whizzing by.
 WiIlkie has a magnetic person. ality, and he makes far better impression in person than he does over the radio. His speech at New Haven was an instance; the thou sands on the Green were consider ably impressed, but over the radio VilIhie's speech could be rated only fair. The radio picks up the running together of words, the slightly wrong infections, and the undramatic evenesS of tone, that mark WilIkie's delivery.
 The candidates visit was the highlight of the Republican state campaign. Now the state candi- dates and their managers will have to fight against a letdown that seems almost inevitable. The Democrats, on the other hand. will have to keep building up their campaign for a late climax unless. as the whispers have it, President Roosevelt comes to the state within the next few weeks.
 PotpOurri. Local Democrats last night began the first distri- button of campaign badges, pos ters, stickers and signs on a large scale. Such publicity mediums have been mostly Willkie and Re- publican up to now. Attorney George Lynch will wage spirited campaign at the Republican can- , didate for state senator in the 17th district ...... Congressman Jos Smiths campaign committee is mapping out series of rallies and meetings throughout the fifth dis txict.
 enicker Of the week was the published report that lover 15,00( people were at Library Park te hear willkie. The next day 1t wal