Never Try to Push Poll Jews

That is the lesson I draw from the story of the investigation into whether the Republican Jewish Coalition poll of Jewish Americans was a push poll.

Clearly it wasn't. The point of a push poll is to lie to people with the added credibility of claiming you are polling not advocating.

So how many Jews were pushed ? "Brooks said the RJC, whose board includes advisors and fundraisers for Senator John McCain, had placed 750 calls to Jewish voters in five states: Florida, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. "

Lying to 750 people is not worth the bother. The McCain campaign usually lies to millions. Tens of thousands at a time just at their rallies according to them (thousands according to everyone else).

The poll lasted 15 minutes. As David Kurtz and others explained, spending 15 miutes on the phone lying to someone is a very inefficient way to seek votes.

So what happens when you say nasty things about Obama to 750 Jews. Well you better watch out. "Some Jewish Democrats who received the poll – including a New Republic writer who lives in Michigan – were outraged by the poll, describing it in interviews as "ugly" and disturbing." Better to push poll evangelicals or something, many fewer of them are journalists.

There is just no way you can whisper to significant numbers of Jewish Americans and stay under the radar. Too many of them man the radar stations.