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Pod Save America

Pollercoaster with Dan Pfeiffer - Preview | Trump leading Biden?

Dec 28, 2023
In this engaging discussion, Cornell Belcher, a seasoned pollster and political analyst, joins Dan Pfeiffer to dissect current polling trends between Trump and Biden. They highlight the unpredictability of political polling, urging a deeper look beyond sensational headlines. The duo analyzes Biden's approval ratings and how to effectively reshape economic conversations to connect with working-class voters. Ultimately, they emphasize the importance of understanding diverse demographics in shaping electoral success.
16:52

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Media should focus on candidates' differences on important issues rather than just stating who is leading in the polls.
  • Good polling is both a science and an art, requiring proper definition of the electorate and correctly predicting turnout.

Deep dives

The Misuse of Polls in Media Narrative

The podcast episode discusses the misuse of polls in driving media stories and narratives. The speaker criticizes the mainstream media for focusing too much on polling and the horse race aspect, instead of delving into the candidates' differences on important issues. The speaker argues that polling should inform the public about the implications of each candidate's presidency rather than just stating who is ahead in the polls. Additionally, the speaker emphasizes that polls this far out from an election are not predictive and that they can often be wrong. The importance of defining the terms of the debate and focusing on who will fight for the middle and working-class voters is highlighted.

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