Heather Graham Teaches Us About Polls

FactCheck by Justin Bank | Oct. 23, 2009 (Special Report)

The liberal advocacy group MoveOn.org Political Action has released another health care ad featuring a Hollywood celebrity. Last time it was Will Ferrell talking of pygmy horses and executive compensation. This time it’s actress Heather Graham dressing up as a track and field runner (labeled "public option") and challenging health insurance executives to a race. [...] Full Story »

Posted by Fabrice Florin - via FactCheck

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Dwight Rousu
3.5
 by Dwight Rousu - Oct. 26, 2009

The story is interesting in telling an example of how intentional or accidental choice of wording can affect polling response. Tone and emphasis of the poll taker can influence results also. The hinted implication here that the public option claim is questionable suggests a bias in the author. The reworded question is more changed than Graham noted, since it emphasizes a government HEALTH CARE plan versus private insurance, rather than two sources of insurance.

Universal health care with a single payer was not even explicitly in the poll. What effect did that have?

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