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Hey Chris, the best is yet to come for Kamala Harris!!!. As the electorate get to know her more, they will continue to like her INTELLIGENCE. You watch.

And I agree with you that she may not have the election in her bag just yet. But it will be in her bag in November

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I agree, Dr. As the days go by, more people will like Harris and Walz and dislike Trump and Vance. Unless something completely unexpected comes up, like some unprecedented scandal against Harris, I can't see her losing. Of course, people still need to vote.

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Chris, another excellent post. Thank you. One question about the polling, you and many others, consistently warn about Trump's/GOP over performance in 2016 & 2020 (as you should) but since Roe the election results show it's the Democrats over performed. Don't you think that the results of the 2022 and all the special elections should be considered? I'm left to believe that the results since 2022 show that polling due to Roe is a whole new ballgame.

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Great point.

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Agree completely. I think Trump tops out at 45% because of increased Democratic turnout.

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Yes, not only 2022 but the fairly recent election to replace Santos in the House. Polls showed a tight race of 2 or 3 points difference, but Suozzi won by 8 points. I think it's just that the polling isn't as reliable as many think it to be.

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I agree. My post noted β€œspecial elections” which includes Santos for sure! I am not saying the polling is wrong but that the breakdown of who is voting needs adjustment. My guess is more Democrats are coming out and more Independent voters are voting Democrat!

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Thanks for the reply. I also recall the Republican primaries, where polling gave Trump bigger victories over Haley than he actually got. I can't recall the differences, but it seemed the polling was off by several points in some cases.

I think polling has its place in predictions, but I also think more fundamental predictions like Allan Lichtman (who Chris apparently hates) has are important as well. I look at various combinations of them all.

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The key things I look for in polls are the trend lines. Harris has been heading in the right direction and seems to be gaining momentum. I agree w/ Chris that the rising favorable/unfavorable rating is very important. It shows people are getting comfortable with her and means she has room to grow. Trump doesn’t. It will be close b/c of the EC. But things are looking better. As for Harris’s press strategy, I can’t imagine it matters for most voters. I am a fan of a vibrant press. But its main value is in investigative reporting, not redundant interviews.

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lol. Love the chart. But I’d recommend retiring as soon as possible to enjoy life without work. Take that pension as early as you can.

Mainstream media are no longer objective. It’s not that they are superior because they ask tougher questions than their online analogues. That’s a falsehood made up by mainstream media. Part of the issue is their ownership (mostly Republicans).

Part of it is their need to drive advertising by asking interview questions that are controversial. Rather than informative. Or to have political analysts which get very angry on live TV. Like a wrestling match. It stirs the blood and is attractive to watch. Quality journalism it is not though. I also think GenZ are sick of older adults arguing about politics on cable news. So they aren’t watching it. It’s for the best. American media ate itself.

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Your 3rd paragraph has some very good points IMO...

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How about connecting the dots and drawing inference from the trend. People do that with stock charts. Where will they be if the trend continues on this track.

Of course there will be people who in the privacy of the voting booth will vote their fear of the other. That’s what the Donald and JD hope. So we need to make it clear that the real fear is of what life will be like if Donald wins. What will living where they round up millions and where there is retribution. Of course there will also be purged.(We can’t have both MTG and Loomer. One of them will be purged). Will you, Chris, be a victim of retribution?

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As usual your passion for Trump was obvious. πŸ™„

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The movment is what counts. Harris is rising steadily and not suddenly so no great ups and downs. It will take the full7 weeks for her to rise high enough to be not just decisive but overwhelming. That could happen IF the ground works. Register now. Contact now and again. vote early.

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Chris, have you considered reaching out to the Harris campaign to interview either Harris or Walz? Or Trump, for that matter.

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Why not ? That would be something....

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Much as I want to be optimistic about the Harris/Walz ticket's chances, I have to be realistic. The public's view of Trump on business/economic matters is fully grounded in the false image of him created by Apprentice producer Mark Burnett. Consumer prices are up worldwide, yet the typical American myopia causes no appreciation for our increases being lower than those of peer countries. Trump signs and flags are everywhere around me - and our Harris/Walz sign was stolen while we were away. Most of the Trump-sympathetic view his histrionics and lies as mere forms of entertainment - poking the bear, as it were, for fun and glee, not serious intent. The winds are against Harris/Walz, especially if black and youth voters don't show up. Encouraging polls should motivate us to promote them vigorously, but not get overconfident.

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The view is grounded in the reality that household finances for most people have been terrible during the Biden/Harris admin because prices have gone up 21% and wages for most people have stagnated.

Despite massive gaslighting attempts from the whitehouse and media allies to pretend that’s not what happened, people are reminded of Biden/Harris economic performance every time they go shopping or have to pay bills.

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Wage has exceeded price inflation during the same period. Wages are higher, by more than inflation.

The problem is that people attribute their wage increase to something they did while simultaneously attributing price growth to something outside their control.

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Sep 18
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Do you understand that states with intelligent governments started reopening businesses as early as May and June of 2020 because they correctly identified that the only people who were at risk were unhealthy elderly people and extremely unhealthy adults?

If the rest of the country had followed suit we could have prevented much of the economic wreckage. Putting people on unemployment and then adding $600 per week on top of that flooded the market with money seeking a limited number of resources. Massive government spending is inherently inflationary, particularly during a period of low supply.

Keeping schools closed meant a bunch of parents had to stay on unemployment because someone had to stay home with the kids while they were falling behind academically. All those daycares had to keep their staff on unemployment because they were closed too.

Basically, Democrats and their proclivity for ignoring the consequences of giving out freebies are what exacerbated the consequences of inflation in the U.S.

Their energy policies have raised the cost of fuel, which makes every single other consumer good transported by truck more expensive.

I'm not going to count my blessings because you blindly accept the excuses made by people who have been in government for decades while failing to produce good results for the working-class and middle-class.

At what point are you going to look at their record and finally come to the conclusion that maybe these very "smart and rational" elected officials are incompetent idiots who lie to you constantly because their performance is terrible?

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Of course, the Grandma is expendable argument. You should add that people with co-morbidities were expendable, too. We had the most deaths on the planet and one of the highest death rates. Your argument would've made things far worse and for what?

You mistakenly think that people would've all pretended the Pandemic was over and gone about their business. That's nonsense.

The most harm was from those that refused to be safe and refused to get vaccinated. They deepened and extended the Pandemic. Far more death and far more economic harm. Each unvaccinated that went to the hospital cost hundreds of thousands.

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"I do NOT believe that Harris has the race in the bag β€” or anywhere close to it. I still expect polls to move around a bit as lower-information voters begin to engage in the race."

True, but sadly the key phrase here is "lower-information voters."

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Republicans should win based on what exactly?

The best economic recovery on the planet isn't good enough? Interest rates just got cut. Housing starts are up. The stock market is at record highs.

The border that doesn't affect anybody negatively is a big deal? Historic bipartisan legislation isn't the real answer?

Nominating the worst former President in our history was a good thing? The guy that tried to overthrow a legally certified election and hang his VP? Convicted felon with numerous indictments he's running away from? Old and barely able to complete a coherent sentence? An adjudicated rapist that expressed sympathy for Jeffrey Epstein's accomplice, not the underage victims?

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The mainstream media mostly contributed to its own demise. It focuses largely on the wrong things, like Israel and Gaza, and ignores much of the important issues, like debt, deficits, and taxation.

It used to be that media thought it was here to educate the population. Now it sees itself as infotainment and a profit center for its corporate owners.

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Excellent choice for Song of the Day. That album is still so damn good. And that song is pure gold.

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The Dems must keep pounding home the narrative that Trump/Vance/MAGA are extreme, un-american, unpatriotic, hateful, unGodly, and just plain awful. There is ample evidence. Lets make sure EVERYONE sees it!

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Wake Up, by Arcade Fire, is one of my favourite songs of all time.

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Ugh, don't talk to me about retirement. I recently turned 65 and financially don't see retirement in my near future. I am the ONLY one in my circle of friends still working, with many having retired a few years ago and they are all a few years younger than me! All are married, though, so that makes a BIG difference.

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