Moore Information Denies Push Polling

Filed under: 2008 elections, Original Reporting — Michael van der Galien, Editor-in-Chief on January 4, 2008 @ 6:30 pm CET

UPDATE: Chuck Douglas, a former congressman who is a top McCain adviser in New Hampshire told the Union Leader they suspect that Mitt Romney’s campaign is behind the calls. He later apologized saying that it’s not the official position of the campaign, merely his own (after Romney’s campaign denied the allegations and fired back).

As reported yesterday, we tried to contact Moore Information which, according to New Hampshire’s Attorney General, engaged in push polling in New Hampshire. The question is, however, who hired Moore, who then hired Western Wats, to conduct the polls? As of yet, we don’t know, but for what it’s worth: two people at this blog are trying to find out more about it.

Moore Information reacted our inquiries with the following e-mail:

In 27 years of business, Moore Information has never, currently does not, nor will it ever engage in push polling.

American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR), provides definitional information on push polling http://aapor.org/aaporstatementonpushpolls. Moore Information adheres to the standards and ethics outlined by AAPOR for all survey research.

Moore Information, Inc. is a public opinion research company, specializing in campaigns and public affairs, using standard sample sizes and methodologies. In accordance with standard industry practices, confidentiality agreements prohibit comment on specific surveys.

The problem for Moore is, of course, that NH’s Attorney General begs to differ.

We’ll continue to work on this issue. It’s clear that a campaign is behind the push polling, and that laws were - quite possibly - broken. It’s also clear that it’s probably a Republican campaign who’s behind it, since Moore Information is what one can call a Republican firm.

At this moment there are three leads:

- My information tells me that the Romney campaign may be involved

- Moore Information did work in the past for Congressman Ron Paul

- Moore Information just conducted a poll comparing Rudy Giuliani to Hillary Clinton

Moore (heh) to come in the coming days.

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1 Tully

January 4, 2008 @ 7:45 pm CET

It’s also clear that it’s probably a Republican campaign who’s behind it, since Moore Information is what one can call a Republican firm.

While that’s certainly a somewhat reasonable assumption, I would strongly urge you not to speculate too far beyond the evidence. For example, it may not be a campaign behind it at all, but some other type of power group. Indeed, it could’ve been sponsored by some group not actually affiliated with ANY campaign. And such things can even come from the opposite side of the divide, via double- and triple-blinding.

2 Michael van der Galien

January 4, 2008 @ 9:53 pm CET

Tully: I’m fairly sure about it. More proof is needed though: everyone’s now going after this story. We are as well We’re focusing on two campaigns right now. More on that later.