Sunday Roundup
This week saw the first conservative government reelected to a second term in the U.K. since Margaret Thatcher's. Returns showed David Cameron winning easily, with Labour and the Liberal Democrats losing big. But the other clear losers were the pollsters, along with anyone who believed their predictions of a virtual tie. Pollsters are not exactly on a roll. In March, polls wrongly showed a dead-heat in Israel between the Zionist Union party and Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud, which, in fact, won handily. And here at home, polls in the 2014 midterms overestimated Democrats in Senate races by four percent. As three new candidates -- Mike Huckabee, Carly Fiorina and Ben Carson -- tossed their hats into the crowded presidential ring this week, it's a good time to remind ourselves about the folly of breathless poll-obsessed political coverage. It's the people, not the polls, that matter. And focusing on the horse race at the expense of debating real issues makes losers of us all.
sunday roundup week see conservative government reelect term uk margaret thatcher return show david cameron win easily labour liberal democrats lose big clear loser pollster believe prediction virtual tie pollster exactly roll march poll wrongly show dead heat israel zionist union party benjamin netanyahu likud fact win handily home poll midterm overestimate democrats senate race percent new candidate mike huckabee carly fiorina ben carson toss hat crowded presidential ring week good time remind folly breathless poll obsess political coverage people poll matter focus horse race expense debate real issue make loser