The blogosphere is all abuzz from Mark Hemingway’s article at NRO attempting a paint-by-numbers approach trying to linking Romney to the survey calls conducted last week. We demonstrated the weak attempt here and here.
Now, TargetPoint Cosulting, the firm founded by pollster Alex Gage and linked into this scandal by Hemingway through a pithy bulletin board entry, has issued a strong, STRONG rebuttal denying that it had anything at all to do with the said polling and survey:
To the Editor of NRO
Today’s unfortunate article written by Mark Hemingway concerning allegations over anti-Romney push-polling that suggests that TargetPoint Consulting was somehow involved is both inaccurate and inexcusable.
To set the record straight: TargetPoint Consulting has absolutely nothing to do with the calls in question. To be even clearer: TargetPoint Consulting has NEVER and will NEVER conduct a push-poll. TargetPoint is in the business of promoting Governor Romney, not manufacturing fantasy plots that involve smearing him.
It is very disappointing that the person who wrote this piece included the bizarre fabrication that perhaps the Romney campaign push-polled itself. As “proof,” the author offered up the supposed “fact” that TargetPoint Consulting may have in the past used Western Wats to conduct telephone interviews and concluding: “If there is a relationship between the two firms, then Alex Gage and TargetPoint should immediately clarify the extent and nature of the work that it has contracted out to Western Wats to end speculation and exonerate Romney.”
Neither I nor TargetPoint was contacted before publication of this piece. Not by email. Not by voice mail. If the person representing National Review had bothered to take this most basic journalistic step, we would have told him on the record that TargetPoint Consulting had nothing to do with this and that his theory was entirely erroneous and absent any merit. The truth would have dulled the sensationalism considerably – probably to the point that responsibility would have dictated not publishing it at all.
I am not sure what, if any, motives the author may have, but now that it has been published, this piece has unfairly smeared me, my firm and the Romney campaign.
We can only hope in the future that National Review will be more consistently involved in reporting the news, and not taking off on detours into the fever-swamps of loony conspiracies. If there is any mystery to be uncovered regarding these polls, it will be by real reporting and not irresponsible speculation that tramples the good names of reputable pollsters and polling firms.
Sincerely,
Alex Gage
TargetPoint Consulting
Alexandria, Va.
November 19th, 2007 at 4:03 pm
NRO&Redstate are going to end up eating their own…..
November 19th, 2007 at 4:04 pm
So what does this mean??
November 19th, 2007 at 4:05 pm
ouch. they didn’t even try and contact targetpoint. they are acting like the nytimes here. what is up. i know, political bias is up. they have their candidate and romney is not it. who cares thouhg. this is the name of hte game.
November 19th, 2007 at 4:06 pm
Key phrase, no dithering, no way to parse it except denial:
“TargetPoint Consulting has absolutely nothing to do with the calls in question.”
November 19th, 2007 at 4:06 pm
I’ll tell you what it means bryan, that nro is lazy and pushed a sensationaly conpsiracy theory wihtout doing their homework.
November 19th, 2007 at 4:08 pm
does gage every deny that he has done business through ww? I don’t think he does. Not that that means anything. I think he made clear that the relationship ww has nothign to do with the romney campaing.
November 19th, 2007 at 4:09 pm
Thanks for posting this, Justin!
I love the last paragraph:
“We can only hope in the future that National Review will be more consistently involved in reporting the news, and not taking off on detours into the fever-swamps of loony conspiracies. If there is any mystery to be uncovered regarding these polls, it will be by real reporting and not irresponsible speculation that tramples the good names of reputable pollsters and polling firms.”
… detours into the fever-swamps of loony conspiracies!
This article truly reflects poorly on NRO and their editing policies. You can’t get away with this kind of stuff anymore. Maybe before the Internet and vetting of articles by the blogosphere, but not anymore. Just ask Dan Rather!
November 19th, 2007 at 4:10 pm
It would be hard for a copmpany like target point to not have used Western Wats at some point. They are a huge company, the largest of their kind.
November 19th, 2007 at 4:11 pm
Ol’ Mitt is beginning to make a lot of people nervous. The ball now is on National Review’s court. Will they fire Hemingway and retract the smear or will they let it stand?
November 19th, 2007 at 4:11 pm
Looks like Metro and company like a little champaign mixed with egg splashed on the face.
November 19th, 2007 at 4:14 pm
Yikes!!! That NRO did not bother contacting them before running that hit piece is amateurish at best.
November 19th, 2007 at 4:18 pm
It was a seriously dumb connection too… Some pollster named Amanda dialing from a WW number naming Polling Point as the client 3 months before the polls in question getting a complaint on a random bulletin board/unwanted call tracker getting ID’d with a Amanda employed by WW who’s maxed out to Mitt’s campaign. Er… can we call grasping at straws? Does WW employ only one Amanda? Did that Amanda make the calls in question (and not other calls 3 months ago)? Who, other than us political junkies, wouldn’t be annoyed when a pollster calls?
I can play that conspiracy game: I once heard a story about a guy named Bill who got the Federal Gov’t to sue Microsoft. I also once heard a guy named Bill works at Mircosoft. Could it be that this mysterious Bill conspired to have his own company sued to generate free advertising for his product? How dastardly!
November 19th, 2007 at 4:21 pm
Oh! And look! We have a guy named Bill posting conspiracy theories on this board! The plot thickens!
November 19th, 2007 at 4:24 pm
Metro,
Kindly take out that nice bottle of bubbly champaign, keep the cork on it, then break it over your head.
November 19th, 2007 at 4:24 pm
why is target point gettting all the heat? giuliani’s pollster firm, the tarrance group, also has done work with WW but everybody just takes them at their word when they say they didn’t do anything.
romney also asked the nh to get involved. would he ask for an investigation if he knew he was involved?
all this is way overblown. I can see the motive as to why romney would do that, but i don’t think the evidence presented so far comes even close to suggesting that it was indeed someone connnected to the campaign. its all fluff.
November 19th, 2007 at 4:26 pm
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….|……|…Mitt’s……….|………| |
….|……|.â€Extremely…|………| |
….|……|.â€Organizedâ€.|………| |
….|……|..Run………….|………| |
….|……|..For.POTUS.|………| |
….|……|Born:Nov.14..|………| |
….|……|…2002………..|………| |
….|……|Died:Nov19…|……__| |__
….|……|…2002………..|… |……….|
………………………………….\ …[]…/
November 19th, 2007 at 4:27 pm
again, if htis is the best that romney opponents can do to derail him, bring it on!!
just wait until the trash comes out on rudy.
November 19th, 2007 at 4:28 pm
sampo, get a job or something. seriously.
November 19th, 2007 at 4:28 pm
Sampo,
Are you retarded?
November 19th, 2007 at 4:30 pm
that’s a shovel on the right… and the died should be nov 19, 2007. but overall i think it came out ok.
November 19th, 2007 at 4:31 pm
Sampo,
What is that? Is it supposed to be something that I’m somehow missing the hidden meaning of?
November 19th, 2007 at 4:31 pm
maybe sampo made those calls
November 19th, 2007 at 4:32 pm
If it wasn’t TargetPoint, that doesn’t mean it didn’t come from someone connected with Team Romney via another route.
November 19th, 2007 at 4:33 pm
Jason, your readers already accused me of being a thief… you’ve accused brownback supporters of being bottomfeeders. so what they heck. if you want to call me retarded, go ahead and outright say it.
November 19th, 2007 at 4:34 pm
lol
November 19th, 2007 at 4:34 pm
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,,,,|,,,,,,|,â€Extremely,,,|,,,,,,,,,| |
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,,,,|,,,,,,|,,Run,,,,,,,,,,,,,|,,,,,,,,,| |
,,,,|,,,,,,|,,For,POTUS,|,,,,,,,,,| |
,,,,|,,,,,,|Born:Nov,14,,|,,,,,,,,,| |
,,,,|,,,,,,|,,,2002,,,,,,,,,,,|,,,,,,,,,| |
,,,,|,,,,,,|Died:Nov19,,,|,,,,,,__| |__
,,,,|,,,,,,|,,,2007,,,,,,,,,,,|,,, |,,,,,,,,,,|
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,\ ,,,[],,,/
November 19th, 2007 at 4:35 pm
#15
“why is target point getting all the heat?”
That would be because of the elusive Amanda. A young country girl with ties to the Illuminati and the New World Order who infiltrated Western Wats three months ago to place a call bashing Mormons in a calculated effort to help Romney(!?). Now that she has completed her mission she maxed out her contributions to the Mitt campaign and flew away back to Uranus on her spaceship.
November 19th, 2007 at 4:35 pm
overall, i think you are idiot for wasting your time doing that.
November 19th, 2007 at 4:35 pm
tommy,
That is sampo’s desparate cry for help, SERIOUS HELP. I recommend electro shock therapy. I guess he just missed the entire premise of this post.
I wonder where RDH, TLG, and metro are on this one….maybe too busy cleaning the egg off their faces.
November 19th, 2007 at 4:35 pm
meh, not so good. too bad there’s no sand box to practice in.
November 19th, 2007 at 4:35 pm
I think sampo’s really onto something here. Mitt Romney’s campaign ended 5 years ago today, and the guy who’s currently campaigning is an impostor. Thus, the phony plasticness Mitt displays. Duh.
November 19th, 2007 at 4:35 pm
metro, its also doesn’t mean it didn’t come from someone connected with rudy, so what is your point?
November 19th, 2007 at 4:36 pm
how much time and money did camp mitt invest in phoneyfred.org? any mittbots wanna take a stab?
November 19th, 2007 at 4:36 pm
Argamenon, you forgot the Council on Foreign Relations.
November 19th, 2007 at 4:37 pm
Sampo, needs more happy pills.
November 19th, 2007 at 4:37 pm
dubious, I wouldn’t blur the lines between “connected with” and the campaign itself. Very big difference.
November 19th, 2007 at 4:38 pm
#23-
Just because there’s no evidence of intelligent life on Mars, doesn’t mean Kucinich didn’t see a UFO from some other planet.
November 19th, 2007 at 4:38 pm
this is a perfect example of irrational media frenzy. all thsi fuss over nothing really.
they have just been waiting for something anti mormon to come along so they can make a huge deal out of it. they are chomping at the bit.
November 19th, 2007 at 4:38 pm
#26 Sampo,
I thought it was hilarious and i could see it and got it the first time around, nice art work!!
By the way who is your candidate??
November 19th, 2007 at 4:38 pm
I have two thoughts:
1) This incident really brought out the anti-Romney folk in force. They wanted SO BADLY for this to be connected to Romney they were willing to suspend their belief over the tenuous connections that NRO put together.
2) The story goes on. “Who dunnit” is the subject.
November 19th, 2007 at 4:38 pm
—–
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””’
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\ /
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.
November 19th, 2007 at 4:39 pm
You’re right, Sampo. I can’t do it either…
November 19th, 2007 at 4:39 pm
Sampo got the axe?
November 19th, 2007 at 4:40 pm
Justin, I still think NRO must know something that isn’t public yet.
November 19th, 2007 at 4:40 pm
“dubious, I wouldn’t blur the lines between “connected with†and the campaign itself. Very big difference.”
Metro, I hope you hold yourself to that if it is the case that someone ‘connected with’ the romney campaign did it, not the campaign itself.
“how much time and money did camp mitt invest in phoneyfred.org? any mittbots wanna take a stab?”
Sampo, Oh, I don’t know, i am sure it was a lot less time than you spent making whatever the crap that things posted above took.
November 19th, 2007 at 4:40 pm
MittNots in denial. It’s amazing that bias dictates reporting instead of hard facts.
November 19th, 2007 at 4:42 pm
Bryan, I’ve been a McCain guy since I first saw him on Fox News in ’98.
November 19th, 2007 at 4:42 pm
I think Metro is right though, this doesnt mean that this is totally over for Mittens just yet…
November 19th, 2007 at 4:43 pm
Sampo,
Thats cool. Good to know that there are some fellow McCainiac’s on here with me…
November 19th, 2007 at 4:45 pm
I’m chuckling at the irony, and want someone to join in:
1. A push-poll aims to connect Romney’s Mormonism in people’s minds to an un-fitness to be president.
2. Everyone in unison decries the smear tactic as inexcusable.
3. Leagues of the same people jump to believe one of the more absurd conspiracy theories ever conceived of in politics, when the only connection that can be oh-so-tenuously made is Romney’s Mormon connection!
It’s one huge joke, and no one is laughing!
November 19th, 2007 at 4:46 pm
Well if we’re doing graphics I’ll offer up a possible Giuliani bumper sticker. All in good fun.
R#I#N#0
U#####8
D######
Y######
November 19th, 2007 at 4:46 pm
You know, I think this push poll thing might hurt Fred Thompson the most-nobody is talking about him anymore.
November 19th, 2007 at 4:47 pm
He should release some information imlicating himself, then deny it.
November 19th, 2007 at 4:47 pm
MR – just exchanged emails with NRO.
They don’t know anything else and “wished they had called TargetPoint”
November 19th, 2007 at 4:47 pm
I dont think its a joke at all, and i’m not laughing…..and wont be sorry…
November 19th, 2007 at 4:47 pm
Metro, I am.
November 19th, 2007 at 4:47 pm
*implicating
November 19th, 2007 at 4:48 pm
bjalder, you may have been joking but that is actually an interesting point. he’s the only one no one mentions in the discussion.
November 19th, 2007 at 4:48 pm
er I meant MellowFellow #50.
November 19th, 2007 at 4:50 pm
Mr. T, I was only half-joking, I really think he’s getting the shaft by being boxed out of the media.
November 19th, 2007 at 4:52 pm
Speaking as a passionate, dyspeptic, and die-hard Mittnot, I have to restate my earlier pronouncement that there is almost no chance that a direct connection will be clearly established to any campaign.
November 19th, 2007 at 4:52 pm
Oh, I guess since nobody on Race42008 is talking about Thompson it must hurt him, since Tommy hasn’t updated the blog in a few days. That’s as absurd as saying that Mormons are smearing themselves to help Romney.
Thompson issued a statement on this Friday, and it was covered in the media. BTW, who was interviewed on George Stephanopolis yesterday, and had a major piece done on him by NBC news last week? That would be Fred Thompson.
November 19th, 2007 at 4:53 pm
Anyone on here remember the movie “one flew over the coo coo’s nest”? Do they allow computers in insane asylums? A few of the posters on here (I will not name names) could definitely audition if they every decided to come out with a sequel….Geeez!!
November 19th, 2007 at 4:58 pm
I’d be Chief the silent Indian who really likes his pillows.
November 19th, 2007 at 5:01 pm
What isn’t getting talked about is Dow dropping 200+ points, Citi down about 6%, and OPEC talking about getting out of US dollars. I was not an angry voter, but if I keep losing money I’m voting dem too cause Bush is killing me.
November 19th, 2007 at 5:01 pm
Hey Metro, Looks like your Rudy guy is now behind McCain in the latest NH poll — may be a little premature for champaign at the moment…
November 19th, 2007 at 5:01 pm
Hey Metro, Looks like your Rudy guy is now behind McCain in the latest NH poll — may be a little premature for champaign at the moment…
November 19th, 2007 at 5:01 pm
I spoke too soon, Argamenon! Congratulations on your astute assessment on this hilarity!
November 19th, 2007 at 5:03 pm
The DNC did it, I bet Howard Dean was monitoring every call he could.
November 19th, 2007 at 5:09 pm
Kavon, another comment hijack in progress: (but I just had to … sorry)
Here are the latest CNN/WMUR NH poll results:
Romney: 33
McCain: 18
Giuliani: 16
Paul: 8
Huckabee: 5
Thompson: 4
Items of note: Thompson now trailing Ron Paul. Giuliani has slipped from 24 to 16. (Metro, I hope you are right about the Rudy TV ads — he could use the Romney TV bounce phenomenon about right now)
November 19th, 2007 at 5:09 pm
McCain’s in second in NH
http://www.wmur.com/politics/14642004/detail.html?rss=man&psp=politics
November 19th, 2007 at 5:10 pm
EGS: Interesting. Off-site we’re all wagering when you will finally heave the marble water fountain through the window and flee.
November 19th, 2007 at 5:10 pm
Romney just needs to lose iowa and he’s finished.
November 19th, 2007 at 5:16 pm
thompson is 6th behind paul, hilarious.
rudy’s ads don’t seem to be doing much. verdict is still out though i am sure.
November 19th, 2007 at 5:18 pm
Quick note if you’re wondering. My source has gone silent today. Trying to reconnect.
November 19th, 2007 at 5:23 pm
#54 – Justin – I just sent an e-mail to NRO:
I had to write and say that I am very disappointed in your editing staff for not fully vetting Mr. Hemingway’s article before it went to print.
May I refer you to the following website and Justin Hart’s post entitled “Gage & Co. …” Please read his post and you will understand my disappointment. http://www.race42008.com.
In the old days reporters could get away with reporting gossip and rumors, but not anymore. Just ask Dan Rather.
Sincerely,
Beth Barnat
November 19th, 2007 at 5:28 pm
It always amazes me to see the speed (or lack thereof) with which new polls get posted here.
November 19th, 2007 at 5:31 pm
MarkG says:
“EGS: Interesting. Off-site we’re all wagering when you will finally heave the marble water fountain through the window and flee.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GDJXDGhae8
November 19th, 2007 at 5:32 pm
(hehe) new South Carolina poll has Romney taking the lead. Dead heat with Rudy.
November 19th, 2007 at 5:34 pm
Sampo, I found your picture to be nothing if not good for a good chuckle, thanks. Although, I do wonder how you had the time for that. You must hate your job like most of us.
MarkyG-#61: As die hard Rombot, I must say that I agree with you.
Ultimately I am sick of the whole story, I am confident no particular official campaign was behind it. It was likely a 527 type supporter. Most likely in support of, but not with the blessing of, Giuliani.
I think it is hilarious that Thompson is taking a nose dive. I am going to go watch the SNL clip making fun of Thompson for a good laugh.
http://www.dryflypolitics.com
http://www.mittreport.com
November 19th, 2007 at 5:38 pm
Justin, since you have posting privileges (BTW how do you go about getting those) please post the results of the latest CNN/WMUR poll as well, since everyone else (except McCain/Ron Paul supporters) appear to have gone silent.
Thanks,
-Ryan
November 19th, 2007 at 5:50 pm
Romney’s also moved into second in Florida and California …
November 19th, 2007 at 6:11 pm
Romney will take a good portion of California if he has early-state success. I love that it’s not a winner-take-all state anymore.
November 19th, 2007 at 6:23 pm
Also Florida officially has half of its delegates stripped by the RNC … so it’s winner-take-half in a way, at least for now …
November 19th, 2007 at 6:24 pm
About the tombstone it took less than 30 minutes to make. As proof i submit the timestamps on my post and the timestamps this blog was posted. Who how many here have spent more than 30 minutes on a single post?
November 19th, 2007 at 6:32 pm
sampo you need to get a life.
November 19th, 2007 at 6:39 pm
hopefully you guys like my new tombstone:
http://eldude.blogspot.com/2007/11/pushpollgate.html
http://bp0.blogger.com/_R8y-oEhNpOA/R0IePHR0z5I/AAAAAAAAABM/G1XSdDwmZXI/s400/tombstone.jpg
November 19th, 2007 at 6:40 pm
hopefully you guys like my new tombstone:
h++p://eldude.blogspot.com/2007/11/pushpollgate.html
h++p://bp0.blogger.com/_R8y-oEhNpOA/R0IePHR0z5I/AAAAAAAAABM/G1XSdDwmZXI/s400/tombstone.jpg
November 19th, 2007 at 6:41 pm
hopefully you guys like my new tombstone:
h++p*colon slash slash*eldude.blogspot.com/2007/11/pushpollgate.html
h++p*colon slash slash*bp0.blogger.com/_R8y-oEhNpOA/R0IePHR0z5I/AAAAAAAAABM/G1XSdDwmZXI/s400/tombstone.jpg
November 19th, 2007 at 6:44 pm
dudes! clinton is losing in iowa. obama must be the frontrunner for the dems, right mittbots?
http://abcnews.go.com/images/PollingUnit/1051a1IowaDems.pdf
November 19th, 2007 at 7:27 pm
sampo.
although it is futile, your reasoning seems to be lacking.
obama is winning where, one state, iowa. romney is winning in ia, nh, sc, mi, and second in nv and fl. nice comparison.
stick with the art with sampo. as bad as it is, it is better than your reasoning skills apparently are.
November 19th, 2007 at 7:32 pm
Poor sampo, so under appreciated. But the art and comments are nothing more than wishful thinking….
November 19th, 2007 at 7:39 pm
Who’s winning in New Hampshire?
November 19th, 2007 at 7:41 pm
Here’s another question, did that gaffe Obama had in the last debate help him in the polls?