Tom Jensen, a communications staffer at Public Policy Polling (PPP), which has done a great deal of presidential election polling this year, maintains an email list through which he sends out regular updates. Yesterday he sent an email to the list saying he believed PPP was being targeted by a group looking to advance Hillary Clinton's suspended candidacy and asking if any of the members of the list could provide relevant information. "Hillary Spammers," as he called them, asked PPP to include Clinton's name in any surveys comparing support for Obama and McCain in the weeks before the Democratic Convention.
The fact that this email campaign to pollsters, if that's what it is, comes in the days following a closed-door Convention strategy meeting held by members of the Pro-Clinton group PUMA, or "Party Unity My Ass," suggests one approach Clinton supporters are adopting. PUMA and other Clinton supporters have long argued Clinton matches up better against McCain than does Obama. Poll numbers that support that impression would bolster such arguments in Denver.
Jensen's call out to his email list is below and appeared under the subject heading: "Hillary Spammers."
PPP has received two e-mails today, both blind carbon copied, asking us to start polling Hillary Clinton against John McCain to show that she is the stronger candidate than Barack Obama. They say this will show she should be nominated at the convention.Does anyone know who's behind this? They're pasted below:
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From: TIL [mailto:bxr818@yahoo.com]
Sent: Tue 8/12/2008 7:06 PM
To: self
Subject:Dear Pollster,
Since Barack Obama has been performing weakly in the polls against John McCain, and also considering the fact that almost two-thirds of Americans want a Democrat for president, I ask you to please place Hillary Clinton's name in your presidential polls from now until at
least the convention.As neither of the two Democratic candidates have the minimum delegate numbers, there is currently still no certified nominee. It is not too late for the party to re-evaluate (or validate)
their choice with a viable comparison. Perhaps it is time for the pulse of the American people to be taken again?Hillary was way ahead of McCain when the polls were done soon after she suspended her campaign.
It would also be of great interest to know how Hillary still polls versus the other Democratic candidate and John McCain in important big states like Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Michigan.
Thank you for your consideration in this matter. I remain,
Sincerely yours,
Teresa Lim
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From: Jessi [mailto:jessi_lc@yahoo.com]
Sent: Tue 8/12/2008 1:47 PM
Subject: Polling on Sen. Clinton...I've read all your latest polls on Barack Obama vs. John McCain, Would you consider doing some polling as to what would happen if Sen. Clinton were the nominee against McCain? After all, there is no democratic nominee yet, only a presumptive nominee.
Thanks! it would be very interesting.
Jessi LC