Will TV News Producers Resist The Temptation?

http://news-releases.uiowa.edu/2007/october/102907poll-methodology.pdfThe University of Iowa's new poll doesn't seem to be all that much of a useful proxy for figuring out the shifting preferences of caucus goers. It's not a _bad_ poll -- just not very orthodox. Here's a refresher course. Some news outlets in Iowa, like Radio Iowa, won't cover U of I polls at all.)

But some enterprising Obama ally made sure to send this morning's results to Matt Drudge, who, through no fault of his own, probably doesn't read too much into methodology.

Each television network has a polling unit. Presumably, producers will consult their in-house experts before broadcasting this poll without caveats.

If the U of Iowa poll becomes a talking point for a cable TV host to say "the race is tightening in Iowa," then score one for Obama's communications nexus. The fact is, the race is already pretty tight there, as all three leading campaigns will acknowledge. Tighter than a tick, an old CBS News anchor might have said.