Poll banter: Forget the talk. You can't make any judgments based on polls

There is a poll every other day -- who supports whom and which candidates voters would find the least offensive in a 2012 presidential race.

And while the results might be entertaining, the real truth is that polls are useful only as a diversion, generally.

First, there is the huge margin of error -- 3-5 points or more in some cases -- and next is that some simply interview only the people who are at home in the afternoons, answer their phones and who do not have a block on solicitation calls. So, you can guess how skewed those results might be.

So, that said, how does one determine who would be the best choice for a short list for the nominations in both parties next year?

Simple really, you just sit back and speculate -- and realize that a whole lot can happen in 12 months and that, for now, your guess is as good as anyone else's.

There are still more questions to be answered about not only the Republicans who are on the watch list for the 2012 nomination, but also about President Barack Obama.

No one has an inside track yet, and no one has a definitive answer on what to expect when it comes time for both parties to present their nominees.

So, rather than think the polls that are out now are bellringers for the next big vote, let's just sit back and marvel at how much there is to talk about politics in this country these days. There are so many scenarios for a presidential bid, that picking a set of winners is almost like pulling the lever on a Las Vegas slot machine.

And in the meantime, we can start thinking about the issues that we want answers to when we choose our next president of the United States.

There are certainly more than a few on that list, too.

Published in Editorials on December 17, 2010 7:50 AM