Pollster admits they’re clueless

It was a rare moment of honest admission.

Just a quick and simple throwaway line at the end of a discussion between Fox News host Bill O’Reilly and guests Larry Sabato and Gallup editor in chief Frank Newport about the Florida GOP primary on January 31st. A discussion about what happened in South Carolina and how fast the numbers changed in the week and few days and hours before the primary that no one could predict. After the Iowa primary in which no one foresaw Sen. Rick Santorum’s appeal and popularity.

In a tangle of confusing (or confused) punditry with commentators doing their best to call the GOP race as they see it, though they’re seeing it through the hopeful lenses of political ideology…

The show host asks for an informed assessment from experts on location in the next battleground state. And with time running out on the program, the Gallup organization’s spokesman says…

“None of us here have any idea what’s going to happen.”

Thank you for refreshing honesty, Dr. Newport. It was the other guest, Dr. Larry Sabato, who tweeted on election night in South Carolina

“It’s going to be a long campaign. Cancel all vacations.”

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