Real Clear Politics classifies the LA Times/USC poll as a "likely voter" poll, but it isn't

And it is evident to me that none of the other "LV" polls are either. The pollsters ASK if they are likely voters or registered voters, which is different from talking to someone who actually voted in 2014 and 2012. None of these polls appear to be representing the views of exclusively likely voters.

What's even more disturbing, only the Bloomberg and ABC News polls are conducted by telephone, either landline or cell. The other four are conducted online in some way.

The more you look into it, the less confident you become, which would explain why the candidates continue to campaign for your attention and fight like hell. They don't trust the polls either.

From the FAQ, here:

Q: Do you use a likely voter model? 

A: No, the respondents provide us with their own subjective probability of voting and we use that to weight their responses.

Five likely voter polls give Hillary an average advantage of only +3.6 in August, eight registered voter polls +8.9

Like Eleanor Clift, Fred Barnes expresses gratitude for being included in The McLaughlin Group

Here:

I'm grateful to McLaughlin for having been part of it.

Eleanor Clift says goodbye to John McLaughlin, the way it should be done

You should read it, here:

Every issue was deeply researched, and John relished weightier issues like NATO enlargement, making us eat our vegetables before we would get to the easy headlines. ... We will miss his signature phrases, beginning with Issue One, and ending with Bye-Bye. And we will miss the man, who was always a blast to be around. John was an original, and while there are many imitators, he will never be overtaken. He got there first, and he created something that in its own way is as iconic as The Honeymooners with Jackie Gleason, a comparison I know John would love.

Why Real Clear Politics shouldn't include the NBC/SM poll in its presidential average

The poll shows Clinton +9 currently.

The poll is conducted online, but if you're a smart person, you've installed an ad-blocker, which means you won't be polled. Hence the poll skews stupid right out of the gate.

The poll is of registered voters, including lots of motor-voters, not of likely voters, and the most likely to vote are 60 years of age and over. In 2012 70% of them turned out, but this poll this week of 15,179 includes just 657 people over  65, or 4.3% of the total. The poll therefore can't be said to reflect the opinion of those most likely to vote.

Here's what it does reflect. In 2012 turnout of people 18-44 averaged about 47%, yet this poll is 46% of that demographic, or 6,920 people, only 3,252 of which are likely to show up in November 2016.

You can make a poll say anything you want by playing games like this.

The NBC/SM poll is trying to shape opinion, not measure it.

Already ridiculed in July, Albuquerque Italian restaurant ups the ante from black olive tapenade to black olives matter T-shirts

Offensive WaPo "obituary" for John McLaughlin lumps him in with his intellectual inferiors to dismiss him

Liberalism prefers processed news

Nixon loyalists remain unforgivable at WaPo.

Erik Wemple, here, a liberal fundamentalist if there ever was one, whom McLaughlin wouldn't have needed five minutes to wither, let alone thirty:

"pugnacious style as a host of a political chat show helped usher in the era of impolite punditry"

"goaded journalists and pundits into moving beyond fact into the argumentative terrain of ideological talking points and rhetorical hyperbole"

"Mr. McLaughlin’s impact can be glimpsed almost any night on cable news channels, for better or worse. ... his show’s staccato approach to wringing opinions from guests previewed the Internet’s addiction to fast and unprocessed news bites."

Obamacare is only attractive to the poorest and sickest, but is "an utter disaster for the working and middle class"

So says Robert Laszewski for CNBC, here:

Obamacare has insured millions of people—particularly in the states that have expanded Medicaid (albeit a currently unsustainable program in its own right) and it has been attractive to the poorest that get bigger subsidies and lower deductibles in the exchanges. But Obamacare has been an utter disaster for the working and middle class that seem willing to buy the unattractive plans only if they are sick and can come out ahead on the deal.

Obama interrupted his vacation yesterday to fundraise for Hillary, but to oversee Louisiana flooding not so much

The Boston Globe didn't even bat an eye.

Tens of thousands of homes are flooded out in Louisiana, but your president has to be a Republican before the news media give a shit

Rod Dreher can only wonder here.

Hey Rod! The media only care when the poor blacks get flooded out. You working and middle class people don't count. And you don't have an advocate in the White House. Brownie is only for the rich (and for the poor only on paper).

The McLaughlin Group is history: John McLaughlin dead at 89

Reported here.

The show was a singular venue for decades to hear weekly the "old right" point of view as understood by Patrick J. Buchanan, long-time friend and associate of John McLaughlin going back to the days of Richard M. Nixon.

Some of those ideas now find expression in the candidacy of Donald John Trump.

Democrats want the Hyde Amendment ended, want your tax dollars to pay for abortions

Story here.

Doofus Joe Biden, VP, exposes the guy with the nuclear codes while saying Trump can't be trusted with them

Here:

“There’s a guy that follows me right back here, has the nuclear codes,” Biden said, turning and pointing. “So God forbid anything happened to the president and I had to make a decision, the codes are with me.” 

Video here.

Hillary Clinton deleted "you have the right to be believed" from website last February, six months later The Hill notices that BuzzFeed has finally noticed

Feminists haven't focused like a laser beam on Hillary's hypocrisy because . . . ?

From The Hill story here:

Clinton tweeted in September [2015] that every sexual assault survivor had "the right to be believed." ... Broaddrick, who claimed Bill Clinton raped her in 1978 when he was serving as Arkansas' attorney general, decided to tweet after hearing Clinton's statements on sexual assault. ... The line from Clinton's website was [reportedly] deleted in February after Broaddrick's [tweet] made headlines [in January 2016].

Reuters/Ipsos has Clinton +6 in early August, but . . .

. . . in early July she was +11.

The New York Times focuses on possible corruption of Paul Manafort, not on the real corruption of Hillary Clinton

Here.

Milwaukeeans volunteer to clean up rioters' mess, Governor Walker calls it "selfless caring" after blacks burn down Indian-owned BP gas station

Yeah, right up there with Jesus dying for our sins, guv'ner.

From the story here:

"I commend the citizens who volunteered in clean-up efforts this morning," Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker said. This act of selfless caring sets a powerful example for Milwaukee's youth and the entire community. I join Milwaukee's leaders and citizens in calling for continued peace and prayer."

Nobody is going to call this a hate crime committed by blacks against Indian-Americans, but that's what it was. The gas station has been at the center of controversy since at least July 19th when clerk Bhupinder Sidhu fired shots to disperse juvenile delinquents from his store, some of whom earlier in June had broken windows at the station. 

From that story here:

According to the complaint, Sidhu told investigators shortly after Sherman Park closed at 10:00 p.m. on Tuesday night, a large group of juveniles came to the store. An employee attempted to close the entrance to the store -- but couldn't because someone was holding the door open. Sidhu claimed he feared for his safety and his employee's safety -- so he took his loaded Smith & Wesson M&P .40 caliber shield handgun from behind the counter and exited the store. He said he then pointed the handgun in the air, and fired two rounds "in order to try to get people to leave the store." Investigators reviewed surveillance video, which shows Sidhu exiting the store while holding what appears to be a handgun. Sidhu can then be seen raising the gun in the air -- and the crowd can be seen scattering. Sidhu and two others are then seen following the crowd until everyone left the area near the gas station.

Black cop shoots black perp, blacks burn down six Milwaukee businesses anyway, Governor Walker ready to send in the Guard

Walker would have made a good Chief Executive, except for the free-trade and illegal immigration stuff.  Like the Bush Clan, Walker lacks "the vision thing".

From the AP-Obama report, here:

Six businesses were burned and 17 people arrested in violence a few hours after a black police officer shot a black man. Police said the victim was fleeing a traffic stop and was holding a gun when he was shot. ... Walker says he took the step after receiving a request from Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke and talking with Mayor Tom Barrett and the Guard's leader. His announcement says the Guard will be in position to help "upon request."

US Attorney for the Southern District of NY and FBI field offices said to be cooperating in Clinton Foundation investigation

FBI Director James Comey before Congress July 7th would neither confirm nor deny such an investigation of the Clinton Family Crime Foundation exists.

Story here.

Ted Cruz' "very unfavorable" rating hits 52% in Texas

Data here.