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World

Obama Targeted

Experts say RJC survey was no "push poll," but Dems say it was misleading.

Eric Finqerhut
Jewish Telegraphic Agency

Washington

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emocratic and GOP pollsters say
that in at least one respect the
Republican Jewish Coalition has
received a bum rap: Despite initial sug-
gestions to the contrary, the RJC's recent
survey testing negative messages about
Barack Obama was not a "push poll:'
The term describes the practice of pass-
ing along negative messages about oppo-
nents in the guise of a survey with no real
intention of gauging callers' views.
In recent days the RJC's executive direc-
tor, Matt Brooks, was forced to fend off
claims that his organization conducted
such a poll after several Jewish residents
in swing states said they had received neg-

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September 25 • 2008

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ative and misleading calls about Obama,
the Democrats' presidential nominee.
Democrats now concede that the RJC did
not conduct a push poll, though they contin-
ue to insist that the messages the organiza-
tion was testing were filled with distortions
and untruths. They have called on Brooks to
release the full list of questions.
Brooks says the RJC did nothing wrong
by sponsoring a poll that tested negative
messages about Obama and will not provide
the survey questions to the media unless
Democrats do the same. The National Jewish
Democratic Council declined to do so.
"I'll be happy to release the questions
when the Obama people release their
polls;' Brooks said. "I don't want a double
standard:'
The RJC leader said his organization
had "nothing to apologize for" and was
simply testing messages like "every single

campaign" does. Many of the messages
that Brooks confirmed were tested in the
poll are statements that have been appear-
ing in RJC advertisements and other lit-
erature for months.
Brooks added that characterizations
of the survey as a "negative Obama poll"
were unfair. He said of the 82 questions
asked, "less than 10 percent" tested "mes-
sages" dealing with Obama, the junior
Illinois senator. Other questions dealt with
the economy, energy independence and a
"wide range of issues."
The poll queried 750 voters in
Florida, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio and
Pennsylvania.
Lynne Avadenka of Huntington Woods
was one of those people.
"My first question was, `Who is sponsor-
ing this poll?" Avadenka said. She was only
told the name of the polling company. She

says her radar went up, when she was asked,
"Beyond Jewish, how do you identify?"
"At first, many questions were generic
about both candidates, then they got very
pointer Avadenka said. Those questions
targeted Obama, his views on Israel and
other topics Jewish voters might be sensi-
tive about.
"In a way, the questions were leading
and meant to cause grave concern if you
were a Jewish voter," Avadenka said. "I was
on to it pretty early on. Many questions I
took a pass on. I wanted to see how fright-
ening or alarming the questions were.
They were leading and misleading, and
that part was troubling.
"I have already decided Obama will
get my vote she said, "but I can see if you
weren't sure yet or if one issue for you is an
overriding factor, this [poll] could shake you
up a bit. I believe some damage was done:"