Greg Hollingsworth

This report from Politico.com may be the first true "push-polling" i've heard about during this election cycle.

Jewish voters are complaining of a poll that, after confirming their religion, asks a series of questions that appear aimed at alarming Jewish voters, including linking Barack Obama to Palestinian terrorist groups. The New Republic's Jonathan Cohn, who took notes, and lists the negative messages:

• Obama has had a decade long relationship with pro-Palestinian leaders in Chicago
• The leader of Hamas, Ahmed Yousef, expressed support for Obama and his hope for Obama's victory
• The church Barack Obama has attended is known for its anti-Israel and anti-American remarks
• Jimmy Carter's anti-Israel national security advisor is one of Barack Obama's foreign policy advisors
• Barack Obama was the member of a board (sic) that funded a pro-Palestinian chartiable organization
• Barack Obama called for holding a summit of Muslim nations exlcuding Israel if elected president

Ben Smith's Blog: Jewish voters complain of anti-Obama poll - Politico.com.

Those who have received these calls claim that they are being conducted by "Research Strategies". The McCain campaign will obviously disavow any knowledge of these polls, even if the first result in a google search for "research strategies polling" is:

Wilson Research Strategies| Home

Opinion research firm serving Republican candidates, conservative organizations, public affairs campaigns, and major corporations. www.w-r-s.com/ - 19k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this

Perhaps that's all a little too convenient, but it doesn't bode well.  I would have hoped that this distasteful method of campaigning would not have been seen in an election featuring the man it has most prominently been used against, John McCain. I honestly hope for McCain's sake that this is being done by some rogue 529, but given the way this campaign has been going, it seems like both sides are more than willing to pull out the stops, go negative and play fast and loose with the facts to get to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. as a temporary resident.

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