Blog Editor’s Reality Check:”After correcting for differences in the samples, almost all of Obama’s double-digit pickup disappears, leaving McCain with four- and three-point leads without and with leaners, respectively. Even if one argues that the…..

The point is that they don’t disclose obvious differences in sample make-up that would affect the validity of conclusions reached, and let readers assume that they hold these things constant. They attempt to do with other demo characteristics constant; why not this one? Fundamentally dishonest, unless there is evidence that party ID in the country has changed significantly in the intervening three weeks, which it hasn’t.

“Somehow,” there’s an 8-9 point difference in party affiliation in 3 weeks. That isn’t “random,” and pollster trying to figure out what’s really going on out there wouldn’t be satisfied with such an obviousl mix change. A press organization really interested in trying to figure out what’s going on out ther wouldn’t accept the results at face value, at least not without waving a lot of red flags about how the samples were different.

This is crap dressed up as scientific polling.

The Gallup blurb talked about how the party ID changed post-convention, but it didn’t indicate that it changed again. I believe that would be because it doesn’t when that party’s convention is the latter of the two.

Most likely the earlier poll found more self-identified Republicans because it was closer to the GOP convention. The Gallup blurb you linked to addresses this phenomenon. Nice charts, though.

The Media “breaking of McCain” is mostly in the eyes of McCain supporters who are letting the Media delude them with polls such as the one fisked here.