Western Wats issues press release regarding push polling policy..

Western Watts ^ | November 16, 2007 | staff

[Leisler]

November 16, 2007

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

It has come to the attention of Western Wats that several stories in the press are circulating claiming Western Wats engages in a practice commonly referred to as "push polling."

Western Wats has never, currently does not, nor will it ever engage in push polling.

Often we find there is confusion on the question of what is legitimate opinion survey research and what is commonly referred to as push polling. American Association of Public Opinion Researcher (AAPOR), has good definitional information on push polling http://aapor.org/aaporstatementonpushpolls. Additionally, interested individuals may find an article which appeared in the Rothenberg Political Report on this topic to be of interest: http://rothenbergpoliticalreport.blogspot.com/2007/03/for-thousandth-time-dont-call-them-push.html

Western Wats is a survey research data collection firm which services the opinion survey research and marketing research industries. Western Wats does not design or determine the content of the surveys it operationalizes by telephone or over the Internet, nor does it analyze or use the data for its own purposes. Confidentiality agreements prohibit us from commenting on specific projects and/or clients.

[JRochelle]

I wonder if Western Wats knows that they ruined Romney’s chances?

http://www.eyeon08.com/

[NonValueAdded]

“operationalizes” who ideated that one?

[Leisler]

"The woman in the picture is Teena Lindorf, sister-in-law of Ron Lindorf, the Founder and Chairman of Western Wats. According to the blog, the photo was taken by Paul Lindorf, her husband and Ron Lindorf’s brother. The caption says:

Romney’s last greeting with friend Teena Lindorf before entering car (photo by Paul Lindorf)"

[JRochelle]

If this stuff is all true, well we know how it will end!

Lady, get ready to be run over by the bus!

[Leisler]

I could read it that Western Watts says it does not push poll, but we don’t design or determine content so we are innocent and anyways we aren’t going to rat out anyone.

[Leisler]

The other notion I have is that a poll did ask about McCain and Mormons. A handful of Mormons or Romney supporters heard what they wanted/imagined and dropped the Mormon card.

[Beagle8U]

That link you posted has been hacked and is now unreadable.

[Clara Lou]

The link is fine.

[Beagle8U]

When I click on the link it posts several different pages of text, one on top of another.

You can’t read it.

[JRochelle]

Romney is friends with Western Wats family
November 16, 2007 – 7:30 pm
So I spent most of the day being unsure of the various theories about the push-polls. Some people have suggested that Mitt Romney could be behind it, like Liz Mair, David Freddoso, and Allahpundit, although Allah has clarified that he no longer thinks that. But just as possibly, it could be an outside group.

I did ask, however, this question:

If someone is trying to slime Mitt Romney with his religion, do they really go to a Utah-based call center run by people in Romney’s world? Wouldn’t they know that it would get out? What does it tell us if it doesn’t?

Something didn’t square. After all, it seemed likely that the people running Western Wats were in the same social circles as the Romneys. I was right.

Check out this picture from the blog Elect Romney in 2008:

The woman in the picture is Teena Lindorf, sister-in-law of Ron Lindorf, the Founder and Chairman of Western Wats. According to the blog, the photo was taken by Paul Lindorf, her husband and Ron Lindorf’s brother. The caption says:

Romney’s last greeting with friend Teena Lindorf before entering car (photo by Paul Lindorf)

(emphasis in the original)

The author of the blog post is a friend of the Lindorf family. He writes:

Today I attended an “Ask Mitt Anything” townhall meeting at Chapman University in Orange, CA (where Hugh Hewitt teaches law) with my daughter Bree and friends Paul & Teena Lindorf

So let’s get this straight. Mitt Romney is friends with the family of the Founder and Chairman of the company that is placing anti-Mormon and anti-Romney phone calls?

This morning Hugh Hewitt said:

If the campaign that used appeals to religious bigotry is identified, it will be over for that candidate. Let’s hope someone inside Western Wats tips the MSM.

I wonder if Hugh still thinks that.

UPDATE: David Freddoso and Allah Pundit want to make it very clear that they did not suggest that the Romney campaign is behind it. I am not making that claim either. Just that people in Romney’s circle appear to be responsible for it.

[Leisler]

You are looking at the hptt code, or ‘source code’. The link is fine, try a different browser.

[Leisler]

Senior VP at polling firm blamed for anti-Mitt, anti-Mormon calls donated to … Romney; Update: Why was a known Mitt supporter on the call list?

And he’s not the only one at the firm, Western Wats, who has. David Freddoso searched the FEC database and discovered that one of the firm’s professional callers maxed out a donation to Mitt in March. A search of my own revealed that a programmer there also donated $500 to him in July. And the aforementioned senior VP, Jeffrey Welch, kicked in $500 of his own as recently as September 30th. Except for one other person (whose job title isn’t given) who donated to Alan Keyes, those are the only donations listed for Western Wats in the FEC’s files. Question: Why would a rival (or 527) looking to push a scummy poll on Mitt select a firm for the task where at least two employees and one executive are known to......CLICK FOR MORE

[Beagle8U]

I clicked the live link that was posted. It overlays a newsmax poll over the text and other garbage, photos of Hillary etc.

[Drango]

The link works fine for me.

[Leisler]

Don't worry, it's all over the blogs.

How weird is this? Western Watts, calls a guy named Watts in Iowa, that is a state rep and Romney supporter. Lots of Watts in the world.

In Iowa, Romney supporter and state representative Ralph Watts got a call on Wednesday."

[Beagle8U]

This would be par for the course for the Willard slime campaign.

Its right out of the RAT play-book, slime yourself then whine and cry victim status.

[Leisler]

State Representative Ralph Watts, a Republican from Adel who is also a Mormon, got the phone call on Wednesday evening and the caller asked Watts a number of questions about Mormonism.. Curious and curiouser. A company from Utah, with Romney supporters, calling Iowa state Representive who are also Mormons and Romney supporters. The Company name is Western Watts, the Rep is Ralph Watts, born in Wyoming.

[Leisler]

It is falling apart as very dumb. I think it is Mormons that have lost their heads over the idea of a Mormon in the White House. I doubt very much it is done with any support of Mitt. Staff, maybe. Supporters, definitely.

[Beagle8U]

His campaign has so very slimy operators and he must be aware of that fact by now.