March 1, 2007

Rep. Tom Petri:   During a smear poll, a caller claiming to be taking a poll preads negative, and generally false, information about a political opponent. When the person being 'polled' is asked if his or her support for candidate 'X' would continue if they learned that the candidate had never paid any taxes, had embezzled from his employer, liked to drown puppies or some other charge, it makes little difference if the allegation is true because the charge has been planted. The poller can say he was asking a question rather than making an allegation, but the effect is the same.