Aha, the Visionistas have decided to strategically give out their latest poll on Gregor Robertson’s popularity.
The highlights here in the Vancouver Sun. Would have been nice to see all of the questions in the poll — maybe a PDF? I’ll let all of you do the analysis.
24 responses so far ↓
1 spartikus // May 15, 2010 at 3:42 pm
Gosh, it seems like it was only a short time ago that someone wrote: Gregor Robertson is only hovering around the 60% approval mark, wth a VERY STRONG disapproval rating.
Oh wait, it was a short time ago. My world is upside down. You…you don’t think there’s an unreliable narrator at work, do you?
2 spartikus // May 15, 2010 at 4:18 pm
More than 60 per cent of Vancouverites agree with that [Green] agenda, only 5.4 per cent opposed it.
And those 5.4 per cent comment here!
Once again, I’m confused. I was informed that Mayor Moonbeam’s bike lanes – which have the distinction of being both fascist and new age – and backyard chickens and so on and so forth was of such profound embarrassment to the citizens of this city that we were in a state of suspended insurrection.
A week or so ago I said I thought VV was vunerable to criticism – from the left. But I see COPE’s numbers in that piece and have to wonder. It’s my belief that continuing to shift taxes from businesses to residential properties might see a push back.
The one thing the NPA can take heart from is that even without a real leader they are still at 30% – but that might represent the hard wired 30% that I’m told are “conservative” in any electorate.
3 Tim Latanville // May 15, 2010 at 6:29 pm
Yea, I cannot wait to hear all the expected refutations from the Axis of Dishevel…Klassen, Fontaine and Tsakumis… on the Mayors reported popularity.
I’m sure we’ll hear that they have some undetermined polling that says something else, or that there’s about to be a revolt against chickens in the city.
Isn’t it about time that Fontaine and Klassen simply admit that they are washed up Sam Sullivan hacks who can’t accept that Robertson is running a good program. Fontaine had his chance at the helm and he helped Sullivan practically run the city into ground. Get over it Daniel! Let’s wait to hear their spin.
And how many paragraphs will we hear from Tsakumis on all the non-sourced sources he’ll claim shows that Robertson is doomed and Cernetig has his head up his butt etc.
I think everyone may just want to acknowledge that Robertson is doing just fine and the city seems pretty happy with where it’s going. Could it be as simple as that?
TL
4 Freddy // May 16, 2010 at 6:43 am
When politicians tell you the results of something, but refuse to show you the “something”, it means only one thing.
The skanky buggers are LYING.
We are not stupid Gregor et al . . . although you obviously think we are.
5 Brad // May 16, 2010 at 11:30 am
Hmmmmm …. the poll was conducted by Stratcom, Bob Penner’s company who is also a major financial contrubutor and strategist for Gregor and VV.
I sure would like to see the sample size and the order of the questions (hopefully no leading questions) before drawing any conclusions.
6 Glissando Remmy // May 16, 2010 at 11:01 pm
The Thought of The Day
“I’m thinking, this poll must be about the mythological Greek ruler, running by himself, inside a stadium with no spectators, waving to the non existing crowds only to reach the Finish line…second!”
He was known as Oedipus Rex and in his self diluted mind he thought too highly of himself. Ask Sophocles if you don’t believe me!
Poll numbers? Maybe poll apparitions. As a matter of fact, earlier in the weekend, some kids playing next to a community garden in Kits, and later interviewed by the pollsters, have reported such a sighting.
Apparently someone wearing a green skin, coordinated cape engraved with “Who’s ‘yo Mayor?”, and Hamlet pants, tried to save a lettuce. The impartial rabbit, though, got away.
And if anyone care to hear my opinion on Mayor Gregor’s performance, to date…well, let’s say the first thing that comes to my mind is that of a continuous case of coitus interruptus. And that, in a 100% approval rate!
We live in Vancouver and this keeps us busy.
7 Joe Just Joe // May 17, 2010 at 1:33 pm
It reminds me of a cartoon story of a boss walking around with pink slips in his hand asking employees if they liked working for him. When the boss gets home he brags to his wife that over 90% of the office liked working with him, there were only 2 people that didn’t but it wasn’t an issue as they were scheduled to retire next week anyways.
8 blaffergassted // May 17, 2010 at 4:45 pm
More than 60 per cent of Vancouverites agree with that [Green] agenda, only 5.4 per cent opposed it.
And 34.6 per cent are still trying to figure out what is meant by “the Green agenda”?
9 A. G. Tsakumis // May 18, 2010 at 1:45 am
It’s really quite simple Spartikass.
The Mayor’s numbers are exactly where I told you they are and with huge disapproval numbers.
But the point here isn’t what I think…it’s what Bob Penner thinks.
Anyone believing this poll just released needs their head examined by an entire team of professionals.
If Gregor’s numbers were as good, why not go to a firm where the appearance and stench of bias would be non-existent?
C’mon Timmy…you can do it. Put down the Gregor inflate-a-mate and tell us….
10 spartikus // May 18, 2010 at 8:24 am
The Mayor’s numbers are exactly where I told you they are and with huge disapproval numbers.
Um, there’s an 18 point difference b/w your number and the Stratcom poll. Or are yours “pre-Olympic bounce” – there’s still an 8 point difference.
Why aren’t Freddy and Glissando and JJJ expressing concern over precisely where AGT got his numbers and whether, Tsukmanis once being a campaign general for the NPA and all, his number might not be “skewed” in that partisan way they are so concerned about.
Hmmm?
I’ll certainly concede that AGT probably has a lot of expertise in dealing with high disapproval ratings.
Push polling and other related shenanigans are real problems, but usually when you dispute the veracity of a poll you hang your hat on more than a feeling. Another poll, or preferably polls, to display how certain numbers are suspect, or if Stratcom has a verifiable history of skewed polls. Oh, I suppose there could also be a conspiracy b/w the 2 major newspapers and the Courier, as Mike Klassen alludes. But that should be easy to reveal in a substantive way.
Stratcom has a long list of clients not named Vision Vancouver. Polling companies live or die over the accuracy of their product, something which their clients also demand. They are also very upfront with their mission statement: We help non-profits, advocacy groups and political candidates become more effective in their work.
If you have something, anything, that casts doubt on their work…now is the time!
11 spartikus // May 18, 2010 at 8:26 am
Tsakumis, not Tsakumanis. Apologies.
12 MB // May 18, 2010 at 8:48 am
To me the real question is not whether Gregor has a vacant look in his eyes all the time or only some of the time, but whether Alex’s cigar is a comical affectation, or does he really inhale?
And does he dip the thing in lavender oil before lighting it?
Oh the profundity of it all.
13 david hadaway // May 18, 2010 at 9:25 am
MB, one does not inhale cigar smoke. As Mr Tsakumis gets his tobacco products from my own supplier I will testify to his good taste.
14 Brad // May 18, 2010 at 10:15 am
Like other pollsters that release their results with the list of questions and as Frances has alluded to, why doesn’t either Stratcom or VV release the full details of this poll?
Something smells rotten in Denmark.
15 spartikus // May 18, 2010 at 10:27 am
I would love to see the details too and I’ll second that call. But it should probably be recognized that this was [likely] privately commissioned.
Releasing it, or select portions of it, publicly is self-serving. Of course it is. But that doesn’t mean the numbers are wrong. VV feels like it has something to crow about. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if this release was entirely in reaction to others bandying about other [unsourced] numbers.
Once again, if anyone has a data to prove otherwise….yadda yadda yadda…etc.
16 spartikus // May 18, 2010 at 10:29 am
Just to add: those polls that polling companies make available to the public are advertisements for their private services.
17 Sean Bickerton // May 18, 2010 at 11:48 am
It’s a friendly poll, so they had a choice whether to release it or not and when. Why now? They must have felt the need to boost his standing, perhaps because he has spent so much political capital on Global TV defending a sweetheart tax giveaway to Concord instead of appealing it.
Why they’ve been allowed to pay $4000/yr in property taxes on 12 acres of prime waterfront property for 20 years is beyond me. Thankfully the False Creek Residents Association is doing the Mayor’s job for him and appealing the assessment – at a cost of $30!
If Mayor Robertson wishes to hang his hat on a 78% approval rating – an impressive achievement – that’s his privilege. Let’s not forget that anything under 75% after such an amazing Olympic experience would be surprising, which is why the 60% last reported was such a shocker.
Regardless of the reason they released the poll now, they have and 78% approval it is – the standard against which Mayor Robertson’s popularity will be measured for the next 18 months.
18 MB // May 18, 2010 at 1:34 pm
@ david hadaway: “MB, one does not inhale cigar smoke. As Mr Tsakumis gets his tobacco products from my own supplier I will testify to his good taste.”
Well, I confess to inhaling even cigar smoke on occasion. And I also drank the Kool-aid. Made my youth real interesting.
How ironic if AGT smoked Cubans.
19 PW // May 19, 2010 at 6:09 am
Big deal! Eventually even Gregor will cycle too close to the sun.
20 spartikus // May 19, 2010 at 8:17 am
Finally…
Sean Bickerton adopts the right tack and tone an NPA’er should take.
1. Accept reality (Robertson has good numbers)
2. Set the context (He should have good numbers after the Olympics)
3. Lay out a realistic and achievable goal (Robertson’s future numbers will be judged with these – knowing full the odds greatly favour a decline)
Throw in a reference to a story that really does have the public’s heads scratching (the Concord property assessment)
No paranoid conspiracy theories of media collusion. No lengthy hyperbole filled character assassinations of Miro Cernetig (as AGT has done on his website – even going so far as to declare Cernetig’s article the worst article ever written in the Vancouver media).
21 A. G. Tsakumis // May 20, 2010 at 11:06 am
Spartikus, you need to read–and not project.
What I wrote about Miro’s shoddy piece was this:
“(it) was the worst column written (piece) by a local journalist about civic matters in years, if not for its determined bias, as for its shameful, complete lack of research-backed credibility.”
You wrote:
“No lengthy hyperbole filled character assassinations of Miro Cernetig (as AGT has done on his website – even going so far as to declare Cernetig’s article the worst article ever written in the Vancouver media).”
There was no character assassination. There was no paranoia.
If Peter Ladner had a close friend of his and MASSIVE donor doing a poll for him, your masters in Vision Vancouver would have you bitching about it on every site you infest for them.
22 spartikus // May 20, 2010 at 5:10 pm
LOL…I stand corrected. But, er, not by much.
By the by, are you ever going to reveal the source of your approval/disapproval numbers? I ask because your strenuous objections to the ties between VV and Stratcom while simultaneously putting forth numbers of unknown origin of your own – while eliding over your past ties with the NPA – are, you know, kind of jarring.
Or amusing.
Depending on your perspective.
23 A. G. Tsakumis // May 22, 2010 at 2:06 pm
No, wrong again.
The reason Bob Penner won’t show the whole poll is because he is aware that someone else has done a poll, not NPA related, and those figures do not jive with his. The pressure on Vision to release such a poll was growing since I outed them three weeks ago.
My “past” wasn’t a problem for you when Gregor announced his candidacy in my then column in 24hours, or when I was writing supportively of his sensible campaign promises.
But now that he is a proven political puppet, you raise my NPA “past”.
Funny stuff from a guy who hides behind a contrived name and can’t take the truth much.
24 spartikus // May 22, 2010 at 6:37 pm
Notice Alex didn’t answer the question.With full knowledge of the futility of it, I’ll repeat it: Where did you get your numbers, Alex, that you posted on your blog on April 28th?
60% approval. “High” disapproval.
My “past” wasn’t a problem for you
Your past isn’t a problem to me actually (and truth be told I didn’t know you existed until I started frequently this blog a year and half ago). But you seem to have a problem with Bob Penner’s past and present ties to VV.
It’s a standard one can hold. I don’t think it’s a useful standard, but you do.
You just don’t hold yourself to it.
I find that funny and quite typical of a certain type of conservative.
As for the rest, you find politicians and journalists “wonderful” one week and “odious” the next. Quite often it seems a judgement based on whether you believe they are agreeing with you.
One day you will find me wonderful. You’ll sneer at this idea, of course. But one day we’ll agree on something and I’ll be the cat’s meow for 24 hours.
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