I really hate polls

It's ridiculous, every one says something different and all the weighting and manipulation of the numbers reminds me of how the financial institutions rated all those "creative instruments" that created the housing bubble. Nonetheless, I'm fixated on them just like everyone else and there's something for everyone out there. Me, I like Pew's latest numbers as they seem to best reflect what I'm seeing in the state polling.

Barack Obama leads John McCain by a 52% to 36% margin in Pew’s latest nationwide survey of 1,325 registered voters. When the sample is narrowed to those most likely to vote, Obama leads by 53% to 38%. ...Obama holds a 53% to 34% lead among the sizable minority of voters (15%) who say they have already voted. Among those who plan to vote early but have not yet voted (16% of voters), 56% support Obama, while 37% support McCain.

Makes you wonder how Gallup could be coming up with a 2-4 point margin.

My new favorite is the 7/11 coffee cup poll showing Obama leading 60 to 40.

On another note, Patrick did some research on the pendulum swings of party power and if you use that as guide, by all historical markers, the Democrats are due for their turn at the helm.

Meanwhile, the defections continue. Republicans for Obama bought space in USA Today for this ad and Sully channels Letterman, coming up with the Top Ten Reasons Conservatives Should Vote for Obama.

One week to go. I can't wait until it's over.

[h/t Avedon, Jed Report and comrade nona]

[More posts daily at The Newshoggers and The Detroit News.]