Who Are These People?

I often ask myself, "Who are the people who answer these political opinion polls?" As of Wednesday one answer is, "me." The day after the six week lead-up to the Pennsylvania Primary, a woman from the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute called our house on the phone (on the land line) and spoke with me. I suspect it was legit because she did have a pronounced "Lon Geyeland"/Tri-State accent (OK -- that's uncalled for!), didn't ask any type of phishing questions, and told me right up front that it would take about 9 minutes.

She asked me questions about party affiliation, presidential preferences, and broad demographics. There was clearly that "N% of people who favored Democrat A, would not vote for Democrat B in the fall" feel to it. She fired off the questions, I answered them and after 9 minutes and 12 seconds we were done. I lengthened the survey by answering a question she didn't give me about a contest between Mickey Mouse and a candidate whom I won't mention. At the end I told her I very much appreciated the Quinnipiac Polls.

So now I know. I've met the unnamed, middle class, white Pennsylvanian swing state voter and he is I.