Andrew Kohut

In the following viewpoint, Andrew Kohut responds to criticisms commonly made about the use of opinion polls in politics and the news coverage of political races. He notes that the public, the press, and policy makers are all skeptical of opinion polls for different reasons. The author contends that these criticisms are mostly unfounded and that, in fact, opinion polls provide information that can help politicians become responsible leaders. Kohut calls on pollsters to be more eloquent in defense of polling. Kohut is director of the Times Mirror Center for the People and the Press. The following viewpoint was excerpted from a speech delivered to the American Association for Public Opinion Research.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. What reasons does Kohut give for the public’s skepticism toward polls?
2. How does the...