AOLers Speak: It's Bush By a Landslide

"In times of stress and strain, people will vote."

     - Anonymous

Joe Kovacs over at WorldNetDaily delivers some surprising news:

"In what some political observers might view as shocking news, a poll of America Online members is currently forecasting a landslide victory for President Bush, who collects 48 of the 50 states in this year's electoral race.

The unscientific survey, whose results change in real time as more people vote, reveals with more than 34,000 participants, Bush takes a whopping 58 percent of the popular vote compared to 40 percent for Sen. John Kerry and 2 percent for Ralph Nader."

This translates into 525 electoral votes for the president and 13 for Senator Kerry, who wins only Vermont, Connecticut and the District of Columbia. He fails to win his home state of Massachusetts where Bush gets 51 percent of the vote.

All this is interesting in light of national poll results gathered by the likes of Gallup, Rasmussen, and others who have the race in a dead heat. What would account for the huge difference in the predicted outcome of the election?

Without knowing the demographics of AOL members, it would be hard to say, but it does suggest there's more at work in the country than is revealed by the professionals. Perhaps this "man-on-the-street" effort provides us a clearer, more accurate picture of what will actually happen this fall. Perhaps not, but it does give us bloggers something else to pontificate about.

AOL plans to re-poll each month, giving its members the opportunity to cast another vote. This will continue up until the November election, and allows those who have already made their choice and had a change of heart to vote for another candidate. A good idea, I think.

If you're an AOL member and would like to participate in this exercise, visit keyword: Elections 2004 and click on "Vote in the AOL Straw Poll." Consider it your patriotic duty.

Update: On August 19 with 64,217 votes tallied, Bush has collected 55% of the total. Kerry has captured 44% and Nader 1% of all votes cast. Bush leads Kerry in electoral votes 404 to 134.