I really don't know the answer to that question. I've been leaning heavily on OpenLeft because they've compared several polls, examined their methodologies, and critiqued them along the way. TalkingPointsMemo has done similar work. Possibly by using either sits search engine you might find those discussions.

I think ondelette might be referring to the Tonkin Gulf metaphorically.

The outcome of the incident was the passage by Congress of the Southeast Asia Resolution (better known as the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution), which granted Johnson the authority to assist any Southeast Asian country whose government was considered to be jeopardized by "communist aggression". The resolution served as Johnson's legal justification for escalating American involvement in the Vietnam Conflict.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulf_of_Tonkin_Incident

Hamsher; FireDogLake

It's always great when Fox News calls for civility. After excluding Ron Paul (who is, per some polls, in a statistical tie for third in the GOP New Hampshire primary) from the debate last night, Fox's official pollster [emphasis mine] Frank Luntz's feathers were ruffled because a Paul supporter got into his focus group and taped the proceedings.

The man claims that Luntz was slamming Paul to focus group members, and according to Melissa Bailey of the New Haven Independent, threatened to publish the video on his web site:

Luntz charged the man with breaking the rules by recording the proceedings.

“I’m not part of the media. I have a Web site,” said the Paul supporter, who slipped away before the Independent could ask his name.

“You have a Web site,” echoed Luntz.

“Yeah, that’s not the media!” said the man. Others chimed in — “The Internet doesn’t count.”

Luntz charged the participant with subverting the poll. “Don’t you think you have a responsibility” to answer honestly to the questions? Luntz asked - or tried to, before he got cut off by raging Paulites.

"I'd also note that both are perilously close to Havana harbor."

Should have guessed.

I appreciate your spirited defense (at least that's how I read it) of reporters. There certainly have been stories about editors holding up stories on reporters (the WaPo on Cheney was one, IIRC), or influencing the timing of a story's release. I've argued in the past that one has to pick and choose among bylines. There is both good and horrible in the mainstream press and they are corporately owned. What galls me, and causes me to chime in on the smack-down, is what reporters report of themselves. Such as the bit Somerby highlighted a few days ago with the exchange between Milbank and Kurtz; MILBANK: The press will savage her no matter what, pretty much. (http://www.dailyhowler.com/dh010308.shtml). If their corporate owners had a gun to their heads saying, Make this look like fun, or else." I might have some compassion. But, I don't think that's the case. And, pieces like Scherer's only serve to reinforce my contempt. You might have to euthanize animals for a living, but I get suspicious if you turn it into a cruel joke, or make it seem like you're enjoying the hell out of it.

Kurtz will virtually never criticize any establishment media figures -- odd attribute for the "media critic" of CNN and The Washington Post.

Odd attribute, you say? I'd call it an array of things, but an odd attribute wouldn't be my first choice. Fraudulent. Deceitful. Shirking. Unprofessional. Crap-tacious, for sure.

Emotion on the stump:

IIRC, Hillary would not have been the first. "Tears" or near-tears rings a bell for me with Geraldine Ferraro (VP pick to Mondale). As I recall the press crucified her.

Another item Hillary shares with Geraldine:

Controversy with Barbara Bush

In a scandal worthy of supermarket tabloids Barbara Bush, when asked what she thought of Ferraro said she could respond, however, the word she was thinking of rhymes with "rich"[9]. Later that evening Mrs. Bush called Ferraro to apologize for allegedly calling her a "witch".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geraldine_Ferraro

Media Torn Over Whether To Cast Clinton As ‘Weak’ Or ‘Calculating’ For ‘Emotional’ Display

Contrasts the media response to tears from Romney, Bush I, Bush II, and Gates.

http://thinkprogress.org/2008/01/07/clinton-tears/

I think coming from that crew, I'd have considered the comment a fireproof endorsement of my civility, intellect, and sanity. Congratulations. Well done!