Paddy Power paid out on Mr. Obama taking the whole Democratic nomination before the New Hampshire primary. Why? Well like his compatriot Tony O’Leary, Paddy Power jnr. has never been one to back off some (relatively) cheap publicity. That and the fact that 7 US polls had Obama in the lead 24 hours before polling.

Poll are like campaign debates. Pseudo-events that are created and facilitated for a media that will not engage fully with candidates and pose the tough questions. In this case the polls were dead wrong. By up to 13 points.

This has huge implications for all candidates from here on. And as CJR.org points out there are no easy answers for the pollsters. The answer for the media outlets: Lead with the facts guys and let’s get over the numbers and the spin.

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