Push Polls Highlighting Mitt Romney as a Mormon Being Conducted in Iowa and New Hampshire

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney speaks to reporters following a ‘Town Hall’ meeting as the Republican presidential hopeful campaigns in Burbank, Calif., Thursday, Nov. 15, 2007.

Push Polling which contains anti-Mitt Romney and anti-Mormon questions is being conducted in Iowa and New Hampshire.

In an apparent push poll, a research firm has called Iowa Republicans this week praising John McCain and critcizing Mitt Romney and his Mormon faith.

An individual in Manchester, Iowa, contacted me on Wednesday night saying he received a call with information about McCain’s military service and anti-spending record.

Then there were “lots of negatives on Romney,” said the recepient of the call in an e-mail, including mentions of his “flip-flops,” hiring illegal immigrants as landscapers and extensive discussion of Mormonism.

Ok, who is doing the poll?

Do you hear crickets?

The AP account of this story seems to lay blame on Rudy Giuliani’s campaign’s consulting group.

Western Wats, a Utah-based company, placed the calls that initially sound like a poll but then pose questions that cast Romney in a harsh light, according to those who received the calls. In politics, this type of phone surveying is called “push polling” — contacting potential voters and asking questions intended to plant a message in voters’ minds, usually negative, rather than gauging peoples’ attitudes.

A spokesman for Western Wats said he couldn’t comment on the company’s work. He said they do not do push polling.

Last year, Western Wats conducted polling that was intended to spread negative messages about Democratic candidates in a House race in New York and the Senate race in Florida. The Tampa Tribune and the Albany Times Union reported that Western Wats conducted the calls on behalf of the Tarrance Group.

That Virginia-based firm now works for Romney’s rival, Rudy Giuliani. The campaign has paid the firm more than $400,000, according to federal campaign reports.

Ed Goeas, chief of the Tarrance Group, said there is no connection between the Giuliani campaign and Western Wats. They are using a Houston firm to do their polling.

“I know absolutely it’s not us,” Goeas said. “I can say with absolute, no, it’s not us.”

Well, it would be too cute by half that this “push poll” hit be laid at the doorstep of Rudy Giuliani. After all, who has the most to gain by Romney doing poorly in Iowa and New Hampshire?

Why, it is Rudy Giuliani.

The obvious is doubtful.

The question is: How will Mitt Romney respond to the blatant anti-Mormon attacks?

Stay tuned…….

Update:

And, who do you think is responsible for these attacks?

1. Romney?

2. McCain?

3. Rudy?

4. Ron Paul?

5.Fred Thompson?

6. Hillary?

7. Howard Dean?

Let Flap know in comments…..

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