Don’t be fooled by so-called internal polling. The Labor Party is concerned that too many people think it will win Saturday’s election and that complacency will convince some of its disappointed normal supporters to make a protest vote in the belief that it is safe to teach it a lesson without there being any danger of the other lot actually being elected. Hence, the leaking to television journalists tonight that while in front 52 to 48 on the nationwide vote, Labor’s internal polling showed a considerable variation between states and between electorates that was putting the government in danger.

Unless there has been an outbreak of honesty since I had a role in that grubby task of election campaigning, there is very little likelihood that such “internal polling” actually exists except in the imagination of the leaker. In my day I certainly conducted most of this kind of survey all on my own and always found exactly the result reported so breathlessly tonight. To me, the amazing thing is the eagerness of journalists to believe any nonsense that they can turn into a rattling good yarn.

I can see no reason to stop putting no store at all in opinion polls — so-called internal party ones or newspaper published ones

A final prediction. I’ll play it safe and stick with the Crikey Election Indicator and suggest a Labor victory. Labor 77 seats, Coalition 69 with three Independents and one Green. That’ll give you someone to laugh at tomorrow night!

Another thought about tomorrow. Former federal and state independent MP Ted Mack writing in today’s Sydney Morning Herald:

“Party leaders and prime ministers come and go without reference to the voters. There is no mechanism to ensure promises are kept. Your vote is limited to the choice of who might represent your electorate —  after the faceless party people and branch stackers have chosen the bulk of the candidates. In truth, our electoral system is an illusion of democracy.”

Our informed democracies. They are Americans and they can vote!

One in four Americans wrongly believe Barack Obama is Muslim — Telegraph:

“An increasing number of Americans wrongly believe that President Barack Obama is a Muslim, with nearly one in four saying he is a follower of Islam, according to a new poll.”