CNN Fooled By A DFA Fund-Raiser Disguised As A Poll ?

Washington (CNN) -- Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren -- not Hillary Clinton -- is the top progressive choice for president in 2016, according to a new poll.

In fact, Clinton doesn't even make second place. Forty two percent of respondents favor Warren, and Vermont Independent Senator Bernie Sanders also edges out Clinton with 24% compared to her 23%, according to results from the 2016 Presidential Pulse Poll commissioned by progressive grassroots organization Democracy for America.

Those are the first two paragraphs of a CNN article on November 20th. I try to give CNN the benefit of the doubt most times, but I am very disappointed that they thought this was a real story, and reported this as a real poll. They were either totally duped, or they are trying to cause a rift in the Democratic Party. Either way, their behavior is inexcusable.

What they are referring to is a fund-raising e-mail sent to many progressives by Democracy for America (a progressive super-PAC). I received several of these e-mails myself. It asked DFA members to choose their "favorite" three candidates for the Democratic nomination in 2016, and once they had chosen, it asked for a monetary donation (the real reason for the e-mail). They knew that many who responded would be guilted into making a donation.

Out of around 1,000,000 members of DFA, only about 16% responded (so it cannot really be represented as the wishes of DFA members, but only some die-hards who cannot accept the fact that Warren has chosen NOT to run). The poll was not done in a scientific way, and undoubtably was designed to show support for Warren. The truth is that most of us progressives understand that Warren is not running, recognized this "poll" for what it was (a fund-raiser), and know that the Democratic Party's best chance to elect a president in 2016 lies with nominating Hillary Clinton.

There is no doubt in my mind that a real poll, done scientifically, would produce a different result -- both among progressives and among Democrats in general. The candidate pictured below would be the clear favorite -- as she has been in every real poll taken so far.

NOTE -- This post should not be taken as a slam against either Senator Warren or Senator Sanders. I believe they are the two best senators in Washington -- by far. I just believe it is extremely important to keep a Republican extremist from living in the White House from 2017 thru 2020. And I believe Clinton is our best chance to avoid that.

(The caricatures of Elizabeth Warren and Hillary Clinton are by DonkeyHotey.)