speaking of polling data -- how is Bob O'Connor's polling numbers? -- anywhere?

Has anyone seen any polling data on the November 2005 mayor's race? Five candidates are on the ballot. Some 50,000 votes may be cast. However, I don't think any poll has surfaced -- yet.

The next clipping comes from a wire source and has a twist. The professor sent out a letter to the media that asked them not to report on the polling data. Humm...

Pay grab: It gets better and better But Madonna advised reporters not to report on this.

Why?

'Because the survey release has some serious defects that make it impossible to draw any sensible conclusions about the findings.'

According to Madonna, the defects involved not listing the exact wording of the questions or saying who paid for the survey.

But when a Pittsburgh reporter, Dimitri Vassilaros, checked the polling company's Web site, all that information was there. All of it. You can see it at www.pollingcompany.com.

Why not report it? Are the powerful so powerful that even honest brokers are drawn into their web?

PAT CARROLL: 255-8149 or pcarroll@patriot-news.com