The Telephone Poll Concerning Measure P

The names and other identifying forms of two persons who sent Emails to me today, have been changed. I have also changed the identity of the person who was the main “To:” person on an Email I also received.

The following names of Bob, Beth, Audry, and Kelly have not been independently verified and could be alternative names use in their working capacities.

At 2:25 PM on Tuesday September 14, 2010, Ms. Susan Lebrush sent me the following Email:

“Mark,
I just got a call from Audry asking if I support Measure P which "will provide for a new library, fields and parking lots". She actually said I need to support Measure P in order for this to get done.

Susan”
At 2:27 PM on Tuesday September 14, 2010, Mr. Michael Le Petomane, sent to Ms. Jessica Mousemeadow and me via a Bcc, the following:
“Jessica,

I just received a very misleading telephone call from Beth at Advantage Research regarding Measure P. She explained that the measure would add recreational facilities and a library that will be open to the public. She asked if I would be interested in supporting the Measure. She failed to mention that both items were already approved and omitted the fact that the purpose of the measure is to seek public approval for dorms.

I spoke with her manager Rob, who would not provide any contact information or release the name of sponsor. He was very polite, stating an earlier caller pointed out the same fact. He will follow up with the sponsor but for the time being, continue to conduct the poll by reading from the screen.

The poll is very misleading, contains falsehoods and is a disservice to the community regardless of your views.

Best Regards,”

Michael Le Petomane
310-853-1212

I Emailed Michael and asked for any more information he could provide and what is below is his Email Reply:

“Mark, this is all I have...I called MM and left a message for PR.

Today Beth from Advantage Research called and asked if I would support Measure P because it adds a recreational facilities and a library all open to the public. I asked her if she was familiar with the measure and she said slightly. Then I asked her if she was only slightly informed, how can she conduct the poll because here statement about the measure is incorrect. She said she just reads from the screen. I spoke with her supervisor Rob and pointed out that the measure is seeking to approve dorms which were omitted by Beth. The rec and liabray are already approved. He said he would check back with the sponser but continue polling.”

(Michael can get very excited at times.)

I followed Michael’s reply with a phone call to him and this is basically my interpretation of his verbal comments to me.

Beth called him (Michael) and asked if she could ask him a question.

Beth’s question stated to the affect that if you (Michael) learned that a new recreational facility and library would be built, would he (Michael) vote for Measure P. Exactly as Michael told me Beth’s quote was “would you vote for Measure P?”

Before Michael answered the question he asked Beth how much she knew about The Marymount Plan.

Beth told Michael that she was only slightly informed and when Michael told her there was more to Measure P than just a recreational center and a library, Beth stated she didn’t know what else was involved.

When quizzed, Beth told Michael that she just reads from a script on her screen.
Michael asked Beth who Beth’s firm represented but Beth told Michael she couldn’t provide that information.

Beth again asked if Michael would vote for Measure P.

Michael then asked to speak to a supervisor and that Beth should remain on the phone.
Bob picked up a phone and began a conversation with Michael.

Michael informed Bob that there are more elements to The Marymount Plan than just a recreational center and a library and Michael asked Bob who was conducting the poll.
Bob would not answer but Beth told Michael that she represented “Advantage Research”.

Michael then told Bob that he found the poll false and misleading and that dorms were also part of The Marymount Plan.

Bob confirmed that he knew that dorms are part of The Marymount Plan along with the recreational center and a library.

Michael complained to Bob and Bob said that he would look into the matter.

Michael never answered Beth’s original question.

After that phone call, Michael contacted several persons and called Marymount College.
He ultimately ended up leaving a message with someone possibly named “Kelly” on a voicemail.

When I talked to Michael, he said it was his impression that Beth might have stopped asking questions after the first one, but since I don’t have any more reports of other calls to other residents, I don’t know yet the extent of the questioning by the pollsters.

What a prime example of a push-poll. Sure, how can anyone argue against a new recreation center and a new library?

This is exactly the type of poll that businesses use to be able to state a much higher support level for whatever they want, without stating any possibly negative elements.

According to Michael, Beth had no idea about dorms and it didn’t appear on her screen.
I hope to learn more about others who have received phone calls and what is included and excluded from mention by the poll takers.

I think we all know that pollsters who ask the questions and type responses know little if anything about what is not on a script for what they are calling about.

These folks are probably great people, doing a thankless job, making close to, if not minimum wage and all they do is let the auto-dialer do its thing, be pleasant, read from the script, and record responses.

If Beth doesn’t know that Measure P, The Marymount Plan is about on-campus student housing and little else that has not already been approved, I certainly defend that and also opine that she probably doesn’t really care what is in The Marymount College Facilities Expansion Project or The Marymount Plan.

It would be not logical to suggest that many, if any pollsters working for Advantage Research live in Rancho Palos Verdes or even California, for that matter. In fact, Beth, Audry, and Bob do their work from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

But when Beth, Bob, and Michael all have the same story that dorms or whatever you want to call them are not included in the poll, it provides even more concrete details as to what can only be probably considered deceptive practices, probable misleading potential voters and something any entity wishing to be ‘good neighbors’ or remaining on the ‘high road’ would do, in my opinion.

This is just one more example of some attempting to consider Rancho Palos Verdes residents as being less intelligent than they really are.

It is one more sign that there are those doing business in our city who really does not respect voters they are trying to win over to their side.

Stuff like this might work in other parts of Los Angeles County, but trying to do this anywhere on The Hill and in most surrounding areas needs to be considered ridiculous, I feel.

Michael Le Petomane is a financial institution auditor, working primarily with Richards Beulah Savings.

I hope the there are qualified individuals who can do whatever it takes to try and curb reported wrongdoings associated with Measure P, The Marymount Plan.