[The 90’s Election Specials raw: Mr. Polls and St. Patrick’s Day Parade]

Raw tape for The 90's election specials. "Mr. Polls" explains how voter exit polls are conducted, and footage from the St. Patrick's Day Parade in Chicago.

00:00Copy video clip URL “Mr. Polls” explains how voter exit polls are conducted. He says he gathers probability samples designed to cover many demographics over different precincts. Exit polls began in 1967 and attempt to explain why people voted the way they did. “We can project most elections… they’re fairly accurate.” He has only predicted the wrong winner by exit polls once.

06:02Copy video clip URL Videomaker Diane Abt asks about the projected winners skewing people’s views, as it did with Buchanan and Bush. But Mr. Polls denies any attempt to influence people. “It didn’t skew the election… it skewed the news stories,” because reporters misunderstood the data. They don’t report exit polls until after the polls are closed. At the end of the interview, he makes predictions about the presidential race.

18:52Copy video clip URL Footage of Abt driving a car.

20:00Copy video clip URL Footage of the Chicago River after being dyed green.

20:47Copy video clip URL St. Patrick’s Day parade in downtown Chicago. Footage of the parade marchers and floats, including schools, unions, and the notorious Hamburg Athletic Association. An announcer narrates the various groups. Mayor Richard M. Daley waves to people and claps. The sound cuts out briefly.

30:53Copy video clip URL Abt interviews people about the parade, apparently attempting to get people to express cynicism about the political elements. One woman complies: “[the parade is] 100% political… free advertising.” But the other people interviewed seem to simply want to have a fun time and won’t comment about politics.

34:43Copy video clip URL More shots of the river, a good shot of the green river through the grill of a bridge, and people milling around. Some people carry Al Hofeld signs.

37:09Copy video clip URL More shots of floats and Irish merchandise. Abt talks to a clown dressed in all green.

42:54Copy video clip URL A child’s green footprints on the hood of a car.

43:31Copy video clip URL End of tape.