How-To-Be-Your-Own-Reporter-Bob Davis Podcast 915

How To Be Your Own Reporter

These days our minds are the new battleground. To fight back we have to be our own reporters. I’ll tell you how to do that in How-To-Be-Your-Own-Reporter-Bob Davis Podcast 915.

Politicians Lie

It’s especially relevant to point out politicians and so called leaders lie. If it’s Monday, they lie. If their lips are moving they are lying.

Start With Skepticism

Any decent reporter starts with being skeptical when it comes to those who wield power. From there it’s all about checking details and establishing fact. Why? Because we live in a world where the information channels are filled with crap. Moreover, it’s on purpose.

Investigate Sources

In addition most so called ‘news sources’ these days are thin on resources. Newspapers have cut their newsroom staffs. Television networks don’t always fact check. More importantly cable news is all about personalities and arguments.

We All Have Blind Spots

Most noteworthy are the biases we all come to the table with. We all have blind spots when it comes to the ‘leaders’ we think are ‘doing a good job’. That’s how they use us.

What We Want To Hear

Even more most of us want to hear what we agree with. We want to feel secure in our beliefs and conclusions. Consequently we gravitate to the sources, stories and personalities we agree with.

Get Rid Of The Blind Spots

Above all if you really want to understand what’s going on you have to work on getting rid of the blind spots.

How I Lost My Blind Spots

Certainly I’ll tell you how I lost my blind spots in How-To-Be-Your-Own-Reporter-Bob Davis Podcast 915.

Sources, Biases and Facts

Similarly I’ll give you some pointers on how to use your devices to run down sources, determine biases and establish facts.

I Do Not Advocate

Finally, it’s my policy and the policy of my podcasts not to advocate for or against issues. I don’t fight for politicians. I am not financed by political donors.

Conspiracy Theories, Horoscopes and Psychics

Furthermore the longer I do this the more I believe we have to work with the facts we know we can confirm. Conspiracy theories and opinions are fun. Horoscopes and psychics are for entertainment only, right?

Not Fighting To Convince You

In conclusion I’ve given up trying to convince listeners and subscribers. I don’t fight for or against a politician.

Some Stories And How To Do Your Homework

I’ll tell you some stories and help you become your own reporter in this extra extra podcast.

(Editor’s Note: I do this all the time, I talk about someone off the cuff, and get the name wrong. In this case I refer to a certain Doctor Redmond at the CDC. It’s Doctor Robert R. Redfield, recently in the news with the Coronavirus crsis response.)

Sponsored by Ryan Plumbing and Heating of Saint Paul and Reliafund Payment Processors

How-To-Be-Your-Own-Reporter-Bob Davis Podcast 915

 

 

Election2020-Amy-Klobuchar-DesMoines-Bob Davis Podcast 896

Jury Duty All Week, Campaigning All Weekend

First of all US Senators are the jury in the Impeachment trial of the president. Or so some of them say. So weekends in Iowa are for campaigning. Learn more in Election2020-Amy-Klobuchar-DesMoines-Bob Davis Podcast 896.

How Candidates Interact

Moreover these podcasts give listeners a sense of how candidates are interacting with potential caucus goers.

Senior Senator

Especially relevant? Klobuchar’s status as a senior Senator and moderate Democrat, running in a field of progressives.

Practical Progressive

She calls herself a ‘practical progressive‘.

Lots Of Talk

Certainly politicians talk a lot. Some of these events seem to go on forever.

Editing and Accurate Representation of Events

Due to this circumstance I have to edit. Hopefully these podcasts will be accurate representations of these events.

Taking You Inside Events So wear Headphones

Above all the effort is to take you inside an event so you can experience it. In addition with shorter length podcasts you’ll get an impression of as many candidates as I can record before caucus night!

Trump Is A Big Part Of Campaign

Seems like all the democratic candidates want to talk about the impeachment. They all talk a lot about the President.

Republicans Take Note

Because of this republican leaning listeners and Trumpers may find it difficult to listen all the way through.

Organization and Pivot Counties

However one of my takeaways already is the depth of democrat arguments and the detail of their proposed agendas, should they become president. Even more the level of organization I am seeing here.

Listen and Learn

Finally republicans and Trumpers would be well advised to listen to these arguments and ideas.

Democrat Strategy

In conclusion one thing is sure to be a factor in 2020. Democrats are targeting pivot counties here in Iowa in preparation for a national strategy along those lines later in the campaigns.

Testing Ideas and Arguments For Campaigning This Fall

Therefore it might be a good idea to hear and understand the arguments they’ll use.

Some of them are pretty good.

Sponsored by Ryan Plumbing and Heating of Saint Paul

Election2020-Amy-Klobuchar-DesMoines-Bob Davis Podcast 896

 

 

 

 

Trumpers-Think-Political-Polls-Lie-Bob Davis Podcast 862

Republicans Hate Polls…Unless They Show Trump In The Lead

There’s so much bias these days on every media platform there’s no trust. A conversation with a republican friend lead to this podcast about whether polls lie. Find out more by listening to Trumpers-Think-Political-Polls-Lie-Bob Davis Podcast 862.

Who Did The Poll?

First of all when it comes to polling, the first question a republican will ask is, “Who did the poll”. Especially if it reflects poorly on the president. In addition their second favorite response is, “No One Called Me”. Gah!

What Poll Will You Accept?

In contrast I wonder, “What poll would you accept?“.

Polling Explained. Again.

It’s time again to explain polling and the potential for a republican win or loss in 2020.

No bias or predictions. Just the lay of the land.

Accept and Consider Information Challenging Your Position

Above all political true believers reject any poll that doesn’t show their guy winning. Even more, political analysis requires accepting and considering information that challenges you.

Approval Ratings 101

In Trumpers-Think-Political-Polls-Lie-Bob Davis Podcast 862 front and center are approval ratings and their ability to predict winners.

Past Elections

Moreover I’ll look at how you can use polls to make solid judgements. I’ll also talk about the history of past elections as a tool.

Polls Don’t Lie … The Media Lies

Not only do I reject the assertion the polls “lie”. When averaged they can be quite predictive.

Unfortunately the wholesale ignorance of polling in our media is especially relevant. For Example, while the polls in 2016 showed a close race for president, they never predicted a Clinton win.

Trump Struggles In The Battleground States

Finally at issue are tracking polls showing the president’s approval rating in battleground states plummeting. With manufacturing reportedly in recession in Wisconsin and Michigan, republican bosses are concerned. They should be. Trump has to win the battleground states to win a second term.

A Republican Siding With The UAW?

Perhaps it is for that reason that the president is rumored to want to intervene in a current GM strike, in favor of the UAW.

History And No Judgements

Therefore this podcast is valuable because it looks at chances for both a landslide as well as a tough race, without judgements and predictions. There’s a lot of information here about past presidential races, the history of polling and approval ratings. It might come in handy.

Sponsored by Reliafund Payment Processors and The Strategic Business Planners at Virtus Law

Trumpers-Think-Political-Polls-Lie-Bob Davis Podcast 862