CNN's poll today reads:
"Has Sen. John Kerry's surprise win in Iowa increased your interest in the Democratic presidential primary?"
Am I completely paranoid to think this sounds like a marketing question? After all, the question isn't "Does Kerry's win increase your interest in Kerry?" or "Does Kerry's win make you more likely to vote Democratic?" It's specifically phrased to find out if CNN viewers are likely to watch more tv news as a result of the Kerry win.
I wonder who at CNN looks at these polls, and for what reason. They aren't valuable as samples of the general public, but they certainly are valuable as samples of CNN internet users. Are we being market-researched in the guise of a "fun" poll? And does this poll have any effect on how CNN presents coverage of the Kerry campaign or that of other candidates?