There's this guy who does polling. His name is John Zogby.

It's interesting because most people probably have not heard about him before - unless they're immersed in media and politics.

But as it turns out, he routinely turns out some pretty accurate polling data. He usually comes up with results more closely related to the outcomes than other polling outfits like CNN/USA Today/Gallup, L.A. Times or New York Times.

I think that's probably because of the way Zogby's company, Zogby International, conducts polling - the way they ask questions.

Some notable Zogby accomplishments:

• In 1994 Zogby alone predicted that George Pataki would unseat then New York Gov. Mario Cuomo.

• In 1996 Zogby accurately and solely predicted the ultimate margin of victory for Bill Clinton over Bob Dole in that year's presidential election.

• In 2000, as Clinton adviser and syndicated columnist Dick Morris puts it, "All the polls were wrong except Zogby."

And it's really kind of funny how it's never news after an election when all the mainstream polls were way off.

But anyway, Zogby just came out with a poll - from before W's speech at theÊGOP National Convention - that I would like to share.

I would like to share it because it pretty much sums up the way I feel about this election and the way I will vote.

In the poll, Zogby gives us a glimpse of what's on the minds of undecided likely voters.

These are the ones that the John Kerry and W are really courting.

Here are a few of the questiions from the poll:

Overall, how would you rate President Bush's performance on the job?

Approve - 23%; disapprove - 77%; undecided - 1%.

What direction is the U.S. headed?

Wrong - 56%; right - 19%; undecided - 25%.

Do you think President Bush deserves to be re-elected or do you think it's time for someone new?

Re-elect - 43%; someone new - 53%; undecided - 4%.

Thinking about George Bush, what do you believe is his most significant accomplihsment?

War in Iraq - 20%; Sept. 11 - 46%; health insurance - 3%; unemployment - 3%; undecided - 29%.

Thinking about George Bush, what is his most significan failure?

War in Iraq - 47%; Sept. 11 - 5%; health insurance - 17%; unemployment - 17%; undecided - 15%.

Do you or don't you like George Bush as a person?

Like - 67%; dislike - 15%; undecided - 18%.

Do you or don't you like John Kerry as a person?

Like - 16%; dislike - 52%; undecided - 32%.

Are you satisfied with the candidates for president?

Very satisfied - 4%; somewhat satisfied - 9%; wish for other candidates - 87%.

And, finally, when asked who they would vote for:

W (Republican) - 35%

Kerry (Democrat) - 10%

Badnaik (Libertarian) - 8%

Nader (Independent) - 4%

Peroutka (Constitution) - 4%

Cobb (Green) - 0.2%

As yet undecided -38%

Isn't that bizarre?

It is the classic example of a "devil we know" election.

It's amazing to me that while 77 percent of likely undecided voters disapprove of the job W is doing, and 56 percent think the county is headed down the wrong path, they still chose W over Kerry by 25.

Also amazing to me is the fact that they chose W by that wide a margin even though 53 percent of them think somebody else should be president.

It's almost as amazing as when Clinton was elected to his second term.

They did exit polling. It would go something like this.

"Do you think Bill Clinton is honest?"

"No."

"Do you trust Bill Clinton?"

"No."

"If you owned a business, would you hire Bill Clinton?"

"No."

"Who got your vote?"

Bill Clinton.

People didn't trust him, but they liked him.

That's kind of what it's like with W, without the character issues. I think people trust W and think he's honest. And I think they generally like him as a person.

But I also think people have serious reservations about some of his policies.

But given the choice between W and Kerry, undecideds are leaning toward the devil we know.

And given the percentage of undecided voters - 87 - who wish there was somebody else to vote for, I think we pretty much have a good bit of the lesser of two evils going on.

That's pretty much the way I feel. I don't like the way civil liberties are being eroded via the PATRIOT Act.

I don't like the expansion of government via things like No Child Left Behind and the prescription drug plan.

I really don't like the way the alleged "conservatives" in Washington have run up the deficit.

I am not really thrilled about Iraq, either. (I do think having Afghanistan and Iraq as democracies and allies in the Middle East could have lasting, positive effects for our country.)

But who will I vote for?

Well, it certainly is not going to be John Kerry. [[In-content Ad]]