The best pollsters of '06 ...

For your learning pleasure, The Wall Street Journal has a good take on the best pollsters of 2006 ...

In other news, today's Hotline features an interview with pollster Glen Bolger of Public Opinion Strategies (POS). Here's an excerpt:

Negative campaigning -- good or bad?
It depends. "Negative" campaigning that focuses on issues is important. Campaigns are about differences. Voters need to know those differences. Many times "negative" campaigning that focuses on character is important too -- because voters should know if the Democrat is an ethical sleazeball. Not all negative campaigning works or is appropriate, but the biannual handwringing by the press over negative campaigns is tiresome. Deal with it. It has to be factual to work.