Smart Talk Thursday: What the polls tell us

Also on the program: Dismantling Democracy film

• Scott LaMar
  BioRecent Stories

  

  Scott LaMar has worked in both radio and television for more than four decades.
  
  Currently, LaMar is the Host and Executive Producer of The Spark program on WITF-FM, 89.5 & 93.3 in Harrisburg, Pa.
  
  Previously, LaMar was WITF TV’s Sr. Public Affairs producer and produced the station’s award-winning weekly public affairs TV program, Smart Talk.
  
  In addition to his on-air duties, LaMar has moderated political candidate debates, including those for candidates running for Pennsylvania governor and the U.S. Senate and was a regular contributor to BBC World News TV before and after the 2020 U.S. Presidential election.
  
  LaMar often emcees or moderates local events and has gone as far as California to emcee a national event.
  
  The American Society of Civil Engineers honored LaMar with their national Excellence in Journalism award in 2020. He has been nominated for five Mid-Atlantic Emmy Awards.
  
  LaMar and The Spark have been recognized throughout the Central Pennsylvania community including ADVOZ Lancaster’s “Dignity in Dialogue Award”, the South-Central Assembly’s “Regional Citizen Award” and was named a “Humanitarian Hero” by The Humane Society of the United States/Pennsylvania.
  
  A native of Coatesville, Pa., LaMar has also worked as a broadcast news anchor, sports play-by-play announcer and manager.

 Emily Previti / PA Post

Election judge Sue Ellen Hamilton sets up her polling place in Pine Township, Mercer County, ahead of the municipal election Nov. 5.

You’ve probably heard it said many times by now that Pennsylvania is one of the states that will determine who wins the presidency. In fact, some go as far as saying that Pennsylvania will crown the winner.

That’s the reason the candidates have been in Pennsylvania so often, there’s so much media attention and a different poll every day.

The polls show Democratic nominee Joe Biden with a lead over President Trump today.

But how are we to interpret the polls and what useful information can we get from them?

Berwood Yost, Director of the Center for Opinion Research at Franklin & Marshall College appears on Thursday’s Smart Talk.

Also on Thursday’s Smart Talk – we speak with Allen Clements, the director of the three-part TV documentary Dismantling Democracy that examines democratic structures in the U.S. and around the world.

Interviews offer perspectives as the series depicts factors behind the gradual deterioration of the effectiveness of the democratic form of government.

Dismantling Democracy is produced by MAKE Films and airs on WITF-TV starting Sunday at noon.

Post production update: The PBS Docu-Series Dismantling Democracy, was recently nominated by the National Capital Chesapeake Bay Chapter of The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences in the category of “Documentary – Cultural Topical.”