A professor with a Hart for polling

Inside the Beltway and to politicians around the country, Peter Hart is a highly regarded Democratic pollster conducting surveys for NBC and The Wall Street Journal.

But to some Penn students, Hart goes by a different name - Professor.

This fall, NBC and the Journal are the principal clients for the Communications professor's polling firm, Hart Research Associates, and Hart has spent much of his time working on questionnaires and analysis and appearing on television to discuss the results.

Though Hart has worked on many memorable elections, he said he believes today's is perhaps the most important.

"I feel that in 2008 we're going through a transformational time in American society," he said. "It is not only the fact that we may end up with an African-American president or potentially a woman vice president, but in terms of how we've gotten both young people and minorities involved in the process."

Another major change, he said, is the presence of politics in all aspects of society.

"It's always been part of the evening news, but now [it's] practically everywhere you turn," he said, citing comedy shows and campaign text messages.

Hart said he entered the polling business because he "needed a job" after graduating from Colby College in 1964.

He worked for Louis Harris, the pollster for John F. Kennedy. In 1971, he opened his own firm.

Since then, Hart has worked for more than 40 U.S. senators and 30 governors, ranging from Edward Kennedy to Walter Mondale to Bill Clinton.

According to Hart, being a good pollster involves three key skills - meticulousness, strong communication skills and good judgment.

"This is detailed work," he said. "When you talk to 1,000 people and they're to represent the whole United States, you better be able to do it well - and most of that is done in written form."

When his daughter was accepted to Penn's Medical School six years ago, he decided to teach courses in the Annenberg School each fall. He teaches at the University of California, Berkeley in the spring.

Communications professor Kathleen Hall Jamieson wrote in an e-mail that she admires Hart's work and that "students are fortunate that he is part of our teaching faculty."

Hart, who teaches "Public Opinion in Leadership Decisions" this fall, enjoys being in the classroom.

"The students are bright, they're involved, they're challenging - and they make me a better pollster and a more in-touch person," he said.

The appreciation is mutual.

"A lot of the things we do are applicable to real-life situations," said College junior Lucia Liu, who is taking Hart's class this semester.

College junior Sammy Kingsley agreed, saying Hart's "intelligence and expertise" make her want to do well in the class.

As for his predictions about tonight's results, Hart said he didn't want to spoil the surprise - but he thinks that whatever happens, this year represents a major change.

"It's just a great story, and it's going to change who we are as a nation and change politics forever," he said.

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