1. a) Compare the percentage of Americans who define themselves as liberal or conservative in the April 2010 Battleground Poll with the percentage of university professors and then journalists who identify themselves as liberal or conservative.
b) Are you surprised by the disparity between Americans and professors/journalists? Explain your answer.

2. Mr. Walker implies that when the 2009 Gallup poll concluded that conservatives were the largest ideological group in every state in the nation, publishing the report under the headline "Conservative Label Prevails in South" was intended to suppress the results. He suggests a more accurate headline would have read "Conservatives Outnumber Liberals in Every State." What do you think - do you agree with Mr. Walker? Explain your answer.

3. Ask a parent to read this commentary and discuss your answers to questions 1 and 2.