AP reports that its new poll conducted with Ipsos Public Affairs shows that Hurricane Katrina has changed Americans' political attitudes.

The same poll also calculates President Bush’s approval rating at 40%. This of course does not seem to be good news for Bush.

But once again, a closer look at the demographic breakdown of the poll’s respondents calls into question the accuracy of the poll.

First, of those questioned, only 77% were registered voters. In other words, 23% of the poll's respondents didn't even bother to register, let alone vote, in 2004.

Yet, they're included in the poll.

Additionally, 49% of the respondents in the poll identified themselves as Democrats, while only 41% called themselves Republicans.

But this doesn't square with recent history. Bush received 51% of the vote in 2004. Likewise, the aggregate vote total for US House races shows that Republicans received 51% of the vote, as they also did in 2002.

Why then does the AP/Ipsos poll have only 41% of its respondents self-identify as Republicans?

Good question.

In the seven presidential elections since 1980, only one Democrat has received 49% of the vote (President Clinton in 1996). Yet during that same time, four Republicans received more than 50% of the vote (Reagan in 1980 and 1984, George H.W. Bush in 1988, and George W. Bush in 2004).

An even longer view reveals that in the 27 presidential elections since 1900, the Democrats have fielded 13 candidates who received less than 45% of the vote, while during the same period, 13 Republican candidates received more than 50% of the vote.

Yet, curiously, the AP/Ipsos poll breaks down 49% Dems, 41% Repubs. How is this an accurate representation of the electorate?

Perhaps these historical stats slipped the pollsters' minds. And they’re not alone.

Or perhaps these pollsters didn't think anyone would notice the inaccuracy ... or if someone did, they would simply claim what Chicago politicians say when they get caught with their hands in the cookie jar: 'It might look bad, but I swear, it's just circumstantial happenstance....'

(Yeah, yeah. That's the ticket.…)