I'm not a very old person, but I remember the 2000 election very well. I was a young, impressionable high school graduate. After casting my vote late that afternoon, I made an hour long drive to my community college in Decatur. My room-mates and I stayed up most of the night, watching the commentators quote one exit-poll after another. They called the state of Florida for Gore. They were wrong on other numbers as well. Obviously, in the aftermath of the election, we found out how unscientific and unreliable these polls really were and many news outlets were embarrassed in the process.

Then, in 2004, several of these polls predicted incorrect victories for Kerry in some swing states. Apparently, we learned nothing.

Even now, some eight years after the 2000 election, commentators are still throwing out exit-polling numbers on everything from choice for president to what color is your kitchen sink.

In case you can't figure it out, I do not like exit-polls. I don't understand their importance. Why are the major media outlets so fixed on these numbers? Do they think the public doesn't know what these polls are? Do people care if these polls are unscientific? I guess they make for good television. I just hope that I don't make the same mistake I made in 2000. Believing these polls and going to bed before I know the name of the real winner of the election.