Which polls are you referring to? I was referring specifically to the NBC/Survey Monkey post-debate interview (seemingly the most robust of the bunch)
http://www.scribd.com/doc/285352517/NBC-SurveyMonkey-methodology
This one, I suppose ;P
I noticed this as well. Only 24% actually watched the debate as it happened. The post-debate coverage was heavily in favor of Clinton over Sanders, perhaps this could explain the vast difference between the viewer poll (taken less than an hour after the debate had ended) and this survey
Another question that caught my eye was this one:
6. Thinking about the 2016 election, if a candidate for president supports increasing federal government spending in order to offer free tuition at public universities,
would that make you more likely to vote for him or her, less likely, or wouldn’t it
make much difference to your vote?
Much More Likely to vote for:
Less likely to vote for:
35%
42%
Question 10 is perhaps one of the most important:
10. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement: Candidates who receive most of their campaign funding from large donors, corporations, or political action committees (PACs) are more influenced by special interest groups than candidates who raise most of their campaign funding from small donors
Strongly Agree:
Somewhat Agree
55%
32%
Sanders doesn't even have a superPAC and is notorious for raising money from small donors.
It's also important to note that 27% of those who took part in this survey considered themselves to be Republicans.
Infact, more leaned toward "Republican" than "Democrat". At the Democratic debate.....
Last but not least, this contradiction.....
16. From what you have heard and read, who do you think won or did the
best job in the Democratic debate?
Clinton - 37
Sanders - 28
17. From what you have heard and read, who do you think did the
worst job in the Democratic debate?
Clinton- 15
Sanders - 5
8(
Again, it seems like even in this survey, people identify more with Sanders in a blind taste test than Clinton. It's not until the labels are revealed that minds begin to change.
In closing, Coke is better than Pepsi, even if you believe you're drinking Pepsi when you're really drinking Coke ;P