The Des Moines Register poll of Republicans caused quite a stir this week. The congresswoman from Minnesota could not have asked for a better piece of news to correspond with her official announcement: It showed Michele Bachmann down just one point to Mitt Romney in Iowa. Meanwhile, Tim Pawlenty had to suffer through idle questions about whether or not he was a “first tier” candidate.

But just how seriously should we take that poll, and others like it? I say, not very seriously at all.