May 30, 2008
Poll Alert: SurveyUSA Wisconsin General Election Poll (Veepstakes Edition)
As usual, Huckabee provides the biggest boost (outside of MI):
SurveyUSA Wisconsin General Election Poll, conducted May 16th-18th, 2008
- Barack Obama 48%
- John McCain 42%
This survey was conducted between May 16th-May18th, 2008
.
Here are the veep numbers:
http://race42008.com/2008/05/30/poll-alert-surveyusa-wisconsin-general-election-poll-veepstakes-edition/trackback/
May 30th, 2008 at 1:00 pm
Here you go Dave — a place where Obama helps!!!
May 30th, 2008 at 1:06 pm
Why isn’t SUSA polling an Obama/Clinton ticket? I know none of the Dem’s want to even consider it, but there is a possibility she will be on the ticket.
May 30th, 2008 at 1:10 pm
Win Michigan and Wisconsin, hold onto Colorado and Virginia. That would be my advice to McCain.
May 30th, 2008 at 1:12 pm
Meant Lieberman.
May 30th, 2008 at 1:16 pm
Since Edwards is the only household name among the prospective Dem veeps, and can, therefore, serve as a control, it could be argued that this is the first instance in which Lieberman most helps McCain, relative to Huckabee, Romney or Pawlenty.
Vs. Obama/Edwards
McCain/Lieberman -2
McCain/Huckabee -4
McCain/Romney -6
McCain/Pawlenty -9
May 30th, 2008 at 1:22 pm
Look who’s at the bottom again!
May 30th, 2008 at 1:28 pm
why are they polling sebelius and not palin??? biased much? palin would destroy sebelius.
May 30th, 2008 at 1:28 pm
Aron:
Wouldn’t one of the unknowns serve as the control? The odds of Obama picking an unknown vs. a known are pretty high.
May 30th, 2008 at 1:42 pm
I notice they dropped the vote by age from their crosstabs after everyone tore them apart for overrepresenting young voters. Nice.
May 30th, 2008 at 1:49 pm
So Lieberman helps in Wisconsin.
Wisconsin.
Not Pennsylvania.
Not California.
Wisconsin.
Oy.
May 30th, 2008 at 1:57 pm
McCain needs to select Huckabee right away.
May 30th, 2008 at 2:08 pm
Once again, Huckabee kicking but and taking names.
May 30th, 2008 at 2:22 pm
Sorry that it’s off-topic (though it is about polling):
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0508/10691.html
Pew reports that Obama’s favorables among white women have gone from +20 in February to -6 now. That’s an incredible drop.
I may be over-reaching, but this could be an election where the Republican candidate does as well among women as among men.
May 30th, 2008 at 2:26 pm
So contrary to some people’s beliefs Romney does not hurt the ticket in Wisconsin.
May 30th, 2008 at 2:31 pm
mccain will lose 40 states if he chooses huckabee. every moderate and reagan democrat in the country will flee. sarah palin not only helps mccain win, not only does she bring 50 times the amount of voters in that huck could, but she is an ethics reformer where huck is one of the biggest ethics violators in arkansas not named clinton. so pick huck and lose millions of moderates and economic cons, or sarah and win.
May 30th, 2008 at 2:32 pm
there are millions and millions of women who are just begging republicans to give them a reason to vote against barack. mccain, pick sarah and give them that reason.
May 30th, 2008 at 2:44 pm
Seriously, guys, how valid are polls that ask essentially the same question over and over again with little or no variance? Sooner or later the respondents loose interest and just answer mechanically.
May 30th, 2008 at 2:46 pm
Matt, I agree with you 100%. The fact that McCain is sending the head of the VP search committee to meet with her tells me he’s seriously considering her and what she can do for the GOP. I’m from MN, and while I love my governor, Pawlenty is like Ridge (albeit pro-life), uninspiring.
May 30th, 2008 at 2:50 pm
also, the party ID is way out of whack.
They have it as 36-30 D.
So, according to SUSA, Wisconsin is more Republican than Ohio or Pennsylvania. Please.
I agree about the repeats. Eventually, sitting through a poll with this many permutations, you just lose interest.
And given that the SUSA poll for MI was 180 from the MI based EPIC poll, you have to wonder.
But the party ID thing has been present in all their polls and it is extremely questionable.
Also, just for reference, at this point in 2004, Kerry was projected to win 327 EVs according to electoral-vote.com. So, it’s very early.
May 30th, 2008 at 3:16 pm
IR-MN,
Tim Pawlenty and Norm Coleman are two of the best politicians in the country, and are undoubtedly the most formidable senator/Governor pair the GOP has (With Sanford/Demint trailing by a fairly large margin). Comparing Tim Pawlenty to Tom Ridge is laughable, and I suspect is a reflection of the old maxim that “familiarity breeds contempt”. Except in this case, familiarity breeds underappreciation. I’d kill to have a Tim Pawlenty or Norm Coleman here in NJ. Instead, I’m stuck with consumate losers like Dick Zimmer, Doug Forrester, and Tom Kean Jr.
May 30th, 2008 at 3:25 pm
You may be onto something, matt#16. I am not all that sure I am comfortable with the idea of her as President in case “the awful awful happens”, as Reagan put it. I would prefer someone with a little more seasoning.
May 30th, 2008 at 4:00 pm
#20, HEY!
May 30th, 2008 at 4:17 pm
The reason they’re polling Huckabee, Lieberman, Romney, and Pawlenty is because it’s going to be one of those 4. Frankly, there’s probably too much party resistance for it to be Lieberman, and Huckabee is probably something of a long-shot as well. My guess is that it will be either Romney or Pawlenty.
May 30th, 2008 at 4:19 pm
if mccain died, the whole country, including dems would rally to her. she would be the calming figure we would need in a sad time like that. she would then nominate an experienced vp and he would would approved easily, because the congress wouldn’t dare politicize mccain’s death. mccain/palin works, it just works on so many levels.
May 30th, 2008 at 4:31 pm
Forwarded to me via email:
While suturing a cut on the hand of a 75 year old Texas rancher,
whose hand was caught in a gate while working cattle, the doctor struck up a
conversation with the old man. Eventually the topic got around to Obama and
his bid to be our President.
The old rancher said, ‘Well, ya know, Obama is a post turtle’.
Not being familiar with the term, the doctor asked him what a ‘post turtle’
was. The old rancher said, ‘When you’re driving down a country road and you
come across a fence po st with a turtle balanced on top, that’s a ‘post
turtle’.
The old rancher saw a puzzled look on the doctor’s face, so he
continued to explain. ‘You know he didn’t get up there by himself, he
doesn’t belong up there, he doesn’t know what to do while he is up there,
and you just wonder what kind of a dumb ass put him up there.’
* * *
Also, I just noticed a home under going renovation in my neighborhood with a sign outside saying “Rezko Development.” (No, I don’t live in Chicago. This is L.A.)
May 30th, 2008 at 4:32 pm
#16: Indeed. But Meg Whitman’s got the experience Palin doesn’t yet have.
May 30th, 2008 at 5:10 pm
Matt, you may be right. But I want to win this Nov and I think she can do it. This is the second state that Pawlenty hasn’t done wonders. Metro, I think Palin will do a better job appealing to the suburban demographic than Meg. Meg is just too rich to appeal to the GOP’s targeted voters. Palin’s husband is blue collar and she’s a young mother. Much better than a billionaire. Though Meg is very competent.
May 30th, 2008 at 5:15 pm
I like Palin, but I’d ask you to consider what would be the critical reaction to a mother with a disabled newborn, who is a social conservative, hitting the campaign trail full time.
May 30th, 2008 at 5:16 pm
Not to mention, McCain’s said he wants someone who can take over running the country at a moment’s notice (which will be a major media focus given McCain is the oldest nominee in our nation’s history), and also promised a Silicon Valley CEO in the cabinet.
May 30th, 2008 at 5:18 pm
I don’t disagree with that critique. Bobby has problems too. (It’s unfortunate our two stars have problems). But we have to win; too much is at stake. I think it’ll be empowering for women to see that a young mother can do everything–including running for Vice President. Also, her husband is taking care of the newborn.
May 30th, 2008 at 5:20 pm
#29, is the main thing working against her. But I think she’s smart enough to get up to speed.
May 30th, 2008 at 5:22 pm
matt,
Palin for VP is not as pretty a picture as you might think.
The nomination of Palin as VP would severely undercut McCain’s primary argument against Obama’s candidacy; that the first term Illinois senator possesses neither the necessary knowledge nor experience to be Commander in Chief.
In a 2006 gubernatorial candidate questionnaire, Palin was asked:
Do you support the Alaska Supreme Court’s ruling that spousal benefits for state employees should be given to same-sex couples? Why or why not?
Sarah Palin: “No, I believe spousal benefits are reserved for married citizens as defined in our constitution.”
In relationship to families, what are your top three priorities if elected governor?
Sarah Palin: “1. Creating an atmosphere where parents feel welcome to choose the venues of education for their children. 2. Preserving the definition of “marriage” as defined in our constitution. 3. Cracking down on the things that harm family life: gangs, drug use, and infringement of our liberties including attacks on our 2nd Amendment rights.”
Are you offended by the phrase “Under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance? Why or why not?
Sarah Palin: “Not on your life. If it was good enough for the founding fathers, its good enough for me and I’ll fight in defense of our Pledge of Allegiance.”
Ugghh…Is Palin of the impression that Eisenhower was one of this nation’s Founding Fathers?
Sarah Palin: “I am pro-life and I believe that marriage should only be between and man and a woman. I am opposed to any expansion of gambling in Alaska.”
Source: Campaign website, http://www.palinforgovernor.com, “Issues” Nov 7, 2006
Perhaps most damaging is Palin’s extremist position on abortion; as she opposes all abortions, including pregnancies resulting from rape and incest. The only exception she supports is if a woman’s life would end if her pregnancy continued. When asked during a November 2006 gubernatorial debate if an exception would be made for women who are victims of rape, she replied, “I’d choose life.”
Lastly, I’m of the belief that Palin’s beauty, on balance, serves as a liability. Sure, based on her appearance alone, “she shreds the MSM’s caricature of a conservative.” However, her good looks also render her a Madison Avenue novelty, depriving her, unfairly I’d add, of the requisite gravitas expected from a potential president. Palin’s best shot at the White House won’t come, in my estimation, until 2016 or 2020, when she’s 52 or 56 and no longer a GILF.
May 30th, 2008 at 5:25 pm
After reading #32 I’d be ready to bet money against her at Intrade. Thanks, Aron.
May 30th, 2008 at 5:26 pm
So both of the alleged rising stars of the GOP are against abortion in cases of rape and incest?
They’ll go from “rising stars” to laughingstock in no time flat.
May 30th, 2008 at 5:35 pm
#34, I think laughingstock is a HUGE overstatement. There’s a lot of room to modulate that position.
May 30th, 2008 at 5:39 pm
Ugghh…Is Palin of the impression that Eisenhower was one of this nation’s Founding Fathers?
Well, he was pretty old.
I like Palin, but I’d ask you to consider what would be the critical reaction to a mother with a disabled newborn, who is a social conservative, hitting the campaign trail full time.
Perhaps most damaging is Palin’s extremist position on abortion; as she opposes all abortions, including pregnancies resulting from rape and incest. The only exception she supports is if a woman’s life would end if her pregnancy continued. When asked during a November 2006 gubernatorial debate if an exception would be made for women who are victims of rape, she replied, “I’d choose life.”
At the risk of sounding crass, I think there’s a few electoral landmines tucked into those two facts.
One final note: As I have said before on this site, if McCain’s going to choose a woman as his running mate based on the perceived need for gender balance on the Republican ticket, you have to put Jodi Rell (CT governor, whom many here will call a RINO) near the top of the list.
May 30th, 2008 at 5:41 pm
Metro,
Here’s an article from Fox News’ Shushannah Walshe I thought you might be interested in seeing…
Cheney and Giuliani Addresses NY Republican Dinner
At a 1,000 dollar a plate fundraiser in midtown Manhattan, Vice President Dick Cheney said there is “no doubt in my mind” that John McCain will win in November.
Addressing over 700 people at the New York State Republican Committee Dinner, Cheney spoke about the importance of electing McCain and that voters have a vital choice in front of them. He went after the Democrats saying they are not serious about fighting terrorism, “The choice is going to be very clear. On one side is the Democratic Party lead by the likes of Senator Harry Reid who said more than a year ago that the war in Iraq was lost,” Cheney said, “On the other side of this divide is the Republican Party whose leaders have supported the war on terror regardless of what the polls say or the pundits declare. A Republican party whose presidential nominee has served this country with courage.”
He went on to describe McCain as a nominee that represents “genuine American heroism.” He spent part of his speech mentioning Democrats that believe in a “strong defense” and that came to the realization the party had become “too left-wing” like Zell Miller, who spoke at the 2004 Republican convention; former New York City Mayor Ed Koch; and Connecticut senator and McCain supporter, Joe Lieberman.
Cheney urged the Republican crowd to put their “shoulder to the wheel” to help elect McCain. Despite President Bush’s high disapproval ratings and only appearing with the Republican presumptive nominee for 47 seconds in public after a joint fundraiser this week, the Vice President said they will be campaigning for Republican candidates, “President Bush and I look forward to helping our candidates up and down the ticket throughout the important election year and the stakes are very high whether the issue is the economy or energy or the federal courts or national security the right answers for our nation are not coming from Democrats but from Republicans.”
Cheney also went after the Democrats on energy policy and potentially letting the Bush tax cuts lapse, but he did not mention either of McCain’s rivals by name. However, he did open up his address with a joke referring to Hillary Clinton, “The junior senator from New York has begun calling me Darth Vader. I asked my wife recently if it didn’t bug her when people called me that. She said ‘no’ it humanizes you.”
Former New York City mayor and presidential candidate, Rudy Giuliani also addressed the excited crowd. They chanted “Ruuuuuudy!” as he took the stage. Giuliani jokingly noted that this was the most Republicans he had seen in Manhattan in a long time.
He also praised McCain saying that even when he was running against him the Arizona senator was always his second choice. He then spent a good portion of his address hitting Barack Obama with a veiled attack for being willing to negotiate with dictators like Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad:
“I believe to go on defense against Islamic terrorism would be a critical mistake. Begging dictators, terrorists, and tyrants to negotiate with you is a lesson that we should have learned can create critical mistakes and that is precisely the Democratic approach with dealing with Islamic terrorism. Being willing to negotiate without preconditions,” Giuliani said, “In a sense giving away your bargaining position before you ever get to the bargaining table. We should have learned that lesson many times in the 20th century. I learned that lesson. John McCain learned that lesson. Apparently the Democrats have not learned that lesson.”
He also whacked Obama again with another veiled hit saying the White House was not a time for “on the job training.” He stayed away from named attacks, but did add a moment of humor about the ongoing Democratic race, “If they would like to fight it out longer please be my guest,“ Giuliani joked, “I mean as far as I am concerned if Barack and Hillary can keep fighting until November I mean what do we care, right?”
May 30th, 2008 at 5:44 pm
Thanks, Aron!
Ruuuuuuuudy!
May 30th, 2008 at 5:45 pm
The ultimate satisfaction I get from the above comments is knowing that Rudey 9iu11ani is not the nominee, was a total flame out on the campaign trail, will never be VP and is so desperate for money that he has to go to the Ukraine for a consulting job. Life is good.
May 30th, 2008 at 5:51 pm
Yeah, it’s sweet how the inevitable nominee flamed out. Led polls all year but couldn’t get more than 2 delegates.
This year we went for a candidate based on character and not on issues or charisma.
May 30th, 2008 at 6:37 pm
McCain needs to select Huckabee right away. Immediately. So we can all be convinced of his dementia, and finally become unified.
May 30th, 2008 at 7:30 pm
Aron,
I’ve thought all along that the idea of Palin being ready for the Vice Presidency was absurd, but your post above has about changed my mind about it. She sounds like a gutsy conservative who would lobby against our bankrupt culture if given hih office….something the country is in dire need of.
May 30th, 2008 at 8:33 pm
first of all, her pro life positon can be modified (see george bush 1980). second, her looks are not a weakness. they are what help her disarm hostile opponents. looks and charm go along way in this new age media. do you think obama would win if he were 300 lbs with zits on his face??? nope. the strength of palin is that under the comforting good looks is a tough as nailz small town girl, who is as good with a rifle as she is hot in high heels. she redefines the brand of old white men to ‘reagan sheik’ (TM) lol. she’s conservative enough for the base, but has plenty of the maverick spirit. she took on alaska repubs when they became corrupt, unseated a sitting republican governor, then beat a former 2 term democrat, all in a year when repubs were wiped out. she is the most popular governor in the country, and her approval ratings have held, incredibly. she will cause millions of democrat women and independents to take a second look at mccain, and the GOP. now i love rudy as much as the next guy, i supported him first over mccain, but he’s no veep. he is attorney general all the way, thats what he does better then anyone. sarah will help us win, she can handle the executive stuff, my god if bush can and quayle can sarah can. and if any democrat or obama-ite say that a new mother can’t be vp, it wont be the GOP responding, it will be the members of womens groups around the country responding with fury at the suggestion that mothers cant work. have you listened to ferraro lately? they are begging for a reason to give barack the finer. palin helps win blue collar whites, she is one, born in a small town in idaho, wife of a fisherman, those voters will love her. she wins women in ways no gop candiate ever has, independents, etc. combine that will mccain’s stengths with white men, security moms, hispanics, and obama is toast. if mccain picks pawlenty, no one will be surprised, it will bring zero buzz, and in a few days we will forget he is even there. if he picks palin, months of attention will be given to this attractive new face, it will be the story of the summer, drowning out a newly stale obama-change speech that we have heard again and again. and then the volunteers start showing up, young women, college girls, joining the team. eventually mccain/palin can create excitement like obama can. and then the kicker, voters realize they dont have to choose between change or experience, with mccain-palin then can choose both.
palin can help mccain win, and thats the most important part. more voters, more money, more buzz then any other pick by a mile. jinal or watts or steele will look like token picks to counter obama. sarah will be something different, something obama cant reach. imagine the small towns when angry michelle obama comes storming in, and then when sarah shows up. palin is mccain’s ticket.
PS: you know it has to intrigue mccain, that when she was mayor, palin was fighting the bridge to nowhere even before he was. sounds like a match to me.
May 30th, 2008 at 8:59 pm
Palin is right there are really no shades of grey with abortion.
Sadly also means you can scatch her from the list (if she was ever on the list which I doubt).
May 30th, 2008 at 9:54 pm
First off, I don’t think people understand the legal status of abortion.
Right now, Palin’s views on abortion are irrelevant. Casey is the law of the land and Palin becoming VP won’t change that.
Right now there are 2 votes out of 5 on the SC to overrule Casey. There may be as many as 4, but we still don’t know about Roberts and Alito and their rulings in the cases just this week, along with some others, have shown that htey’re not really in the Scalia/Thomas camp.
Even if they would reverse, that’s still only 4. So, what does everyone think the odds are of a President McCain getting that 5th Justice confirmed in say a 55+ Dem Senate? Not too good.
Even if he does, Palin’s views on abortion, and his for that matter, remain irrelevant. All that will happen will be that each state will get to make its own abortion law. In CA, where the vast majority of abortions take place, no changes whatsoever will happen. Same in NY. Same in most other populous bluse states. In states like SC, LA and elsewhere, there may be more limits, but they would have to be approved by the voters and legislatures there. Again, Palin’s views mean nothing.
She’s just saying what she’d choose, not what she’d mandate for anyone else. If anything, her view will be a net plus, especially among social conservatives who are still somewhat wary of McCain.
Aron and Metro and a few others can talk all they want about Rudy and pro-choice candidates like Lieberman and Rell, but the fact is that the GOP has 0 chance of winning with a pro-choice VP on the ticket. 0. The social conservatives will stay home and McCain will lose. When you add on that not only are they pro-choice, but anti-gun, the results could be disastrous.
Since Roe v Wade in 1973, there have been 8 elections. The pro-life ticket has won 5 of them. The prolife ticket has topped 50% 4 times out of 8. The prochoice ticket has never topped 50%. In 6 two party races, the prolife ticket has won 5 of 6. If you ranked which tickets have done the best among white women since Roe in 1973, the top 5 performances have all been by prolife tickets. All 5 of them.
Having an articulate, telegenic pro-life woman assert the pro-life cause could be the best thing that’s happened to the pro life movement in maybe ever. Same with some of these other social issues.
As for her founding father’s statement, I’d have to see the entire context of it, but even if it’s as bad as it sounds, it’s a minor thing that means nothing. Look, for Alaskan’s Eisenhower is a founding father. He was the President when they achieved statehood. I think she just was referring to the idea that the founding fathers were comrfortable with mentions of God and that general idea.
However, I would love to see Barack Obama and let’s just say Bill Richardson or Jim Webb, attack her for being stupid. Perhaps John Kerry and Howard Dean could join in. Get some of their buddies in the media like Keith Olbermann, Chris Matthews, Tim Russert, and various other pundits as well. I would pay to see that happen.
And then she can tell them all to go f themselves when she’s sworn in.
May 30th, 2008 at 10:28 pm
As bad as I hate it, Huckabee moved up about 5.8 point today on intrade.com. He passed Pawlenty, and isonly a couple points being Mitt.
May 31st, 2008 at 12:25 am
I love Palin, but something interesting might be going on in Florida.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/florida/sfl-530cristgirlfriend,0,1315831.story
I think Crist is about to get married. His “girlfriend” is Jewish of Hispanic ethnicity. He is on TV non-stop these days.
May 31st, 2008 at 12:36 am
That would be pretty shameless if he gets married just to be VP.
So what if he’s gay anyway - unlike abortion being gay hurts no-one.
Seems like a great guy and politician too.
Still don’t think he gets picked. Remember it was a condition on his endorsement that he be on the short list so he was always going to be.
Saw Jindal on Fox last night and I agree he’s got a future - maybe even next in line after Romney.
May 31st, 2008 at 1:02 am
I have nothing against Palin and would find her acceptable as VP, however, she recently had a down syndrome baby. To those Palin supporters, doesn’t an innocent baby with special needs deserve a mother that can be there more than a campaigning VP?
May 31st, 2008 at 1:04 am
Huckabee will cost McCain Utah, Idaho and NV
May 31st, 2008 at 1:28 am
#47: Wow about Crist. This woman could change everything.
May 31st, 2008 at 2:20 am
I don’t have anything against Crist, but what does he bring to the ticket? McCain should carry Florida regardless…
May 31st, 2008 at 7:10 am
I am too cynical to believe McCain is actually considering Palin, Jindal or Crist. Sadly, I think its a nod to affirmative action where you parade diverse candidates for a job before the cameras to show you are open-minded.
May 31st, 2008 at 9:39 am
A little off topic, but here is some amazing fund raising: 70K each to attend
http://www.sltrib.com/ci_9398962
May 31st, 2008 at 10:01 am
Crist needs to change his tune on reparations. That was a boneheaded thing that he said a month or two ago.
Otherwise I’d be ok with him - but I’m not sure he is going to help in Ohio - and I’m doubtful McCain loses FL with or without Crist.
May 31st, 2008 at 10:31 am
Today in CO Romney is here speaking to the state GOP convention in Broomfield. He is here as a surrogate for Mccain.
What does this say about who MCCain thinks can help him in the purple states this fall? CO is a pretty conservative and evangelical state, as to the diehard GOP convention goers, how come no Huckabee here?
May 31st, 2008 at 10:56 am
“I am too cynical to believe McCain is actually considering Palin, Jindal or Crist. Sadly, I think its a nod to affirmative action where you parade diverse candidates for a job before the cameras to show you are open-minded.”
Isn’t Crist white? How would he be an affirmative action pick?
I don’t really see how picking, say, Sarah Palin in part because she should help with women voters is much different from picking another candidate out of the belief that he/she would help carry a certain state. If she or Jindal were selected for no other reason than race or gender, then it would be rather cynical, but both politicians have numerous things going for them besides that. There are going to be pros and cons to McCain’s VP choice no matter who it is… There is no perfect option.
May 31st, 2008 at 11:02 am
If Huckabee is on the ticket you can count me out.
May 31st, 2008 at 12:29 pm
It looks like Mr. Huckabee is doing quite well in this important swing state.
May 31st, 2008 at 12:40 pm
#56 — Huckabee is speaking at the NC and Texas conventions.
May 31st, 2008 at 1:15 pm
#57 What I meant was that to parade a set of diverse candidates out as potential VP’s and then not select one of them would give the impression that they were only for show.
May 31st, 2008 at 4:11 pm
#60
both states we easily win in the fall. Everyone knows that CO, NV, PA, OH, MI, WI and FL decide who wins this thing in the fall.
My point is that CO ought to be easy ground for Huckabee to help the ticket but he doesnt. I would expect him to have been here not making glam appearances in states that arent even in play
May 31st, 2008 at 4:38 pm
#56 don’t forget the Romney won Colorado
May 31st, 2008 at 4:43 pm
I’ve always liked Crist. I’ve heard varying rumors that he’s either a playboy or gay; either is fine with me, but I’m not sure how the average American voter would feel about either. If he gets married then the issue seemingly goes away.
I agree that the reparations thing was stupid and Crist should claim that it was taken out of context, or at least that it constituted a momentary lapse of judgment.
May 31st, 2008 at 5:27 pm
#62 — but the swing votes in contention are not republican votes — they are independent and working class democrat votes — and I do think they are good ground for Huckabee and conversely dreadful for Romney. Romney is speaking at a republican convention — that does not say anything about his ability to sway the swing voters.
May 31st, 2008 at 5:40 pm
# 62 — And as a follow-up re NC and Texas — actually NC is one of those states that are closer than usual this year and Obama is targeting. More importantly, in these states republican evangelicals are not necessarily enthusiastic for McCain but love Huckabee. So in these instances, Huckabee’s appearance at republican conventions do shore up the vote for McCain, because it is the Republican social conservatives to which he is appealing — not swing voters.
May 31st, 2008 at 6:05 pm
Its interesting that the GOP primary has been over long enough for me to forget where Huckabee and other candidates stand on a lot of issues. Tellingly, what I remember are the floating cross, Dumond, and not reading the NIE. I also recall the Club for Growth running that ad about taxes.
June 1st, 2008 at 1:41 am
To everyone concerned about Sarah’s ability to campaign AND care for their baby, Trig Paxton Van Palin (yep, that’s “Van” as in “Van Halen”), LISTEN UP!
Todd and Sarah Palin are experienced parents. They have plenty of family living in Alaska who support them. Todd Palin has taken a leave of absense from his job on the north slope so he is there to care for Trig as well as Sarah. Does this make Sarah a bad mom if Todd puts in more parenting hours in the day than she does? Of course not. No one is suggesting that fathers can’t take care of babies as good as mothers can, right?
What many of you don’t know is that north slope oil workers in Alaska usually work a two week on/two week off schedule. Todd Palin was gone 50% of the time when Sarah was giving birth to and raising their four other children. So I bet this time around Todd is glad he doesn’t have to pack his bag and leave his family for two weeks at a stretch.
The Palins are good people and good parents. There should be no doubt that Sarah can campaign and still be a good mom.
June 2nd, 2008 at 4:15 am
Wow, Huckabee is on a roll. I knew people liked him but each poll keeps suprising me.