"Likeability" poll of the top 20 potential presidential candidates

[Whoozyerdaddy]

Link

Poll: Giuliani, McCain, Obama Rank High
Nov 27 7:24 PM US/Eastern

By JOHN CHRISTOFFERSEN
Associated Press Writer

NEW HAVEN, Conn.

Americans have the warmest feelings about former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Republican Sen. John McCain and Democratic Sen. Barack Obama, according to a poll released Monday that scores the popularity of national leaders.

The Quinnipiac University's "thermometer reading," taken the week after the Nov. 7 election, asked voters to rate their feelings for 20 leaders on a scale of 0 to 100.

Giuliani, a Republican weighing a presidential bid in 2008, scored the highest at 64.2. Obama and McCain, who are also considering a 2008 campaign, finished next at 58.8 and 57.7.

President Bush was 15th out of 20 while his secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, was fourth and former President Clinton fifth.

New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton scored ninth of the 20 leaders with a score of 49. Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry, the 2004 Democratic nominee who was roundly criticized before the election for suggesting that students who don't study could end up stuck in Iraq, came in last at 39.6.

Kerry later apologized for what he said was a botched joke.

Democratic Rep. Nancy Pelosi, in line to become the next House Speaker, improved her standing, moving from last to 12th in a few weeks. The next Senate Majority leader, Democrat Harry Reid, was 19th.

"As we enter the presidential campaign of 2008, Giuliani and McCain are in enviable positions," said Peter Brown, assistant poll director. "They are well-regarded and most Americans are quite familiar with them. Obama's showing is impressive, but four in 10 Americans still don't know enough about him to have an opinion."

The telephone poll was conducted from Nov. 13-19. Quinnipiac surveyed 1,623 registered voters nationwide and the poll has a sampling error margin of plus or minus 2.4 percentage points.

Nothing too surprising I suppose, although I was shocked to see Condi in fourth. I'm not sure what to think about that.

Otherwise it looks about like you'd expect. Guiliani and McCain are up there. Obama came in second. He seems to be leaning more and more toward a run. If his numbers keep coming in like this he just might have to give it a go. Looks like if he can get his name and platform out there a little more he might have a serious shot.

Hill was in the middle of the pack at ninth. Honestly I thought she'd finish a little lower than that. Maybe her publicity people really know what they are doing.

The other surprise was Bush not finishing last... or even next to last. That was the honor of Harry Reid and John Kerry. Not surprisingly he didn't finish high on the list but I suppose if you're Dubbya, you take your victories where you can.

 

[zephyrprime]

 

[Balt]

I think Republicans are probably going to take the presidency again in 2008, despite Bush's well-deserved unpopularity. Giuliani and McCain are both solid candidates, though McCain might sabotage himself in the next few months. As for the Democrats... not so much.

 

[CaptnKirk]

So it's no longer the best, most qualified person for the job - it's who would win on American Idol.

 

[zinfamous]

Originally posted by: CaptnKirk
So it's no longer the best, most qualified person for the job - it's who would win on American Idol.

just a trend started by Kennedy...

 

[Kwaipie]

While I publicly applauded George after September 11th, Guiliani is in much the same boat, take away the terror attack and then look at his resume. New Yorkers won't vote for him.

 

[Whoozyerdaddy]

Originally posted by: CaptnKirk
So it's no longer the best, most qualified person for the job - it's who would win on American Idol.

When in our lifetime (I'm assuming 1960's forward) has the race for president ever had anything to do with qualifications?

Were Clinton or Reagan ever really qualified to be president? Of course not. But everyone loved them. (Well... 65% or so anyway) Gore was certainly more qualified than Bush. But Gore was flat-out unlikeable. (Stiff, wooden and boring are a few words that come to mind) Bush was a stammering goof but people could relate to him.

 

[fskimospy]

Originally posted by: Balt
I think Republicans are probably going to take the presidency again in 2008, despite Bush's well-deserved unpopularity. Giuliani and McCain are both solid candidates, though McCain might sabotage himself in the next few months. As for the Democrats... not so much.

I'm not sure about that. I don't think Giuliani can win the republican primary. The evangelicals and the hard right will eat his gay rights respecting, pro choicing, pro gun control a$$ alive. In an effort to win the primary McCain is also running as fast as he can to the right... which is going to badly hurt him in the general election. He's already lost a lot of his centrist "maverick" image, and I imagine before the primary is over it will only get worse.

I'm not saying the Democrats are going to win in '08, but I think that the biggest impediment to the republicans winning the white house will be the republican primaries. They may just beat each other up so badly that not one of them will be electable. (or the evangelicals will get there way and nominate someone like Bill Frist... who will get totally annhiliated by almost anyone).

The biggest problem the democrats have is that their two best candidates happen to be a woman and a black guy. Sadly enough, both of those qualities might just automatically disqualify them. Go America!

 

[Lemon law]

These popularity rating will swing with the corners the indivual politicians paint themselves into.
With many taking stands in the past that will doom them later---McCain has gotten much milage out of trying to prevent some Bush abuses---but is never effective at it.

Time heals all rounds--and hopefully the converse is true also---and time will wound all heels.

 

[CaptnKirk]

Originally posted by: Whoozyerdaddy

Originally posted by: CaptnKirk
So it's no longer the best, most qualified person for the job - it's who would win on American Idol.

When in our lifetime (I'm assuming 1960's forward) has the race for president ever had anything to do with qualifications?

Were Clinton or Reagan ever really qualified to be president? Of course not. But everyone loved them. (Well... 65% or so anyway) Gore was certainly more qualified than Bush. But Gore was flat-out unlikeable. (Stiff, wooden and boring are a few words that come to mind) Bush was a stammering goof but people could relate to him.

Both Nixon and Carter were well qualified to do the job, but politics played by both sides against the other tore them down.

Nixon may heve even been the most highly qualified candidate ever, but a complete selfserving asshole as well.

Carter was destroyed by the remanents of the Nixon Machine in order to prop up Reagan, who only won a popularity contest on the second go around.

 

[cwjerome]

Originally posted by: eskimospy
Go America!

Those last two words are a big reason a lot of people have a hard time voting for Dems. It's pretty hard to believe leftists have America's best interests at heart when they make a hobby of deriding her at every turn.

 

[cwjerome]

DP

 

[nageov3t]

guiliani doesn't have a chance.

way too many issues that got white-washed post-9/11 would get brought back up, not the least of which would be his endorsement of kerik for homeland security chief and his infidelity/divorice.

 

[Craig234]

Originally posted by: zinfamous

Originally posted by: CaptnKirk
So it's no longer the best, most qualified person for the job - it's who would win on American Idol.

just a trend started by Kennedy...

What the hell kind of most ignorant statement I've seen here in a long time is that?

In the 1960 campaign between Kennedy and Nixon, Kennedy had been groomed for a role like this all his life; his family spent dinners with Joe quizzing the kids on current events, insisting they make good arguments for their positions. He'd studied economics under Laski at the London School of Economics, spent many years travelling the world talking with the staffs at embassies and world leaders with access as the son of a famous ambassador and one of the nation's richest men, he'd written a national bestseller on the topic of England's preperation for WWII, written another book that won the Pulitter prize, served on the McClellan committee against racketeering that paved the way to his later greatest pursuit of the mob in US history, and taken a courageous stand against US support for colonialism in the Senate that won the hearts of third world leaders.

His opponent, Richard Nixon, had won office with red-baiting his opponents in dishonest smear campaigns using ethics that had already earned him the monicker 'Tricky Dick' long before his 1968 presidency and Watergate, milked one dramatic incident, the discovery of a spy's message in a pumpkin field, into national prominence, was almost booted off the ticked by Eisenhower for suspicious, corrupt activities, and had perhaps the worst endorsement in the 1960 campaign a VP has ever received from the president in the history of the nation: Eisenhower was questioned by the press on Nixon's accomplishments as VP, and he said, 'give me a couple weeks and I might think of one'. His major accomplishments had been shaking his finger for cameras in the face of a confused Kruschev for a 'kitchen debate', almost getting killed by a mob in South America (the same type of mob who put Kennedy's photo on their wall at home), and helping to plan the disastrous Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba which he was unable to launch before the election, and Kennedy inherited to his great regret.

You are arguing that in this contest, Kennedy was *not qualified*!?!? The fact that he was extremely good looking and had 'charisma' does not detract from his qualifications.

Kennedy was one of the most qualified presidential candidates we've ever had.

 

[Craig234]

Originally posted by: cwjerome

Originally posted by: eskimospy
Go America!

Those last two words are a big reason a lot of people have a hard time voting for Dems. It's pretty hard to believe leftists have America's best interests at heart when they make a hobby of deriding her at every turn.

Right. What you should say is that those last two words are a big reason a lot of idiots have a hard time voting for dems.

When dems 'derided' America for not allowing women to vote and fixed that, they hated America.

When dems 'derided' America for her racism and fought to end it, from Truman spending his political capital to appoint the first black to the appellate court in a recess nomination and integrating the military, to JFK's stirring speeches to the nation as the first president to speak so strongly on the issue, to LBJ's passing the civil rights legislation while he believed it would give the south to the republicans and doom the democrats from winning the presidency for at least a generation, they hated America.

When dems 'derided' America for their own president having made a mistake in going to war in Viet Nam and tried to pull out 25,000 soldiers killed and several years earlier than before the republicans doubled the casualties in a pointless extension of the war, they hated America.

When dems 'derided' America for the high rates of unemployment in the great depression and created jobs programs, they hated America.

When dems 'derided' America for the 90% level of elder poverty and passed social security which now has it at 11%, they hated America.

When dems 'derided' America for the hunger among its poor and the lack of medical care for the elderly and created food programs and medicare, they hated America.

When dems 'derided' America for low wages, unsafe working conditions, 12 hour six day work weeks, child labor, unsafe products and food, and solved these issues wit legislation, with the creation of the food and drug administration, with the minimum wage, they hated America.

The republicans opposed nearly all of these efforts by the dems.

It's sad that people like the one I quoted are so brainwashed that they believe the right-wing propagandists who tell them the democrats can't be trusted to do right for America.

 

[Wreckem]

Originally posted by: Craig234

Originally posted by: zinfamous

Originally posted by: CaptnKirk
So it's no longer the best, most qualified person for the job - it's who would win on American Idol.

just a trend started by Kennedy...

What the hell kind of most ignorant statement I've seen here in a long time is that?

In the 1960 campaign between Kennedy and Nixon, Kennedy had been groomed for a role like this all his life; his family spent dinners with Joe quizzing the kids on current events, insisting they make good arguments for their positions. He'd studied economics under Laski at the London School of Economics, spent many years travelling the world talking with the staffs at embassies and world leaders with access as the son of a famous ambassador and one of the nation's richest men, he'd written a national bestseller on the topic of England's preperation for WWII, written another book that won the Pulitter prize, served on the McClellan committee against racketeering that paved the way to his later greatest pursuit of the mob in US history, and taken a courageous stand against US support for colonialism in the Senate that won the hearts of third world leaders.

His opponent, Richard Nixon, had won office with red-baiting his opponents in dishonest smear campaigns using ethics that had already earned him the monicker 'Tricky Dick' long before his 1968 presidency and Watergate, miled one dramatic incident, the discovery of a spy's message in a pumpkin field, into national prominence, was almost booted off the ticked by Eisenhower for suspicious, corrupt activities, and had perhaps the worst endorsement in the 1960 campaign a VP has ever received from the president in the history of the nation: Eisenhower was questioned by the press on Nixon's accomplishments as VP, and he said, 'give me a couple weeks and I might think of one'. His major accomplishments had been shaking his finger for cameras in the face of a confused Kruschev for a 'kitchen debate', almost getting killed by a mob in South America (the same type of mob who put Kennedy's photo on their wall at home), and helping to plan the disastrous Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba which he was unable to launch before the election, and Kennedy inherited to his great regret.

You are arguing that in this contest, Kennedy was *not qualified*!?!? The fact that he was extremely good looking and had 'charisma' does not detract from his qualifications.

Kennedy was one of the most qualified presidential candidates we've ever had.

Yes and many consider Kennedys victory a result of the first televised debate.

 

[Arkaign]

Terrorists don't hate your freedom.

Neither do Democrats.

The Republican party does, sadly.

 

[Craig234]

Originally posted by: Wreckem
Yes and many consider Kennedys won because of the first televised debate.

The fact that many Americans responded more to Kennedy's shallow appeal than to his qualifications does not mean, though, as the poster said, that he lacked them.

That was just one of his abilities that he appropriately used to get votes as a politician.

If women were going to vote for him because he flashed a nice smile rather than his position on legislations, who was he to refuse them the smile they wanted?

Charisma is one of the tools of a president; while it can be actually harmful when coupled with a president with harmful policies (see Reagan), it's useful with a good president.

 

[Wreckem]

Originally posted by: Craig234

Originally posted by: Wreckem
Yes and many consider Kennedys won because of the first televised debate.

The fact that many Americans responded more to Kennedy's shallow appeal than to his qualifications does not mean, though, as the poster said, that he lacked them.

That was just one of his abilities that he appropriately used to get votes as a politician.

If women were going to vote for him because he flashed a nice smile rather than his position on legislations, who was he to refuse them the smile they wanted?

Charisma is one of the tools of a president; while it can be actually harmful when coupled with a president with harmful policies (see Reagan), it's useful with a good president.

Wow you act as if Kennedy was a Saint. Some of his actions and policies were pretty harmful.

Kennedy is a vastly over rated president, and its because he was the best looking president ever and he was assassinated.

 

[Arkaign]

Originally posted by: loki8481
guiliani doesn't have a chance.

way too many issues that got white-washed post-9/11 would get brought back up, not the least of which would be his endorsement of kerik for homeland security chief and his infidelity/divorice.

QFT!

I actually hope the Republicans are stupid and desperate enough to push Rudy for President in '08. He would lose in a landslide to Charles Manson, to say how badly
Rudy would perform nationally after widespread coverage of his despicable deeds.

Briefer :

While married to his 2nd wife, he CHEATED on her with some other slut, meanwhile his wife was trying to help patch their marriage together quietly and privately.

After deciding that he wants a new trophy wife out of the slut he's cheating with, what does he do? Does he talk to his wife privately and tell her that it's over? No, that would have some semblance of class or mild dignity, difficult considering he was already a cheating slimeball. He holds a F&CKING PRESS CONFERENCE to announce that he's getting a divorce. He told his wife nothing about it. Then he goes on to marry the younger slut.

Yeah, that'll fly nationally just great. Fox news might spin it some freaking way, but the fact of the matter is that he's a scumbag just like Clinton, only with a smug smartass New England lawyer personality that's enough to make your skin crawl.

Run that prick, GOP, just try it.

 

[Arkaign]

Originally posted by: Wreckem

Originally posted by: Craig234

Originally posted by: Wreckem
Yes and many consider Kennedys won because of the first televised debate.

The fact that many Americans responded more to Kennedy's shallow appeal than to his qualifications does not mean, though, as the poster said, that he lacked them.

That was just one of his abilities that he appropriately used to get votes as a politician.

If women were going to vote for him because he flashed a nice smile rather than his position on legislations, who was he to refuse them the smile they wanted?

Charisma is one of the tools of a president; while it can be actually harmful when coupled with a president with harmful policies (see Reagan), it's useful with a good president.

Wow you act as if Kennedy was a Saint. Some of his actions and policies were pretty harmful.

Kennedy is a vastly over rated president, and its because he was the best looking president ever and he was assassinated.

Which ones? Be specific.

I think his handling of the Cuban Missile Crisis was worth any potential mishaps. That kind of level-headedness would have been impossible with today's GOP chickenhawks who RUN like hell from serving in wars, but who love to send kids to die for worthless causes like Iraq.

Kennedy even consulted Dwight Eisenhower, the great Republican, for advice on the issue. I have a *very* hard time believing that any current GOP leader would even consider consulting anyone outside of their own Neocon think-tank jackoffs for matters of even the most grave national importance.

 

[Craig234]

Originally posted by: Wreckem
Wow you act as if Kennedy was a Saint. Some of his actions and policies were pretty harmful.

Kennedy is a vastly over rated president, and its because he was the best looking president ever and he was assassinated.

What is with the ignorance about Kennedy?

He was an amazing, unique president, incredibly talented and pursuing all kinds of policies that were good for the nation like few others had.

He wasn't a saint, but he was an incredibly great president in many ways having nothing to do with his looks or his beig assassinated.

Again, you are wrong to use your ignorance of him to fill in the gaps of his presidency.

He's a great president who happened to be good looking; his being assassinated grew his legend in large part because of what he'd meant to the nation, you don't see McKinley or Garfield legendary because they were assassinated. It was because he'd inspired the nation so much with his leadership and the nation felt an incredible, historic loss, and indeed it can be argued that his assassination led to great decline for the nation, from his wall against combat troops in Viet nam falling to LBJ, to that issue leading to the defeat of LBJ and the election of Nixon which brought watergate, leading the election of Carter, leading to the election of Reagan who set the nation on its current path of huge debt which threatens our position as the economic power we've been post-WWII.

 

[HombrePequeno]

Originally posted by: Arkaign

Originally posted by: loki8481
guiliani doesn't have a chance.

way too many issues that got white-washed post-9/11 would get brought back up, not the least of which would be his endorsement of kerik for homeland security chief and his infidelity/divorice.

QFT!

I actually hope the Republicans are stupid and desperate enough to push Rudy for President in '08. He would lose in a landslide to Charles Manson, to say how badly
Rudy would perform nationally after widespread coverage of his despicable deeds.

Briefer :

While married to his 2nd wife, he CHEATED on her with some other slut, meanwhile his wife was trying to help patch their marriage together quietly and privately.

After deciding that he wants a new trophy wife out of the slut he's cheating with, what does he do? Does he talk to his wife privately and tell her that it's over? No, that would have some semblance of class or mild dignity, difficult considering he was already a cheating slimeball. He holds a F&CKING PRESS CONFERENCE to announce that he's getting a divorce. He told his wife nothing about it. Then he goes on to marry the younger slut.

Yeah, that'll fly nationally just great. Fox news might spin it some freaking way, but the fact of the matter is that he's a scumbag just like Clinton, only with a smug smartass New England lawyer personality that's enough to make your skin crawl.

Run that prick, GOP, just try it.

It's interesting that Clinton is still placed 5th considering how many sex scandals he's had. America may start turning a blind eye towards things like that. I personally don't give a sh!t what a candidate does in the bedroom as long as his policies are sound.

 

[conjur]

Originally posted by: zinfamous

Originally posted by: CaptnKirk
So it's no longer the best, most qualified person for the job - it's who would win on American Idol.

just a trend started by the television revolution...

Edited for accuracy.

 

[nageov3t]

Originally posted by: HombrePequeno

Originally posted by: Arkaign

Originally posted by: loki8481
guiliani doesn't have a chance.

way too many issues that got white-washed post-9/11 would get brought back up, not the least of which would be his endorsement of kerik for homeland security chief and his infidelity/divorice.

QFT!

I actually hope the Republicans are stupid and desperate enough to push Rudy for President in '08. He would lose in a landslide to Charles Manson, to say how badly
Rudy would perform nationally after widespread coverage of his despicable deeds.

Briefer :

While married to his 2nd wife, he CHEATED on her with some other slut, meanwhile his wife was trying to help patch their marriage together quietly and privately.

After deciding that he wants a new trophy wife out of the slut he's cheating with, what does he do? Does he talk to his wife privately and tell her that it's over? No, that would have some semblance of class or mild dignity, difficult considering he was already a cheating slimeball. He holds a F&CKING PRESS CONFERENCE to announce that he's getting a divorce. He told his wife nothing about it. Then he goes on to marry the younger slut.

Yeah, that'll fly nationally just great. Fox news might spin it some freaking way, but the fact of the matter is that he's a scumbag just like Clinton, only with a smug smartass New England lawyer personality that's enough to make your skin crawl.

Run that prick, GOP, just try it.

It's interesting that Clinton is still placed 5th considering how many sex scandals he's had. America may start turning a blind eye towards things like that. I personally don't give a sh!t what a candidate does in the bedroom as long as his policies are sound.

I think the thing with Clinton is, everyone can look at his wife and understand his need to cheat