GALLUP: Romney Fades, But Dems Barely Edge McCain and Rudy

[RamboLiberal]

Source: Editor & Publisher

While much appears to be going the Democrats' way in public opinion, it is not really translating in presidential election heats -- and now Mayor Mike Blomberg might enter the race as an independent, which might hurt the Dems, as well.

A new Gallup poll finds the three leading Democratic contenders barely edging the top Republicans. The only exception is that former Gov. Mitt Romney fares very poorly. At the same time, former Sen. John Edwards appears to be soaring.

The June 11-14 polls finds Sen. Hillary Clinton besting Sen. John McCain 48% to 46%, Sen. Barack Obama topping him 49% to 46% and Edwards, surprisingly, with the biggest edge, 50% to 44%. The numbers for a race against former Mayor Rudy Giuliani are almost the same.

Romney, however, trails each of the three Democrats by wide margins: losing to Clinton by 13%, to Obama by 21% and to Edwards by a whopping 29%.

McCain's strength -- despite several apparent setbacks -- has held very steady this year in these heats, while Giuliani has faded.


Read more: http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003601112

[rcdean]

1. If only Edwards didn't have that video out there...

...the one showing him combing his hair adoringly for 8 minutes.

Otherwise, I think he makes a damn strong candidate. His thinking has impressed me more than any of the others, esp. on Iraq and healthcare.

[RamboLiberal]

3. Video - Edwards should turn that around

Must be some clever media person out there that could turn this into a funny bit that would still get the message across that Edwards is the guy to vote for. Use if for himself before the RW can turn it against him.

[Bleys]

6. He could go on SNL...

... and comb his hair for his entire opening bit.


Oh wait, no one watches SNL anymore...

[rodeodance]

12. if people vote on the hair thingy, then we are in BIG trouble as a nation!

[Psephos]

14. Think about what the image of Wolfowitz licking his comb did for him

It's not a trivial problem.

[catgirl]

19. Well Wolfowitz also had holes in his socks

maybe that cancelled out the comb icking. Hehe.

[Psephos]

24. LOL n/t

[Drunken Irishman]

20. We're already in trouble.

Elections are nothing more than a beauty pageant and it's been like this since the mid-80s.

Think about it.

Kerry was boring and a lurch, Bush was down to earth and versatile in his look.

Gore was boring and a stiff, Bush was down to earth and versatile in his look. Oh and he made a great drinking buddy.

Dole was boring and an old stiff, Clinton was charismatic and sexy.

Bush I was boring, old and out of touch with Americans (I mean, he didn't even know about checkout scanners, the audacity of that man!), while Clinton was young, sexy, charismatic and could connect with anyone.

You win the presidency if you're down to earth, humble or folksy and have charisma. It doesn't matter where you stand on the issues, but when did we last elect a president that wasn't seen as charismatic, an average Joe or someone that could connect with regular folk? Nixon?

[mitchum]

21. Actually, American elections have been beauty pageants since 1960 (n/t)

[Drunken Irishman]

23. Probably because of that TV thing...

[donco]

25. He could shave his head and say it was in support of cancer research

while inviting the other candidates to do the same.:)

[movonne]

2. If we can't have Gore, then I'm voting Edwards...I like Edwards and

think he would make a fine president....but Gore would be superb..

[saracat]

4. Odd the emphasis is on Romney fading instead of Edward's soaring!

[Vinca]

5. You'd think Rudy could be discredited severely by the revelation

he was too busy to show up at the 9/11 Commission meetings and was asked to resign. He blew the one opportunity that might have legitimized his 9/11 profiteering.

[rodeodance]

13. i think only the news junkies know this tidbit.

[xchrom]

7. too early for me -- i just don't care about polls at this time.

[Psephos]

15. Yes, it's like watching the thermometer today and worrying about the weather next year n/t

[BlueStater]

8. Give me a break

Old man McCain is going nowhere but down.

[earthlover]

9. I finally made my decision....

well...sort of....

What I have concluded is that I like Hillary, Obama and Edwards pretty much the same. They each have strengths. And there are things about each I strongly dislike. But they are all Democrats.

I have decided to go with Gore or Clark, whoever declares first. If neither declares...then what makes the most sense to me is....

which ever candidate has the best chance of winning BIG. We don't just need to win the president, although losing the presidency is unthinkable. We also need a candidated with enough coat-strings to elect a stronger Democratic Congress.

It isn't enough to just squeak by in the polls vs the Reps. We need the candidate who will win by the largest margin.

Sorry, but I can't see a substantial enough difference between Obama, Clinton and Edwards to make one clearly superior. Even Hillary says as much, there isn't much differences compared to the similarities.

My conclusion, then, is go with the one who has the best chance of clobbering, not just squeaking by, the Reps.

If anyone can show a distinct enough difference your candidate has that would justify going with someone with lower numbers, then let us know.

[AndyTiedye]

10. Looking Pretty Grim for Next Year -- Unless GORE Enters the Race

If either Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama were going to be President, they should be up 20 points on McCain today.
Instead, it is within the margin of error -- which means it is within the margin of theft as well --
and this is BEFORE the Repiglickin' Mighty Slime Machine goes into high gear to pump up the Repigs.

We need better candidates! WE NEED AL GORE!!!!!

[AlCzervik]

11. i'm an optimist, the big headline for me--"Romney down---next!"

one by one the gopers will get picked off.

[rcdean]

16. Harry Reid's great line about Romney & Giuliani

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to an audience at the Center for American Progress
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"The one fact I've learned -- I can't get out of my mind -- is that Rudy Giuliani's been married more times than Mitt Romney's been hunting."

[Psephos]

18. Great line indeed, but Reid plagiarized it

James Carville said it a couple of months ago while addressing Tulane University students.

Reid out to get into the business of attributing his one-liners when they're not his own; it's a given that he's going to get busted when he doesn't. All he had to say was, "As James Carville noted,...".

http://www.nola.com/printer/printer.ssf?/base/library-124/1177050718184120.xml&coll=1&thispage=2

[davidthegnome]

17. Romney is the most dangerous

Of all the candidates they're up against. By dangerous - I mean, the idea of him sitting in the white-house would mean four-eight more years of the same. Only this time we'd have a (slightly) smarter tyrant.

That said... I agree, we NEED Al Gore. Step up, Mr. President, it's time to win another election.

[olddad56]

22. as if the 2008 election will somehow be fair and honest.

Those days are long gone.

[jamesinca]

26. If they play the ISG right, Rudy will tank

I think the other Republics will use that, or the Democrats will. McCain I don't think is taken serious anymore. He has some appeal, but his straight talk express has been derailed. I am betting on Mittens or Rudy to win it in the Republic race. Mittens will carry Utah and Rudy will carry New England.