Is the 2nd tier of candidates fading fast this year?

[rinsd]

In Rasmussen's latest polling, he finds Clinton and Obama only separated by 2 pts, 35 to 33 respectively. That was 34 to 26 in favor of Clinton just a week ago. Edwards came in withg 14%, off by 2 pts from the last poll (where he was at 16%) but still around the same place he has been since March, hovering around 15%. So where did that support for Obama come from? My only guess is the 2nd tier level since they mention Richardson at a distant 4th with only 3%.

http://rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/2008_democratic_presidential_primary

So has the top tier's media coverage/fundraising simply overwhelmed these candidates?

Will any of these guys make a move in the next 3 months or will they have to wait until right before the voting starts?

[hippiechick]

1. The 2nd tier is being ignored into extinction ...

... the media and the party machinery want to pick the candidates for us, so they're ignoring what and who they don't want the general public to take notice of.


:(

[Captain Angry]

3. You beat me to it.

No coverage means no candidacy.

My grandmom only gets her information from the paper and the local nightly news. If they don't tell her that people are running, she doesn't know.

I don't believe that you should have to work very hard to get information on different candidates. Non-internet users need representation as well, and get none.

[NoPasaran]

15. The 2nd tier is being ignored because there's no reason to pay attention to them

Clinton, Obama and Edwards are like rock stars. The rest of those clowns are doing Dylan covers at an open mic night at a coffeehouse in Nowheresville.

[hippiechick]

18. Yeah, whatever ...

I'll believe what DK is saying a thousand times over before I'll listen to the Hillary Money Machine, thanks.


:eyes:

[NoPasaran]

19. Want a refill on that cappuccino?

:donut:

[hippiechick]

21. No, I'd prefer if you left me alone.

Thank you.

[primative1]

20. Exactly Like Rock Stars /

This a great analogy.
Ever wonder why we get to see a 60 year old Steven Tyler jump around in tights while croaking out rehashes of 40 year old songs while the radio ignores whatever actual talent is around at the time?
Corporations decide what we will listen to.
Its the same in music as it is in politics.
It was 1990 before the radio actualy began to play any format resembling "new wave". I remember having to set up intracate antenas to pull in distant college stations to get to hear anything relavant, not that the radio dial wasnt crowded enough ....
Good analogy.

[polichick]

2. I think some of these guys are running for other positions...

...cabinet spots or VP ~ wonder how long they need to stay in the race for that kind of consideration?

[Czolgosz]

11. I think Dennis Kucinich is running to win a larger audience for his critically important issues, and

to shape the debate. It's working.

GO DENNIS GO!

I think the same is true of Gravel. The rest of the second tier is running for cabinet positions.

[polichick]

13. Agreed...

I'm thrilled that Kucinich is in the race! Dodd and Biden would be good cabinet members. And, no matter who gets the nomination, Richardson should be on the ticket for his experience and ability to win the Southwestern electoral votes.

[Ian David]

4. I'm hoping for a Gore / Gravel ticket this year. n/t

[AtomicKitten]

5. it's one of those chicken & egg conundrums

Which comes first, no campaign $$$ or no coverage? I believe it is a self-perpetuating cycle.

As support drops off from the so-called second tier candidates, it will be interesting to see where it goes, eh?

[louis-t]

6. I still say McCain will be out by the convention.

Unless he shuts his mouth for a while.

[Czolgosz]

10. McCain out? He's leading by the most reliable measures. He's leading Iowa:

http://americanresearchgroup.com/pres08/iarep8-705.shtml

He's leading New Hampshire: http://americanresearchgroup.com/pres08/nhrep8-705.shtml

And he's leading South Carolina: http://americanresearchgroup.com/pres08/screp8-703.shtml

It's early, of course, but at this early stage, McCain is leading in every race where he needs to be leading.

[elizm]

7. My guess is....

...the more people who hear, and truly LISTEN to, Senator Obama are finding out that they like what they hear. I expect the trend to continue. I live in SC where Obama has visited several times already (and where he is now leading, by the way). As he is able to get out around the country and people see him, hear him, and understand that he is for real, they will start to support him. Pretty simple concept.

[Colobo]

9. Amen!

[mmonk]

8. Has the first primary been held yet?

[Le Taz Hot]

14. Primary?

We don't need no steeenking primaries. The party machine and the MSM have already decided for us.

[zulchzulu]

12. Unfortunately...yes...

The front-loaded primary season is a damn joke.

As much as I like Obama, I don't want it to just be three candidates that are viable by this August. We need a large discussion at least for a while.

[Tejanocrat]

16. Is Richardson fading faster than Lieberman '04, Dodd fizzling more than Clark '04, or is Kucinich

being unfairly ignored more than Kucinich '04?

Everything seems on track with '04 from where I'm sitting.

[democrat2thecore]

17. Opinion polls mean NOTHING this early

They reflect name recognition and nothing else. Every cycle we pretend they do. What were Clinton's numbers in '92? Howard Dean's in '04? Howard Dean was considered a "long-shot with no numbers" and within months was the presumptive nominee. Pay no attention to the polls.

[Mark Twain Girl]

22. Oddest thing this morning -- listening to the BBC on my local

community radio station, and they did a story about the 08 elections. They did a 2-3 minute story on.... Mike Huckabee. I did a double-take. I'm not sure if there will be a followup story on the Democratic candidates and if so, who will be the focus. But as soon as the story geared up, I simply assumed we were heading into a "top-tier" candidate story, as per norm.

However, I will also say -- the story on Huckabee did absolutely nothing with issues. It was all about "the little guy running" as the story, not about policies. Clinton's initial numbers were indeed brought up in the story, as well.

The one good thing I noted in the BBC piece -- the point was made that the focus should not merely be on front-runners who raise huge amounts of cash, because the presidential office should not be for sale.

[windbreeze]

23. TPTB have decided...

there are ONLY 3 candidates, and the media goes along willingly...Clinton Obama and Edwards....it's that damned simple... I am NOT personally enthused with any of the 3...however, I also realize that no one really cares what I think...only problem I see for tptb, is that there could be millions who feel the same way I do....and that could be problematic...


(the following was posted on another site, last week, by someone from London...from the way the primaries have been moved up....and from the way the media is pushing only a couple of the candidates, (Clinton especially) it sure appears that the following could be more than just allegations/rumors...sorry I don't have a subscription to the site that was quoted..

"ROTHSCHILD INSIDE LINE - THE NEXT PRESIDENT IS....

This interesting bit of juicy rumor just in from tonight's Le Metropole Cafe, Midas report:

Our STALKER source called this afternoon after speaking with this silver bullion dealer in London today. Here is the gist:

*Buffet has had no silver for some time. The US Government influenced him to dump it, perhaps some of it to the ETF.

*It is a "foregone conclusion" that most of the free silver around today WILL END UP IN DUBAI.

*Europe is concerned about a recession in 2008 and they are not happy with the strength in the euro.


*snip*

Here it goes in bullet points:

*There are the big money folks who are pulling the strings behind the US political scene … the Rothschilds Family was mentioned.

*A meeting was called in London in 1986 for the money powers. The Bush Family was invited. Seems these people were not happy with Ronald Reagan as they could not control him.

*They said that Papa Bush was to be President in 1988 and that an unknown politician would be President in 1992, Bill Clinton (Yale Skull and Bones). Following him, it would be George Bush Jr. Next in line would be Hillary Clinton, who would run against Guiliani. However, once Guiliani got the nomination, they would release some dirt on him regarding some of this nefarious financial market maneuverings and he would be sunk. In other words, they are setting him up. McCain? … since they can’t control him either, he is out of the picture."


(I think we all realize...that way too much influential big money IS involved in our elections...AND...IF I recall correctly, on DU just a few days ago, there was a thread that questioned if the 1988 election was rigged)

This is not posted as gospel truth...but only because I thought it interesting in view of other things that have happened....
wb

ps..the site quoted originally is...www.lemetropolecafe.com

[BluePatriot]

24. I feel like the media's already decided *shrug*