Edwards wins straw poll at gathering of North Georgia Democrats:

[ddeclue]

This from my Democratic Party of Georgia newsletter today:

"Edwards wins straw poll

Hundreds of Democrats from around the North Georgia area met up in Gainesville on Sunday, June 10. Attendees heard from an impressive list of speakers, including former legislators Wyc Orr and Carol Jackson, DPG Chair Jane Kidd, DPG Vice-Chair (and Labor Commissioner) Michael Thurmond, retired Army officer Ben Purcell, the Reverend Jim Nelson, and U.S. Senate candidates Dale Cardwell and Rand Knight.

The rally also featured a Presidential preference straw poll. John Edwards won the poll with 35%, followed by Barack Obama at 26%, Hillary Clinton at 21%, Bill Richardson at 10%, and Dennis Kucinich at 5%.

Hats off to rally organizer Jon Flack and his team for putting on such a great event!"

Don't listen to the talking heads, folks - the real people on the ground know who the real candidate is - It's Edwards...

Doug D.
Orlando, FL

[mnhtnbb]

1. This is confirmation that Edwards plays well in the South!

[ddeclue]

2. Yep! n/t

[Catchawave]

3. I like the *live* strawpolls.....

A much better indicator of the real Democratic base, rather than phone calls to people pretending to be Democrats :D

[pingzing58]

4. I think it's because of his accent. He might appeal to more if he had accent reduction classes. nt

[maximusveritas]

5. Yeah

You gota love those straw polls where they ask 20 people in the room who they're voting for and pretend the result has any significance whatsoever.

[ddeclue]

9. Can't you read? It said HUNDREDS of Democrats..not 20... n/t

[maximusveritas]

23. Read it again genius

It said hundreds attended (I'm not even sure I believe that). Only a small percentage of attendees ever participate in the straw poll.

And considering John Edwards was a speaker and they spelled Obama's name as Osama, I can't say I'm surprised with the results.
http://www.cumminghome.com/news30041/Government/north-georgia-democrats-for-the-people-rally.shtml

[rinsd]

24. LOL, a tried & true Democratic group who calls a major candidate Osama.

Nice smackdown.

[ddeclue]

25. You've NO basis for that statement "genius"...

It doesn't say that a "small portion" voted. The only reasonable conclusion is that everyone who participated voted.

[maximusveritas]

28. Here's my basis

I've been to plenty of these events. At TBA, only 700 people participated in the poll even though almost all of the 3000 attendees got ballots. So your conclusion is hardly reasonable. Let's just agree to disagree on this though.

[ddeclue]

30. The ones I've been to here in Orlando, everyone votes...

We'll just have to disagree.

[waiting for hope]

7. Totally Agree!

:hi:

Kick and Rec!

[rinsd]

6. self delete because I goofed

[jsamuel]

8. Georgia? Edwards' "Home State"... So far I have heard that about 3 states.

you need to do some fact checking

Unless you consider the whole South John Edwards' home state. I probably wouldn't disagree with you too much there.

[rinsd]

11. Whoops read it wrong and rushed to post

[ddeclue]

10. Can't you read either? Edwards is from NC not GA...geeez n/t

[rinsd]

12. My bad. I read it wrong.

But I can certainly read and the polls say Edwards is 3rd.

;-)

[ddeclue]

13. Not in the polls that matter....n/t

[rinsd]

14. Which polls would those be?

Would they be state polls?

Because its Hillary 1st than Obama 2nd on most of those.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opinion_polling_for_the_Democratic_Party_(United_States)_presidential_primaries,_2008

Would it be IA?

Well even though your guy has lived there for the past 2 years, it appears he has a modest lead

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/president/ia/iowa_democratic_caucus-208.html

[ddeclue]

15. Iowa is what matters because it is first..

and Edwards is doing nicely in the other early states as well. You can keep whistling past the graveyard but Hillary's ratings were set in concrete years ago and she has nowhere to go but down. With a 46% negative she just can't win.

Doug D.

[rinsd]

18. He is barely in the lead in IA and has staked his campaign on it.

"Edwards is doing nicely in the other early states as well"

3rd place in nearly every state besides IA leading into Sooper Tuesday when he has no shot at CA, NY or IL is doing nicely?

"but Hillary's ratings were set in concrete years ago and she has nowhere to go but down"

And yet polling shows her lead increasing for the nomination and her head to heads against Rudy improving.

[mnhtnbb]

16. Maybe Dems will wake up to Rasmussen polls showing Edwards ONLY Dem

consistently beating all Repubs.

Hillary struggles against Giuiliani--regularly.

Obama struggles against Giuliani--regularly.

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/favorables/election_2008_democratic_candidates_running_in_2008_presidential_election

[rinsd]

17. That same Rasmussen has your guy at a pathetic 13%

So which is it?

Is Rasmussen accurate or not?

[mnhtnbb]

21. It's not about accuracy, it's about a disconnect. Dems haven't

figured out that they'd better nominate someone who can WIN!

[rinsd]

22. Hate to break it to you but at this point all of the big 3 can win.

[ddeclue]

26. Nope - only one can - Edwards.

Hillary's negatives are too high and fixed in concrete. She has no chance.

Obama might have a chance if he can reverse the trend but his negatives are trending up too.

Doug D.

[rinsd]

27. Sigh. Yes, just ignore the evidence.

"Hillary's negatives are too high and fixed in concrete. She has no chance."

Twice in the last 4 election has a candidate won with high negatives.

And Hillary's numbers are trending upwards against Giuliani.

"Obama might have a chance if he can reverse the trend but his negatives are trending up too."

Which is what happens the more one gets press. And even then the uptick in negatives is slight for Obama.

Its funny how heavily you rely upon Rasmussen. I mean I like them too but you do realize they show your guy at a patehtic 13% right now?

[ddeclue]

29. I don't rely on Rasmussen's national poll for the purpose you do.

That 13% doesn't mean much because it's a national poll not state by state and it's not likely voters - it's registered voters. Edwards leads in IA right now where it matters.

The part that matters is the 46% negative for Hillary because those people will never ever vote for her in the general election.

It's you who is ignoring the evidence.

Doug D.

[rinsd]

34. LOL, Edwards leads by the skin of his teeth in IA and is trending downward there.

[catgirl]

33. I recall you once bashing people who believe in polls

in fact you started an argument about it. Remember bashing Al Gore?
I certainly remember it.

[MaineDem]

19. Maine is thinking of a straw poll in September

Hopefully, it'll attract some candidates. Doesn't look like the GA one did, though. :(

[AtomicKitten]

20. My prediction.

Edwards and Obama will neutralize each other and HRC will prevail.

It's unfortunate that the Edwards and Obama camps can't merge to support one candidate as an effective opposition candidate to HRC.

Otherwise, keep praying Gore jumps in.

[slick8790]

31. Really?

My prediction was the opposite. The Edwards and Obama people will go together to neutralize Hil. I dunno, myself and a couple people I knew had an odd impression at the last debate that despite the potshots, Edwards and Obama were jockeying to each other's running mate.


Personally, I couldn't imagine a better team. Preferably Edwards/Obama, then Obama/whoever in 2016 after he can shut up the people who say he has not enough foreign policy and executive experience.

[flaminbats]

32. I'm sorry I missed this!

I went to the state convention last year. we all sat with Democrats from the same county, this is how I hooked up with my local party and started attending its monthly meetings. Wyc Orr, Michael Thurmond, and Carol Jackson are all Democrats I have met, and I'm interested in who they each supported in that straw poll.