GALLUP: Bill & Hillary Clinton Poll Numbers; Uniting the country is a key issue!
Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on March 30, 2007 - 3:54pm.
Democratic politics
Hello Everyone:
Below are two articles from Gallup with poll numbers for Bill and Hillary Clinton which are titled "Bill Clinton Positioned to Be an Asset to Hillary's Campaign" and "Bill Clinton's Favorable Rating Highest Since February 1998." They show how very polarizing of a person that Hillary Clinton is!
Here is the criteria that I think Hillary is probably looking at right now which gives her the reasons why she thinks that she can win the general election in 2008 if she is the Democratic nominee:
http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/11224
ANALYSIS: What Hillary is probably seeing now to think that she can win in 2008!
Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on February 27, 2007 - 5:54pm.
I am sure that Hillary realizes how polarizing that she will be to the country even if she manages to win the 2008 election by a bare majority!
The media and Democratic primary voters need to ask Hillary on a regular basis SPECIFICALLY HOW she will unite the country IF she becomes president. I do NOT hear this question being asked directly to her (or to anyone else) by the media and by the voters when this is clearly a key issue in the 2008 election!
Most people in the country ("the forgotten middle" and "new silent majority" talked about below) want to see the country united and hunger for that to happen:
http://www.rd.com/content/openContent.do?contentId=28693
A Fractured America?
Red State, Blue State. So the media says. But is our country really that divided?
By William Beaman, From Reader's Digest, November 2005
"So the sexy story may be that there's an all-out war between red and blue, but the bigger news is about the forgotten middle. These centrists lack power and influence, but they've got the numbers. Put another way, America has spawned a new silent majority."
No President, regardless of party, can EFFECTIVELY run the country if about half of the country absolutely hates their guts (just like how they do with Bush right now)!
I do NOT believe that Hillary can unite the country while I know that Gen. Clark clearly can:
http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/news/politics/15480285.htm
Posted on Sun, Sep. 10, 2006
A great divide: Left and right battling for the nation's soul
A backlash against the '60s could be blamed for the polarization of political discourse.
By Dick Polman
Inquirer Political Analyst
"I can't recall when I first realized that political discourse had become dangerously polarized, and that civility had gone the way of $2 gas, but I can still feel the moment when these truths were shoved in my face...
"There's not much chance the polarization will be reversed soon. But a lot depends on who we nominate next time. If it's Hillary Clinton and a Republican who is close to Christian conservatives, then we'll have more polarization..."
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-burkee22jan22,0,7673503.story?coll=la-opinion-rightrail
Anyone but a Bush or a Clinton
The U.S. needs a leader in 2008 who doesn't inherit the office because of a last name.
By James Burkee, JAMES BURKEE, an assistant professor of history at Concordia University Wisconsin, is co-founder of the bipartisan political action committee Americans for Responsibility in Washington.
January 22, 2007
"Minority and bare-majority presidents are weak leaders because nothing undergirds presidential power like an election mandate. The strongest post-World War II presidents — Dwight Eisenhower, Lyndon Johnson and Ronald Reagan — were also its most popular. (Eisenhower and Johnson won at least 55% of the vote; Reagan polled just over 50% in 1980 with independent John Anderson in the race, then 59% in 1984.) Presidencies enveloped by partisanship — Harry Truman, Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton — were made of men who won office on the barest of majorities or pluralities (Truman won 49.6% of the popular vote in 1948; Carter won 50.1% in 1976; Clinton won 43% and 50% in 1992 and 1996).
Pundits compare 2006 to the late Nixon years, with a country disillusioned by war and a deep distrust of its political leadership. In one of his last interviews, former President Ford lamented the "extreme partisanship that exists in the nation's capital today," suggesting that partisanship is even worse than in the post-Watergate era he inherited.
The nation needs today, as it got in Ford then, a president respected by both Republicans and Democrats who can restore trust in politics. It needs new faces and new ideas if it is to confront advancing crises of war, debt and entitlement reform. And it needs a president who can assume office in 2009 swimming in the political capital that only a mandate can bring. The nation needs a candidate who can win 55% or more.
And that will not happen with a Bush or Clinton on the ballot."
Here is why I definitely think that Gen. Clark has the ability to unite the country and BE AN EFFECTIVE PRESIDENT:
http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/9979#comment-161838
Why I think Gen. Clark is best qualified to unite the country:
Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on December 8, 2006 - 5:27am.
http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/9979#comment-177662
Gen. Clark is the champion of trying to unite the country:
Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on January 29, 2007 - 1:49pm.
Any President, regardless of party, MUST be able to BOTH unite the country and win back our world allies with the right kind of diplomacy if they are going to EFFECTIVELY GOVERN AND THE MEDIA NEEDS TO BE SPECIFICALLY ASKING HILLARY ABOUT THAT CONSTANTLY!
I really hope that Gen. Clark decides to run because we absolutely CANNOT live through four more years of this kind of bitter partisanship after the 2008 election!
Hillary also does not seem to understand how to get out of Iraq in a responsible manner like how Gen. Clark does:
http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/11337
How Gen. Clark differs with Obama, Edwards & Hillary on getting out of Iraq!
Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on March 6, 2007 - 5:55pm.
Very little can be accomplished in the country as far as domestic issues are concerned after the 2008 election regardless of which party wins IF we are still bogged down in Iraq with no end in sight, if we do not leave Iraq responsibly and possibly make the situation even worse than it is now by leaving in the wrong way, and if the country is not united to a much better degree than it is right now!
Mitch Dworkin
http://www.securingamerica.com/
http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/10756
StopIranWar.com: "War is not the answer"
Submitted by Wes Clark on February 21, 2007 - 11:40am.
http://www.securingamerica.com/ccn/node/7191
Listen to Gen. Wes Clark fight for Dems on Sean Hannity's radio program: An excellent example for all of us to follow and what we all need to be doing to help fight back against extreme right wing Neocon smear propaganda!
--------------------
http://www.galluppoll.com/content/?ci=27037&eref=aol
March 29, 2007
Bill Clinton Positioned to Be an Asset to Hillary's Campaign
Americans don't think Clinton marriage should be a factor with voters
by Lydia Saad
GALLUP NEWS SERVICE
PRINCETON, NJ -- Most Americans predict Hillary Clinton's opponents in the 2008 presidential election campaign will try to exploit past Clinton scandals, but her husband Bill's current popularity with Americans could be a potent buffer for her.
According to a new USA Today/Gallup poll, a majority of Americans have a favorable view of former president Bill Clinton and 71% think he was a good president. Also, while the public generally believes Bill Clinton has not learned his lessons from past marital scandals, Americans say the Clintons' marriage should not be a factor when voters consider Hillary Clinton's candidacy for president.
In the end, despite all of the potential baggage he brings to the table, most Americans believe Bill Clinton will do more good than harm to Hillary Clinton's bid for president.
Bill Clinton's Popularity Is Renewed
With a December 2000 favorable rating from the American people of 57%, Bill Clinton left the White House on a high note. His image initially worsened due to controversy surrounding several of his eleventh-hour presidential pardons, the high cost of his proposed new office space in New York City, and criticism of the Clintons for accepting $190,000 in personal gifts they had received at the White House. However, after reaching a low of 39% in March 2001, Clinton's favorable rating eventually started to improve and is now back to the positive level seen at the end of his presidency.
Americans fully expect to hear about the various scandals that have embroiled the Clintons in their years in public office now that Hillary Clinton is running for president. Two-thirds think supporters of other candidates for the Democratic presidential nomination will try to dredge up past Clinton scandals. More than 8 in 10 believe that, should Clinton become the Democratic nominee, supporters of the Republican nominee for president will also try to make them an issue.
The question is whether reminding Americans about the litany of controversies that beset the Clintons from the 1992 campaign forward will spark the same negative reactions recorded when they occurred, and thus suppress support for Hillary Clinton's presidential bid.
The strategy may have some success with Republicans, the majority of whom say Clinton was a bad president. But it is likely to be resisted, if not resented, by independents and Democrats who overwhelmingly say Clinton was a good president.
Clintons' Marriage Off Limits?
Americans tend to doubt Bill Clinton has mended his straying ways. Fewer than half say the man nearly removed from office for lying under oath about an affair with Monica Lewinsky has "learned his lessons," while 51% say he is still the same person.
Effect of History and Current State of Clintons' Marriage on Voters
What effect will this have on Hillary Clinton's campaign? Only 23% say the Clintons' marriage should matter to voters, but 58% believe it will, in fact, matter.
Survey Methods
Results are based on telephone interviews with 1,007 national adults, aged 18 and older, conducted March 23-25, 2007. For results based on the total sample of national adults, one can say with 95% confidence that the maximum margin of sampling error is ±3 percentage points. In addition to sampling error, question wording and practical difficulties in conducting surveys can introduce error or bias into the findings of public opinion polls.
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http://www.galluppoll.com/content/?ci=26578&eref=aol
February 15, 2007 GALLUP NEWS SERVICE PRINCETON, NJ -- More than 6 in 10 Americans say they have a favorable opinion of former President Bill Clinton, according to a recent Gallup Poll. Clinton's favorable rating is up slightly from last summer, and is at its highest level since February 1998. His favorable rating reached historical lows in 2001 as Clinton sparked many controversies as he left office. But since that time, Clinton's favorable rating has gradually improved and is now close to his historical high, a 66% rating just prior to his inauguration in 1993. A comparison of Bill Clinton's favorable ratings and Hillary Clinton's favorable ratings show that Americans rated the Clintons similarly following their departure from the White House, but in recent years, the former president has been viewed more favorably than his wife. Americans' Opinion of Bill Clinton The Feb. 9-11, 2007 poll finds that 63% of Americans have a favorable opinion of the former president, while 35% have an unfavorable opinion of him. Clinton's favorability is somewhat more positive now than in June 2006, when 59% had a favorable opinion and 37% had an unfavorable opinion of him. These ratings are also the highest Gallup has measured since February 1998, shortly after Clinton's relationship with intern Monica Lewinsky was first reported in the media. From a longer-term perspective, Clinton's favorable rating has averaged 56% since Gallup first measured opinions of him in 1992. During his eight years in office, the former president's average favorable rating was 57%, and since leaving office, this rating has averaged a slightly lower 51%. Clinton's highest favorable rating came just prior to his inauguration in 1993, at 66%, and his lowest rating was 39% in March 2001 following his exit from the White House, which includes controversial presidential pardons and taking gifts from the White House.
Americans' current ratings of Clinton are divided along political lines, as they always have been. The latest poll finds that 89% of Democrats have a favorable opinion of Clinton, compared with 64% of independents and just 30% of Republicans. His latest ratings are among the highest for each party group that Gallup has measured since he left office in 2001. Prior to Clinton's inauguration in 1993, when Clinton's favorable rating was at its highest level, Gallup found that 42% of Republicans, 61% of independents, and 92% of Democrats rated the then incoming president favorably.
Bill Clinton vs. Hillary Clinton Although the former president's role in his wife's campaign for president is not fully clear at this point, New York Sen. Hillary Clinton referred to her husband as her "full-time political counselor" in a speech in New Hampshire this weekend. In the latest poll, Hillary Clinton's favorable ratings are slightly lower than her husband's, at 58%. Americans' opinion of Hillary Clinton have improved; when last measured in November 2006, 53% of Americans viewed her favorably. During the first two years of the Clinton administration, the Clintons' favorable ratings closely mirrored each other on the basis of yearly averages. Americans viewed Hillary Clinton more negatively than Bill Clinton in 1995 and 1996, most likely due to Whitewater and the problems with healthcare reform. The public then viewed Hillary Clinton more favorably than Bill Clinton after the Lewinsky scandal and impeachment proceedings in 1999. Then, from 2000 through 2004, Americans again rated the Clintons similarly, but since that time, Americans have grown more favorable toward Bill Clinton than they have toward Hillary Clinton. The current situation may reflect the fact that Hillary Clinton is still highly involved in partisan politics while her husband is involved in the less controversial pursuits typical of an ex-president. Survey Methods
Results are based on telephone interviews with 1,006 national adults, aged 18 and older, conducted Feb. 9-11, 2007. For results based on the total sample of national adults, one can say with 95% confidence that the maximum margin of sampling error is ±3 percentage points. In addition to sampling error, question wording and practical difficulties in conducting surveys can introduce error or bias into the findings of public opinion polls.
Bill Clinton's Favorable Rating Highest Since February 1998Sixty-three percent of Americans have favorable opinion of Clintonby Joseph Carroll
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/27/AR2006012701429.html
When Partisan Venom Didn't Rule
By David S. Broder
Sunday, January 29, 2006; Page B07
The stench of partisanship is so strong in Washington these days that it is difficult to remember that it was not always the case that Republicans and Democrats were at each other's throats. But, in truth, there was a time when friendship and simple human compassion were far more powerful than any political differences.
A wonderful reminder of that fact can be found among the oral histories compiled by two dozen of Ronald Reagan's main associates that are being released Sunday by the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia. The transcripts are available at http://www.millercenter.org .
House Speaker Thomas "Tip" O'Neill with President Ronald Reagan at a bill signing in 1983. (Barry Thumma - AP)
One of the tapes was furnished by Max Friedersdorf, who ran the White House congressional liaison staff for Reagan. Friedersdorf recounts in the interview what happened while the president was recovering at George Washington University Hospital after the assassination attempt outside the Washington Hilton hotel on March 30, 1981.
Reagan was seriously wounded by John Hinckley, and the day after the shooting, Friedersdorf got a call in the White House from James Baker, Reagan's chief of staff, who was at the hospital. "Get over here," Baker commanded.
"I went over to GW Hospital and went up to the president's room," Friedersdorf said, "and Jim was outside the room with Mrs. Reagan and her Secret Service agent. Baker said, 'I want you to stay here until I tell you to leave.' "
What had happened, Friedersdorf learned, was that Nancy Reagan "was all upset," because Sen. Strom Thurmond had come over to the hospital a few hours earlier and somehow had talked his way through the lobby, up the elevator and into Reagan's room, where he attempted to chat with the gravely wounded president.
"Mrs. Reagan was outraged, distraught," Friedersdorf said. So Baker directed him to take up the watch, and "if any congressman or senator comes around here, make sure the Secret Service doesn't let anybody up, even on this floor."
Friedersdorf said he remained on duty during daylight hours for the next three or four days, and then word came from Baker that the president had recovered enough to start to see people.
The first person to be admitted, Friedersdorf said, was Thomas P. "Tip" O'Neill, the speaker of the House.
When the Massachusetts Democrat arrived, Nancy Reagan slipped out of the room and Friedersdorf retreated to a corner of the suite where he could remain unobtrusive. "Tip got down on his knees next to the bed, and said a prayer for the president, and he held his hand and kissed him and they said a prayer together . . . the 23rd Psalm.
"The speaker stayed there quite a while. They never talked too much. I just heard him say the prayer, then I heard him say, 'God bless you, Mr. President, we're all praying for you.'
"The Speaker was crying. The president still, I think was a little, he was obviously sedated, but I think he knew it was the speaker because he said, 'I appreciate your coming down, Tip.' He held his hand, sat there by the bed, and held his hand for a long [time]."
When I reached Friedersdorf last week at his retirement home in Florida, I asked him how it happened that Reagan's first guest was the leading Democrat on Capitol Hill. "Well," he said, "Tip was third in line of succession [after the vice president] and the fact he was a Democrat didn't bother anybody. We didn't even think about it. Tip had been calling constantly to see how the president was doing. And there was a bond there.
"I remember," Friedersdorf continued, "the first dinner the Reagans had in the private residence was for Tip and his wife, and my wife and I were there. Tip and the president had a drink or two and started swapping Irish stories.
"Often, after that, Tip would say pretty harsh things about some of our legislative proposals, and the staff would want Reagan to answer him. But they trusted each other, and the president would say, 'That's just Tip,' and let it go."
I asked Friedersdorf if he could imagine that sort of relationship flourishing now between the Republican president and the top Democrats in Congress.
"Absolutely not," he said. Sadly, I think he is right.
Does Hillary really think that she can change the minds of so many people?
Does she really want to be a hated President by about half of the country if she wins?
Why is the media not asking her these kind of tough BUT fair questions?
http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/03-27-2007/0004554445&EDATE=
Fifty Percent of U.S. Adults Would Not Vote for Hillary Clinton as the Democratic Candidate for President
Twenty-one percent of Democrats also say they would not vote for the United States Senator
ROCHESTER, N.Y., March 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Senator Hillary Clinton is
still the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination for President of the
United States according to recent polls, even as Senator Barack Obama gains
ground on her in the race.(1) However, according to a new Harris Poll, half
of U.S. adults say they would not vote for Senator Clinton if she was the
Democratic candidate, while only 36 percent say they would, with 11 percent
unsure. Her own party is not unanimously behind her either, as 21 percent
of Democrats say they would not vote for her. In the all-important contest
for Independents, 48 percent say they would not vote for Senator Clinton,
while 37 percent say they would.
Gender also plays an important role. While one would expect that women
would be more likely than men to lean towards Senator Clinton, this is not
the case as 38 percent of women and 34 percent of men both say they would
vote for her. Even among women there is a divide as four in 10 (41%) single
women say they would vote for Senator Clinton, compared to 36 percent of
married women. Over half of both men (56%) and married women (52%) say they
would not vote for her for president.
These are just some of the results of a Harris Poll of 2,223 U.S.
adults conducted online between March 6 and 14, 2007 by Harris
Interactive(R).
Clinton's track record, political opinion and personality
In looking deeper, a picture begins to emerge as to what critics
dislike about Hillary Clinton. When asked about her track record as First
Lady, just under half (48%) say they like her track record, while 41
percent say they do not. Four in 10 (42%) like her track record as a U.S.
Senator, while 38 percent dislike it. Moving from the offices to the
personal, the dislikes edge out the likes -- by a 45 percent to 44 percent
margin, adults dislike Hillary Clinton as a person and by a 45 percent to
42 percent margin, they dislike her political opinions.
Unsurprisingly, Republicans and Conservatives are much more likely than
Democrats and Liberals to dislike Senator Clinton on these issues. Men are
also more likely than women to dislike her on these issues. There is also a
large generational gap. Those who are "Matures" (aged 62 and older) are,
across the board, more likely to dislike Hillary Clinton. Over half (54%)
dislike her track record as a U.S. Senator and 60 percent feel the same
about her track record as First Lady. But, two-thirds (65%) of matures say
they dislike Hillary Clinton's personal opinions and 61 percent dislike her
as a person. Among the generations, Generation X (31-42) is the age group
which provides her the most support. This is also seen in the 44 percent of
Gen Xers who would vote for her, compared to 23 percent of Matures.
Other personal assets and liabilities
Besides her track records and politics, there are other reasons why so
many people do not like Senator Clinton. Fully half (52%) agree that she
does not appear to connect with people on a personal level, and this number
is even higher among married women (53%), men (56%), Matures (68%), and, of
course, Republicans (73%). This may be her big problem.
There is also an issue with things that happened during the Bill
Clinton presidency. A plurality (45%) agrees that it is difficult to trust
her because of Whitewater and other scandals in the Clinton White House,
while 42 percent disagree. Similar numbers (44%) agree that her handling of
health care in the White House raises questions about her ability and 34
percent disagree.
Nevertheless, the news is not all bad for Senator Clinton.
Three-quarters of adults (76%) agree that she is a very intelligent person
and this is the sentiment across the board. Even 65 percent of Republicans
agree. Just over half (52%) of adults agree that Hillary Clinton
understands family and children's issues, while 44 percent say she inspires
confidence personally. When it comes to her experience, 39 percent say she
lacks experience and is unqualified to be president, but 49 percent of
adults disagree with that statement.
Additionally, Senator Clinton's supposed liberalism is not a major
liability. One area that the Senator has had to deal with has been her
perceived inconsistencies on issues and claims that she has moved from
liberal to the middle and back to liberal again. When asked about her
political philosophy, one-third (31%) say Hillary Clinton is too liberal
and 41 percent say she is neither too liberal nor too conservative. Just
four percent say she is too conservative, but among liberals that number
rises to 11 percent. What the Clinton campaign may have to address is the
25 percent who say they are not sure, including 22 percent of their own
party. This could be a plus or it could be a minus.
While the first votes are still many months away, there are a few
groups that Senator Clinton and her team need to target. First, married
women are consistently more likely to have negative feelings toward the
Senator than single women. Second, those over age 62 have some of the
highest negatives for her -- behind only Republicans and Conservatives.
Since this is the age group that votes in the highest numbers, there is
work to be done here. Finally, the Clinton campaign may not want to use the
slogan "a vote for Hill is one for Bill." Only just over one-third (37%)
feel it would be good to have both Hillary and Bill Clinton back in the
White House.
TABLE 1
VOTING FOR HILLARY CLINTON
"If Hillary Clinton was the Democratic nominee for President, which is closest
to the way you think?"
Base: All adults
Total Gender Gender/Marital Status
Single Married
Male Female Women Women
% % % % %
Would vote for her (NET) 36 34 38 41 36
I definitely would vote for
her 15 13 17 19 14
I probably would vote for her 22 22 21 22 22
Would not vote for her (NET) 50 56 45 42 52
I probably would not vote for
her 11 11 10 11 10
I definitely would not vote for
her 39 44 35 31 42
I wouldn't vote at all 3 2 3 4 2
Not sure 11 8 13 13 10
Note: Percentages may not add up to exactly 100% due to rounding
TABLE 2
VOTING FOR HILLARY CLINTON - BY GENERATION AND POLITICAL PARTY "If
Hillary Clinton was the Democratic nominee for President, which is closest
to the way you think?"
Base: All adults
Generation Political Party
Echo Baby
Boomers Gen X Boomers Matures
Total (18-30) (31-42) (43-61) (62+) Rep. Dem. Ind.
% % % % % % % %
Would vote
for her
(NET) 36 34 44 39 23 5 68 37
I definitely
would vote
for her 15 11 15 19 10 1 33 11
I probably
would vote
for her 22 23 29 21 13 4 35 26
Would not
vote for
her (NET) 50 46 40 49 69 91 21 48
I probably
would not
vote for
her 11 12 11 12 9 10 10 13
I definitely
would not
vote for her 39 35 29 38 60 81 11 35
I wouldn't
vote at all 3 4 2 3 1 1 1 3
Not sure 11 15 14 9 6 2 10 12
Note: Percentages may not add up to exactly 100% due to rounding
TABLE 3
OPINION OF HILLARY CLINTON
"Looking at the list of attributes, please indicate how you feel about each."
Base: All adults
Like Strongly Somewhat Dislike Somewhat Strongly Not
(NET) like like (NET) dislike dislike sure
% % % % % % %
Hillary
Clinton's
track record
as First Lady 48 23 25 41 14 27 12
Hillary Clinton
as a person 44 19 26 45 15 29 11
Hillary
Clinton's
track record
as a U.S.
Senator 42 19 23 38 14 24 20
Hillary
Clinton's
political
opinions 42 15 27 45 13 31 14
Note: Percentages may not add up to exactly 100% due to rounding.
TABLE 4
OPINION OF HILLARY CLINTON - BY GENERATION AND GENDER
"Looking at the list of attributes, please indicate how you feel about each."
Those saying "Somewhat/Strongly Dislike"
Base: All adults
Gender/Marital
Generation Gender Status
Echo Baby
Total Boomers Gen X Boomers Matures Single Married
Dislike (18-30) (31-42) (43-61) (62+) Male Female Women Women
% % % % % % % % %
Hillary
Clinton's
political
opinions 45 42 31 43 65 52 38 34 46
Hillary
Clinton
as a
person 45 43 36 42 61 50 40 36 46
Hillary
Clinton's
track
record as
First
Lady 41 35 34 39 60 45 37 33 44
Hillary
Clinton's
track
record as
a U.S.
Senator 38 36 28 38 54 45 32 27 39
Note: Percentages may not add up to exactly 100% due to rounding
TABLE 5
OPINION OF HILLARY CLINTON - BY POLITICAL PARTY AND PHILOSOPHY "Looking
at the list of attributes, please indicate how you feel about each."
Those saying "Somewhat/Strongly Dislike"
Base: All adults
Total Political party Political philosophy
Dislike Rep. Dem. Ind. Cons. Mod. Lib.
% % % % % % %
Hillary Clinton's
political opinions 45 84 17 43 72 39 19
Hillary Clinton as
a person 45 81 17 44 72 39 20
Hillary Clinton's
track record as
First Lady 41 77 15 39 68 35 16
Hillary Clinton's
track record as a
U.S. Senator 38 75 15 33 65 32 17
Note: Percentages may not add up to exactly 100% due to rounding
TABLE 6
ATTITUDES TOWARD HILLARY CLINTON
"Please indicate whether you agree or disagree with the following statements
about Hillary Clinton."
Base: All adults
Total Total
Agree Strongly Somewhat disagree Somewhat Strongly Not
(NET) agree agree (NET) disagree disagree sure
% % % % % % %
She is a very
intelligent
person. 76 47 29 14 6 8 11
She does not
appear to
connect with
people on a
personal level. 52 27 26 34 21 13 14
She understands
family and
children's issues. 52 24 28 34 15 19 14
It's difficult to
trust her because
of Whitewater and
other scandals in
the Clinton White
House. 45 28 17 42 18 24 13
She inspires
confidence
personally. 44 18 27 43 15 27 13
Her handling of
health care
reform in the
White House
raises questions
about her ability. 44 24 20 34 19 14 22
She lacks
experience and
is unqualified to
be president. 39 23 16 49 23 26 11
It would be good
to have both her
and Bill Clinton
in the White House
again. 37 19 18 50 10 40 13
Note: Percentages may not add up to exactly 100% due to rounding.
TABLE 7
ATTITUDES TOWARD HILLARY CLINTON - BY GENERATION AND POLITICAL PARTY
"Please indicate whether you agree or disagree with the following
statements
about Hillary Clinton."
Those saying "Somewhat/Strongly Agree"
Base: All adults
Generation Political Party
Total Echo Baby
Agree Boomers Gen X Boomers Matures
(NET) (18-30) (31-42) (43-61) (62+) Rep. Dem. Ind.
% % % % % % % %
She is a very
intelligent
person. 76 66 79 79 78 65 90 79
She does not
appear to
connect with
people on a
personal level. 52 42 51 51 68 73 41 52
She understands
family and
children's issues. 52 45 53 56 50 28 78 53
It's difficult
to trust her
because of
Whitewater and
other scandals in
the Clinton White
House. 45 36 46 43 57 74 23 44
She inspires
confidence
personally. 44 37 50 51 35 19 72 45
Her handling of
health care
reform in the
White House
raises questions
about her ability. 44 36 43 43 57 67 29 43
She lacks
experience and
is unqualified to
be president. 39 34 35 38 54 66 23 38
It would be good
to have both her
and Bill Clinton
in the White House
again. 37 36 38 43 27 9 67 36
Note: Percentages may not add up to exactly 100% due to rounding.
TABLE 8
ATTITUDES TOWARD HILLARY CLINTON - BY GENERATION AND POLITICAL PARTY
"Please indicate whether you agree or disagree with the following
statements
about Hillary Clinton."
Those saying "Somewhat/Strongly Agree"
Base: All adults
Gender/Marital
Gender Status
Total
Agree Single Married
(NET) Male Female Women Women
% % % % %
She is a very intelligent person. 76 75 77 78 76
She does not appear to connect with
people on a personal level. 52 56 49 45 53
She understands family and children's
issues. 52 49 55 57 52
It's difficult to trust her because
of Whitewater and other scandals in
the Clinton White House. 45 49 41 39 46
She inspires confidence personally. 44 39 50 52 49
Her handling of health care reform in
the White House raises questions
about her ability. 44 50 38 35 44
She lacks experience and is
unqualified to be president. 39 45 35 35 38
It would be good to have both her and
Bill Clinton in the White House
again. 37 35 39 43 34
Note: Percentages may not add up to exactly 100% due to rounding.
TABLE 9
HILLARY CLINTON'S POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY
"Do you think Hillary Clinton ... ?"
Base: All adults
Political
Total Party Philosophy
Rep. Dem. Ind. Cons. Mod. Lib.
% % % % % % %
Is too liberal 31 68 7 26 66 23 2
Is neither too liberal nor
too conservative 41 13 67 44 13 46 66
Is too conservative 4 2 5 4 * 3 11
Not sure 25 17 22 26 20 28 21
Note: Percentages may not add up to exactly 100% due to rounding.
Note: *less than 0.5%
Methodology
This Harris Poll(R) was conducted online within the United States
between March 6 and 14, 2007, among 2,223 adults (aged 18 and over).
Figures for age, sex, race, education, region and household income were
weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual
proportions in the population. Propensity score weighting was also used to
adjust for respondents' propensity to be online.
All surveys are subject to several sources of error. These include:
sampling error (because only a sample of a population is interviewed);
measurement error due to question wording and/or question order,
deliberately or unintentionally inaccurate responses, nonresponse
(including refusals), interviewer effects (when live interviewers are used)
and weighting.
With one exception (sampling error) the magnitude of the errors that
result cannot be estimated. There is, therefore, no way to calculate a
finite "margin of error" for any survey and the use of these words should
be avoided.
With pure probability samples, with 100 percent response rates, it is
possible to calculate the probability that the sampling error (but not
other sources of error) is not greater than some number. With a pure
probability sample of 2,223 adults one could say with a ninety-five percent
probability that the overall results would have a sampling error of +/- two
percentage points. However that does not take other sources of error into
account. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and
therefore no theoretical sampling error can be calculated.
These statements conform to the principles of disclosure of the
National Council on Public Polls.
J29950
Q705, 710, 715, 720
The Harris Poll (R)#28, March 27, 2007
By Regina Corso, Director, The Harris Poll
About Harris Interactive
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research firm in the world. The company provides innovative research,
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(1) Harris Poll #23 Support for Barack Obama Surges
SOURCE Harris Interactive
I guess it is too bad that Bill Clinton can't be the nominee. I don't think any halo effect he might have will hold for Hillary in toto.
Is uppose that by brute force HRC can win the Dem nomination--but the general? no way. You are right that Clark has a much better chance in that arena. Keep the good word going out there!
The General gets it right.
Competence--What a concept!
Hillary live up to Bill's standards in the article below and especially in this statement "to be the Great Conciliator?"
"But nearly five years after leaving office, Clinton insists he prefers to be the Great Conciliator: "I'm in a different place than I used to be."
I do not see how Hillary will be able "to be the Great Conciliator" if she is the Democratic nominee and if she happens to win the general election by a small margin. Someone please tell me if I am wrong about that!
If I am right about that, then why are the media and most Democratic primary voters hardly ever talking about this issue now and why are they not directly asking Hillary (as well as all of the other candidates) SPECIFICALLY HOW THEY WILL UNITE THE COUNTRY?
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2005-11-20-clinton_x.htm
Posted 11/20/2005 9:50 PM Updated 11/21/2005 5:53 AM
Clinton calls for kinder, gentler political talk
By Kathy Kiely, USA TODAY
LITTLE ROCK — Under a long glass case here at the Clinton Presidential Library, a carefully crayoned drawing shows five gunslingers in cowboy hats facing off under a giant orange sun. It's a scene from High Noon, the label says, a favorite movie of 6-year-old "Billy" Clinton.
Former President Bill Clinton spoke in Little Rock on Friday about his international work and the success of his presidential library
By Mike Wintroath, AP
Now pushing 60, the artist, former president Bill Clinton, says he's lost his taste for showdowns.
In Washington last week, the congressional debate about Iraq and spending priorities took a turn for the vitriolic. But Clinton, who made the term "war room" part of the political lexicon, wasn't plotting a counterattack. Back in Arkansas, the state that launched his political career, to celebrate the first anniversary of his presidential library, Clinton argued for a cease-fire. (Related story: Bush tones down attacks)
"I think it's a healthy thing in a democracy to have people disagreeing, but if you're screaming or demonizing, then the very people you want to reach — which is those who don't agree with you — can't hear you," he said. (Related audio: Debate 'healthy')
As president, Clinton was a polarizing politician. As the husband of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York, whom most polls rate a leading contender for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination, he's at the eye of an intense storm of political speculation. (Related story: Hillary, Rudy put race in N.Y. state of mind)
But nearly five years after leaving office, Clinton insists he prefers to be the Great Conciliator: "I'm in a different place than I used to be."
In a 50-minute interview with USA TODAY, Clinton talked warmly about former president George H.W. Bush, the man he ousted from the White House; said he goes "out of my way" to find areas of agreement with the current President Bush; and argued for the need to find ways to transcend the nation's political divide.
"Sooner or later you figure out that pragmatism and compromise are principles in a democracy. It's not selling out your convictions," Clinton said. (Related audio: Cooperation necessary)
Clinton and former president Bush are preparing to announce soon the co-chairs of a joint foundation to distribute the more than $100 million they have raised for victims of Hurricane Katrina.
The plan, as Clinton outlined it in a speech to the Little Rock Rotary Club, sounds like a version of the elder Bush's "Thousand Points of Light." They plan to fund community and church groups helping people "who fall between the cracks" of government programs. He's enthusiastic about the partnership.
"He's just a wonderful guy. Plus, he's fun to be around," said Clinton, who confessed that Bush beat him in a recent round of golf. "I've reached a point in life where the fact that I've had my differences with him or even more stark differences with his son, who's more conservative than he is, doesn't bother me. I can still like and appreciate them."
Clinton doesn't hide his disagreements with the current president over Iraq and economic policies.
"I practically need a rabies shot when I talk about this deficit and me getting five tax cuts while we had two wars going on," he said. (Related audio: Non-commital on Iraq withdrawal)
Even so, he said that they have established "a good relationship" and that Bush has asked him to work on "little foreign policy things" that Clinton won't detail.
Clinton maintains a quasi-presidential lifestyle. The Clinton Foundation had a budget of $12 million last year. Spokesman Jay Carson says Clinton raised an additional $15 million for his crusade to expand treatment for AIDS and HIV victims in developing countries.
Clinton's staff of 60, working in New York and Little Rock, includes a chief of staff and foreign and domestic policy advisers. They work on causes ranging from economic development in Harlem to promoting research on breast cancer to battling poor eating habits.
Despite his recent heart surgery, Clinton travels the globe regularly. Back home, he faces humbling reminders that he's out of office.
Returning to his Chappaqua, N.Y. house last week after a 19-hour flight from the Middle East, he had to wait up for repairmen. "We're having to put in a new septic field, and I lost my heat," he said.
Clinton said he returns to Little Rock once a month or so to "check in on the library." He also looks in on 16 charter students in the Clinton School of Public Service, a master's degree program that he began with the University of Arkansas.
The library is a point of pride with Clinton. It has sparked $1 billion worth of development in a once-seedy neighborhood, according to the Clinton Foundation, and has been certified by the U.S. Green Building Council.
Displays include references to Clinton's impeachment on charges of lying about his affair with former intern Monica Lewinsky.
And there are indications that Clinton has a sense of humor about his public image. In one exhibit area, a display on music at the White House includes a folk art painting titled Elvis Introducing a Bill To Congress that depicts Clinton and Elvis Presley on stage in a frame decorated with soft drink bottle caps and faux French fries.
Clinton said he hopes visitors, "whether they are conservative or liberal or Democrat or Republican" leave feeling "more like being involved in the political process."
The former president does. After deliberately staying out of his wife's first Senate campaign in 2000, he's eager to campaign in 2006 when she runs for re-election. Clinton said he'd like to help the senator in rural Upstate New York, where, he joked "to be able to drag out a weather-beaten old redneck like me is an enormous asset."