* * *

Clinton and Obama are effectively tied here in Iowa. Obama has more support in South Carolina than either in Iowa or New Hampshire.

Clinton has an 18% active-rejection rate here in Iowa and 15% in New Hampshire, as opposed to 9% active-rejection (would definitely not vote for her) overall in the USA.

Views toward Bush are more strongly negative than against Republicans in general: “In 2003, as many as 40% of likely Iowa Democratic caucus goers said it would be more important to choose a candidate who could defeat George Bush than one who came closest to their positions on the issues. Today, however, just 24% of likely Iowa Democratic caucus-goers view electability as more important than a candidate’s issue positions.”

“There also is broad agreement regarding the importance of major issues. In all three states, the war in Iraq and health care lead the list of issues that Democratic voters want the candidates to discuss. No other issue, not even the economy, rivals these two issues in the agenda of Democratic voters.

Terrorism, an issue that typically rates as a leading concern among Republicans, is barely on the radar of Democratic voters. Just 2% volunteer terrorism or protecting the nation as the issue they would most like to hear candidates talk about. Similarly, immigration, which also rates consistently high on the agenda of Republicans, is mentioned by just 4% of Democratic voters nationally – and comparable percentages in the early states – as the issue they would most like the candidates to discuss.”

Issues of interest and relative importance to Democrats are listed. Take notes, CNN and others.

Democratic Primary Preview: Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina; Clinton Pressed in Iowa, But Holds Wide Leads Elsewhere

Paul, Giuliani, and McCain have the highest GOP voter active-rejection rates.

“Republican preferences in the early states are quite different from GOP opinions nationally. While Giuliani continues to draw the most support among likely Republican voters nationwide, he runs a distant third to Romney and Huckabee in Iowa, substantially behind Romney in New Hampshire, and is among three candidates vying for the lead in the wide open race in South Carolina.”

“While two issues are dominant among Democratic voters in the trio of early primary states – the war in Iraq and health care – there is less agreement among Republican voters about the importance of major issues. It is clear, however, that immigration and terrorism rate as much greater concerns among Republican voters than among Democrats.

In Iowa, about as many likely Republican caucus-goers cite immigration as the issue they would most like the candidates to discuss as cite the war in Iraq (18% vs. 15%, respectively); nearly as many say terrorism (13%) and the economy (12%). The agenda differs slightly in the other two states, with the war mentioned most frequently. But immigration rates near the top of GOP voters’ issues agenda in New Hampshire and South Carolina, as well as nationally. By contrast, the Iraq war, health care and the economy far overshadow immigration among the concerns of Democratic voters.”

“Despite the strong approval ratings for Bush among Republican voters in Iowa and South Carolina, however, there is a widespread desire for a candidate who will take the country in a different direction rather than one who will continue Bush’s policies[.]”

Issues of interest and relative importance to Democrats Republicans are listed. Take notes, CNN and others.

GOP Race Unsettled in Politically Diverse Early States; Primary Preview: Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina

(News interest versus news coverage, also a guide for framing debate questions on a given week, is found here — current interest)

Public Still Getting to Know Leading GOP Candidates; Many Republicans Unaware of Romney’s Religion [?!]

also –

GOP Race Unsettled in Politically Diverse Early States; Primary Preview: Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina

GOP Race Unsettled in Politically Diverse Early States; Primary Preview: Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina

Democratic Primary Preview: Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina; Clinton Pressed in Iowa, But Holds Wide Leads Elsewhere

* * *

Wolf Blitzer proclaiming OBAMA, Nebraska.

They’re too Washington-inbred and -parasitic…

Replacing the word ‘cirminal’ with ‘terrorist’ is an another matter.

I think we can all agree that there are way too many suspicious “accidents” and “incidents” these days.

CNN: Corrupt News Network
A self-serving agenda was set for the Republican presidential debates.
December 1, 2007

THE United States is at war in the Middle East and Central Asia, the economy is writhing like a snake with a broken back, oil prices are relentlessly climbing toward $100 a barrel and an increasing number of Americans just can’t afford to be sick with anything that won’t be treated with aspirin and bed rest.

So, when CNN brought the Republican presidential candidates together this week for what is loosely termed a “debate,” what did the country get but a discussion of immigration, Biblical inerrancy and the propriety of flying the Confederate flag?

In fact, this most recent debacle masquerading as a presidential debate raises serious questions about whether CNN is ethically or professionally suitable to play the political role the Democratic and Republican parties recently have conceded it.

Selecting a president is, more than ever, a life and death business, and a news organization that consciously injects itself into the process, as CNN did by hosting Wednesday’s debate, incurs a special responsibility to conduct itself in a dispassionate and, most of all, disinterested fashion. When one considers CNN’s performance, however, the adjectives that leap to mind are corrupt and incompetent.

Corruption is a strong word. But consider these facts: The gimmick behind Wednesday’s debate was that the questions would be selected from those that ordinary Americans submitted to the video sharing Internet website YouTube, which is owned by Google. According to CNN, its staff culled through 5,000 submissions to select the handful that were put to the candidates. That process essentially puts the lie to the vox populi aura the association with YouTube was meant to create. When producers exercise that level of selectivity, the questions — whoever initially formulated and recorded them — actually are theirs.

That’s where things begin to get troubling, because CNN chose to devote the first 35 minutes of this critical debate to a single issue — immigration. Now, if that leaves you scratching your head, it’s probably because you’re included in the 96% of Americans who do not think immigration is the most important issue confronting this country. We’ve got a pretty good fix concerning what’s on the American mind right now, because the nonpartisan and highly reliable Pew Center has been regularly polling people since January on the issues that matter most to them. In fact, the center’s most recent survey was conducted in the days leading up to Wednesday’s debate.
(snip)
So, why did CNN make immigration the keystone of this debate? What standard dictated the decision to give that much time to an issue so remote from the majority of voters’ concerns? The answer is that CNN’s most popular news-oriented personality, Lou Dobbs, has made opposition to illegal immigration and free trade the centerpiece of his neonativist/neopopulist platform. In fact, Dobbs led into Wednesday’s debate with a good solid dose of immigrant bashing. His network is in a desperate ratings battle with Fox News and, in a critical prime-time slot, with MSNBC’s Keith Olbermann. So, what’s good for Dobbs is good for CNN.

In other words, CNN intentionally directed the Republicans’ debate to advance its own interests. Make immigration a bigger issue and you’ve made a bigger audience for Dobbs.

Isn’t this “worse thatn supposed Democrat as moles?

Arrrrrgh!

I’m sure Youtube will catch this one for posterity… To their credit, Wolfie did apologize on air for the boo boo shortly thereafter.