Poll: In Tight Clinton Obama Campaign Bill Clinton Hurting Hillary
A new poll brings good news for Republican presumptive Presidential nominee Senator John McCain, troubling news for the Democratic Party, slightly good news for Democratic Senator Barack Obama — and a sign that the best thing Hillary Clinton could do for her campaign now would to lock her husband Bill Clinton away in a room:
There’s a new poll out today from the Wall Street Journal/NBC News that shows support for Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama has remained tight nationally, with Obama edging ahead within the margin of error. There’s good news in the poll for Republicans — voters seem to like John McCain more than they like the Republican Party in general, suggesting a tighter race than the Democrats are hoping for.
Why? Some previous polls have shown that even if some Democrats and independents don’t agree with McCain, he appeals to them. Part of it his that he still apparently has some credibility in the bank as a “maverick,” a phrase many progressives think is inaccurate since McCain is promising continuity on many policies now followed by the Bush administration. Part is his life story. And the other part is that he comes across well on the tube.
But a more interesting nugget is buried deep in the poll. It seems that the more voters see of Bill Clinton, the less they like him. The poll shows a significant shift in his approval rating from a year ago. In March 2007, some 48% of those surveyed had a positive view of the former president, and 35% had a negative view. Now his negatives outpace his positives, 45% to 42%.
That means that in this highly-polarized political environment, the former President has started to turn off Obama supporters and independents (Republicans have been turned off by him for years).
Over the same time span, Hillary Clinton’s positive numbers rose from 39% to 45% while her negatives remained static, sliding up from 43% to 44%,
That’s progress on the positives.
As for Obama, the more voters saw of him — or, at least the more they learned about him — the more they liked him. In March 2007 his positive numbers were 37% and his negatives were 17%. But some 26% said they were “neutral” about him and 20% said they didn’t know — nearly half of those surveyed. Now, Obama’s positive-negative numbers are 51% to 28% with only 18% neutral and 3% undecided.
So he is coming across as highly likable to most voters — and, if past elections are any indication, the likability factor matters. In general elections. In a Democratic Presidential nomination, what matters is getting the delegates (apparently, no matter how you get them).
7 Responses to “Poll: In Tight Clinton Obama Campaign Bill Clinton Hurting Hillary”
[...] Raising Kaine The Voice of Progressive Virginia wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptPoll: In Tight Clinton Obama Campaign Bill Clinton Hurting Hillary March 13th, 2008 by JOE GANDELMAN A new poll brings good news for Republican presumptive Presidential nominee Senator John McCain, troubling news for the Democratic party, slightly good news for Democratic Senator Barack Obama — and a sign that the best thing Hillary Clinton could do for her campaign now would to lock her husband Bill Clinton away in a room: There’s a new poll out today from the Wall Street Journal/NBC News [...]
[...] tdaxp wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptPoll: In Tight Clinton Obama Campaign Bill Clinton Hurting Hillary March 13th, 2008 by JOE GANDELMAN A new poll brings good news for Republican presumptive Presidential nominee Senator John McCain, troubling news for the Democratic Party, slightly good news for Democratic Senator Barack Obama — and a sign that the best thing Hillary Clinton could do for her campaign now would to lock her husband Bill Clinton away in a room: There’s a new poll out today from the Wall Street Journal/NBC News [...]
[...] tdaxp wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptPoll: In Tight Clinton Obama Campaign Bill Clinton Hurting Hillary March 13th, 2008 by JOE GANDELMAN A new poll brings good news for Republican presumptive Presidential nominee Senator John McCain, troubling news for the Democratic Party, slightly good news for Democratic Senator Barack Obama — and a sign that the best thing Hillary Clinton could do for her campaign now would to lock her husband Bill Clinton away in a room: There’s a new poll out today from the Wall Street Journal/NBC News [...]
Boy this stuff about Bill burns me more than anything else. There is no good reason for it at all and I can only interpret the poll results as confirming what I had already clearly sensed, which is that Obama supporters have decided to hate Bill ( and to a slightly lesser extent Hillary) as much as Republicans. Burns the heck out of me. I swear if he isnt treated respectfully at the convention I dont know what my attitude will be in the fall and I am a die hard Dem, but there is only so much you can take. I just cant stand all the hate thats flying around right now. Its extremely depressing.
In this instance, I agree with Jammer.
It hink it's a shame that so many of Obama's supporters express their support with a 'kill' the Clinton's agenda. The irony of allegedly oppoisng negaivity with theirir own brand of negativity is mind bogging.
I support Obama's message, but there any number of Obama supporters I can, in no way, support.. .While railing abinst the brutal Crusages mentaltiy of politicians, they practice the very thing they purport to decry.
A lot of this has to do with African Americans. Bill Clinton did lasting damage to his reputation in the black community with his Jesse Jackson comments. I don't care if Jesse Jackson himself was cool with it. Most black people saw right through it.
I like Bill and I miss him on the trail. I hope he makes lots of appearances. I say let him speak his mind.
Go Bill!