Days are crawling by
We await November 4th
Hope fighting with fear
Polls are looking good
But anything can happen
I am still afraid.
Fear of bad weather
The dreaded Bradley effect
Even voter fraud.
Diebold malfunctions
Late "October surprises"
Something might happen.
Trolling the poll sites
Viewing electoral maps
Or Magic 8-Balls.
Not until Tuesday
Will any of it matter
Then the vote is real.
Showing posts with label polls. Show all posts
Showing posts with label polls. Show all posts
Sunday, November 02, 2008
Friday, March 28, 2008
A Cat's Eye View
Baxter here. Here I am getting ready to help my Female Human in her Blogging. As you see, I am doing a Great Service by covering up the screen of her Blog with my Beautiful Presence.I look a bit dyspeptic in this picture. It's either that I ate something that disagreed with me, or perhaps it's because of these poll results, which show that McCain would beat either Democratic Candidate in November if the Vote were today.
Must be all that Nasty Catfighting that's going on among the Democrats. Personally, I am a Cat of Peace; although I do Growl at That Dog from time to time, that is Different. She is of a Different Species, and it is Appropriate for me to Growl at Her. But with two Cats who are the Same Species, after an initial Hiss or two, they should Calm Down and learn how to Get Along.
Some Humans have suggested that Al Gore should come in and Save the Day for the Democrats. If neither of the Current Human Candidates can Win, then why not Bring Back Al Gore? Gore-Obama?! A Ticket to Paradise? Or at least a lot of Catnip for the Democrats?
But, as an Enterprising and Resourceful Cat, I have done Further Digging on this idea. Apparently the Voters aren't all that Enthused about it. Only 23% of Democrats in a recent poll would vote for Gore.
On the Plus side, more people say Voters aren't ready to vote for someone Over 65 than say the same for an African-American or a Woman. Bad news for John McCain!
In other news, the FBI finally has some new suspects in the 2001 Anthrax terrorism incidents that followed 9/11. It's been 6-1/2 Years. Can we have some Closure here?
And, I couldn't help but Notice this bit of News: A British woman just gave birth to her 10, 11 and 12th Surrogate Children. Yes, 3 of Them. They were Triplets - and she gave Them all to the Childless Couple that she bore Them for. This poor Lady has been Pregnant for most of the Past Decade! Now, she must be a Very Generous Woman to do All That for people she doesn't even Know. She does have two Daughters of her own. I wonder what You All think of Surrogate Mothers? Are they just Incredibly Generous People, or are they a Little Odd? (Female Cats don't mind Giving Birth to a lot of Kittens if they Must, but the Lady Cats I know are generally Happy to be Spayed and not have to Bother. Less Aggravation that way.)
Lastly, does anyone think that Airport Security is Getting Out of Hand? According to this report, the TSA Folks made a woman remove her Nipple Rings to get through Security. One with PLIERS. Ouch!
That's it for Me. I'll be Back again soon! In the Meantime, have some Catnip and Relax this Weekend! Meows and Purrs to All!
Monday, December 10, 2007
Shifting Priorities
David Brooks has an interesting column in Tuesday's New York Times. His contention is that, with the new NIE assessment that Iran is not currently a nuclear threat, and the calmer atmosphere in Iraq recently, that the war and terrorism may no longer be the key issues concerning voters. As a result, domestic issues should come to the forefront, a situation that may favor Huckabee and Obama over Rudy and Hillary, in Mr. Brooks' opinion.
"When Wall Street Journal/NBC pollsters asked voters what qualities they were looking for in the next leader, their top three choices were: the ability to work well with leaders of other countries; having strong moral and family values; bringing unity to the country."
He goes on to explain why this favors Obama and Huckabee:
"It’s clear that voters are not only exhausted by the war, they are exhausted by the war over the war. On the Democratic side, Obama captured the mood exactly with his Jefferson-Jackson Day speech of a few weeks ago. In that speech, he asked voters to reject fear, partisanship and textbook politics. He asked them to vote instead on the basis of their aspirations for a new era of national unity. As a result, Obama has pulled ahead in Iowa and approached parity in New Hampshire.
The tragedy of the Republican race is that Mitt Romney and Giuliani, who could have offered a new kind of Republicanism, opted to run as conventional Bush-era Republicans. Now Huckabee has emerged as the fresh alternative. Huckabee is socially conservative, but not a partisan culture warrior. He’s a pragmatic gubernatorial Republican, not a rigid creature of the beltway interest groups."
The latest New York Times/CBS poll shows that none of the Republican candidates are viewed favorably by a majority of Republican voters, and most voters have not made up their mind yet. Huckabee has come from nowhere to now be in close contention with Rudy Guiliani and Mitt Romney.
Among Democrats, however, Hillary Clinton is still strong nationally, with Obama and Edwards seen as less electable, and according to this poll, Clinton is seen as more able to unite the country, contrary to the opinion cited in Mr. Brooks' column.
The NY Times poll also does not support the idea that Iraq is not still highly important:
"More people cite the Iraq war as the most important issue facing the country than cite any other matter, and though 38 percent say the dispatch of extra troops to Iraq this year is working, a majority continue to say that undertaking the war was a mistake."
The economy is another key issue for voters and most feel the country is going in the wrong direction.
So what's going to happen in 2008? We just don't know. Voters are obviously divided on their priorities and anything can still happen to shift them one way or another between now and election day.
One thing that may seem comforting to Democrats: Democratic voters tend to view the Democratic candidates more favorably than the Republican voters do theirs.
"Mrs. Clinton is viewed favorably by 68 percent of Democrats, followed by Mr. Obama, viewed favorably by 54 percent. Mr. Edwards is viewed favorably by 36 percent.
On the Republican side, in contrast, Mr. Giuliani is viewed favorably most frequently, and that is by only 41 percent. Senator John McCain is viewed favorably by 37 percent, and Mr. Romney by 36 percent. Mr. Huckabee is viewed favorably by 30 percent, and 60 percent say they do not know enough about him to offer an opinion, suggesting that he may be vulnerable to the kind of attacks that his opponents have already been mounting against him.
Seventy-six percent of Republican respondents say they could still change their minds about whom to support, compared with 23 percent who say their decision is firm. Among Democrats, 59 percent say they may change their minds, as against 40 percent who say they have made their decision."
No matter what happens, it looks like it's going to be a long year.
"When Wall Street Journal/NBC pollsters asked voters what qualities they were looking for in the next leader, their top three choices were: the ability to work well with leaders of other countries; having strong moral and family values; bringing unity to the country."
He goes on to explain why this favors Obama and Huckabee:
"It’s clear that voters are not only exhausted by the war, they are exhausted by the war over the war. On the Democratic side, Obama captured the mood exactly with his Jefferson-Jackson Day speech of a few weeks ago. In that speech, he asked voters to reject fear, partisanship and textbook politics. He asked them to vote instead on the basis of their aspirations for a new era of national unity. As a result, Obama has pulled ahead in Iowa and approached parity in New Hampshire.
The tragedy of the Republican race is that Mitt Romney and Giuliani, who could have offered a new kind of Republicanism, opted to run as conventional Bush-era Republicans. Now Huckabee has emerged as the fresh alternative. Huckabee is socially conservative, but not a partisan culture warrior. He’s a pragmatic gubernatorial Republican, not a rigid creature of the beltway interest groups."
The latest New York Times/CBS poll shows that none of the Republican candidates are viewed favorably by a majority of Republican voters, and most voters have not made up their mind yet. Huckabee has come from nowhere to now be in close contention with Rudy Guiliani and Mitt Romney.
Among Democrats, however, Hillary Clinton is still strong nationally, with Obama and Edwards seen as less electable, and according to this poll, Clinton is seen as more able to unite the country, contrary to the opinion cited in Mr. Brooks' column.
The NY Times poll also does not support the idea that Iraq is not still highly important:
"More people cite the Iraq war as the most important issue facing the country than cite any other matter, and though 38 percent say the dispatch of extra troops to Iraq this year is working, a majority continue to say that undertaking the war was a mistake."
The economy is another key issue for voters and most feel the country is going in the wrong direction.
So what's going to happen in 2008? We just don't know. Voters are obviously divided on their priorities and anything can still happen to shift them one way or another between now and election day.
One thing that may seem comforting to Democrats: Democratic voters tend to view the Democratic candidates more favorably than the Republican voters do theirs.
"Mrs. Clinton is viewed favorably by 68 percent of Democrats, followed by Mr. Obama, viewed favorably by 54 percent. Mr. Edwards is viewed favorably by 36 percent.
On the Republican side, in contrast, Mr. Giuliani is viewed favorably most frequently, and that is by only 41 percent. Senator John McCain is viewed favorably by 37 percent, and Mr. Romney by 36 percent. Mr. Huckabee is viewed favorably by 30 percent, and 60 percent say they do not know enough about him to offer an opinion, suggesting that he may be vulnerable to the kind of attacks that his opponents have already been mounting against him.
Seventy-six percent of Republican respondents say they could still change their minds about whom to support, compared with 23 percent who say their decision is firm. Among Democrats, 59 percent say they may change their minds, as against 40 percent who say they have made their decision."
No matter what happens, it looks like it's going to be a long year.
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