Interesting polling numbers out today. Nix reported on the surge by non-candidate Fred Thompson who gained 5 percent in a week while John McCain fell back to fourth behind Mitt Romney. That is what you would call amnesty-bill-blow-back.
In the latest USA TODAY/Gallup poll, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are essentially tied:
The Illinois senator bests Clinton by a single percentage point, 30%-29%, if the contest includes former vice president Al Gore.
Clinton bests Obama by a single point, 37%-36%, if it doesn't include Gore.
Those are very interesting numbers. Note that it was not a large sampling and was was taken before the debate on Sunday night. The results are significant anyway.
Hillary Clinton has been running the race as if she's trying not to lose. Any coach would tell you that you play to win. To use a football analogy, Hillary is in a prevent defense, allowing the short plays up the middle. The problem is, the prevent is good at the end of the game with a lead, she's playing a prevent in the middle of the second quarter and Obama is eating up the field in five yard increments.
OK, enough of the gridiron analogies. What these polls are telling us is that the American people want change. They are sick of the Bushes and the Clintons and want some new blood in power. Barack Obama is clear and concise with his message and doesn't have the baggage of having voted for the Iraq war that Clinton and John Edwards do. He used that to precision by slamming Edwards with it the other night. He is looking like a formidable candidate as of now.
On the other side, Fred Thompson is running the perfect non-campaign. He has the field looking over their shoulders and, until recently, was quietly sneaking up on them. Rudy Giuliani must be getting nervous as Thompson has the conservative credentials he lacks and the cult of personality that would be his if Thompson wasn't around. A Thompson-Giuliani ticket would be unstoppable in my opinion.
Probably the most interesting thing in the GOP poll is the effect the immigration issue is having. John McCain and President Bush are getting hammered every day and it's showing up in the numbers. Mitt Romney hasn't come out against the bill as forcefully as Thompson and the results are clear.
Reader Comments ( Page 3 of 7)
31. It is very easy for everyone to state their own personal opinions, but most likely, those opinions are based on "what you heard, or what you may have seen", and rarely based on "what you have experienced first hand".. Some people want to throw up comments like "we would settle for a black president before we elect a woman to run this country".. How idiotic is that? Issues such as race and gender should never even come up.. We need someone that is "qualified" to do the damn job...In other words "f*ck making a speech and ranting about what needs to be done", Get the sh*t done! They (the government and officials) need to stop complaining and make something happen.. When those attacks happened on 9/11 it took less then 48 hours to stage a "WAR" that has been and still is going on.. However, when Katrina hit, they knew it was gonna hit.. This was not an ambush, but yet and still those people (men, women & children) waited almost a week to be rescued from roofs, trees & houses. What the media portrayed to the world WAS NOTHING compared to what was actually happening..Remember this statement "when your back is against the wall, you will do what you have to do in order to survive", (use your wildest imagination) and literally that's what was happening.. So instead of focusing on race and gender, focus on who can deliver "to the people", (the citizens of the United States). It just sickens me that still, in 2007, some people are so blinded by their own hatred and issues and they don't understand that this is affecting us all...
Tangie at 5:15PM on Jun 5th 2007
32. You have no problem putting Americans in jail for breaking our laws, but maintain a different standard for those that are not supposed to be here. The people employing them should be jailed now and their companies taken. By the way, my Wife is Korean and took the legal road so don't try the race card with me. The laws are for everyone. It seems to me we need common everyday people in the congress and whitehouse. Most of the people there now are not doing there jobs and should be sent home now. None of the people who are runnig now have our best interest at heart. We need to stop running around the world dictating to others and clean up our own backyard.
john at 5:17PM on Jun 5th 2007
33. Is Obama setting himself up to lead a "quiet riot"?
Does anyone else notice a class conflict being
developed by the Democrats?
JVW at 6:02PM on Jun 5th 2007
34. Both are a disgrace to this country. Can't we find something better. They scare me. Neither know anything about world affairs. Hilary stole from the white house when she left. God help us
k Cook at 6:09PM on Jun 5th 2007
35. Brtan, thank you for your reply to the "Grand Wizard" Tom Cannon. Good old boys like him are the reason incompetent white men will continue to be elected as president over and over again. They will continue to anger every other country until the United States is finally destroyed by all of her enemies. As for you, Tom Cannon, I can definitely envision Barack Obama as President of the United States. So beautiful!
Ann at 6:18PM on Jun 5th 2007
36. Thompson is showing his ability and smarts by not annoucning at this time. He not in the midst of the crowd but above by leaving some wondering while he moves up the polls every week. Its obvious with the formation of a commitee he plans to run, buthe showing his leadership and smarts by moving into the 2nd poll position as a non canadate. his platform is not a complicated one and a conservative from the bible belt always a good option on the ticket. Fred and Rudy on the ticket as VP make a strong team and one america can live with.
bo1024 at 6:22PM on Jun 5th 2007
37. all of you are late about immigration. Even if your
feet are made of clay these immigrants are here to stay. This is the new world order. We let them in, they stay. Every twenty years there's a new scheme and really its the same dream. We just should open a big welcome mat for everybody..That's life.
patj at 6:28PM on Jun 5th 2007
38. Remember White Water, remember I did not inhale, I invented the Internet? And too numerous other lies told by those who seek to lead this nation. Have we not learned anything. Are we willing to sell out souls to the devil to again! We must not judge people by the sound of their names or because they are a conservativeor a liberal or even an actor but we can look at their character. The economy seemed to crumble as the Clintons skulked away from the whitehouse with property that did not belong to them, decrying how everything was bright whiel they were in the big house. The house of cards was already starting to tumble as they made their getaway. The economy was cracking and they were lucky it held together as long as it had. Our economy did not get in to the condition it got over night, it was created over time. By the time the Clintons got out of office, it collapsed through their own fault, not anyone elses! Are we willing to give them another shot at it becuase they did not steal enough the first time. Give us a break! Give us someone we can believe in again. I certainly do not want another Clinton in the whitehouse nor do I want Al Gore. Though he may not be as bad as them, he did invent the internet... However, he does suffer from a serious and debilitating disease, "Foot In Mouth". Any body but Clinton or Gore. We need a real change. We were fooled once hopefully Americans will not be fooled again. New York will probably vote for Hillary to get rid of her. Arkansas have been laffing at the rest of us for years, they got rid of the Clintons and have never looked back...
Nina at 7:51PM on Jun 6th 2007
39. To #37, are you crazy, who in their right-mind would vote for fred, a man who once dated lorrie morgan and then married someone 24 years his junior, please what qualifies him. nothing!!!!
donna at 6:47PM on Jun 5th 2007
40. Watch the Liberal posters ignore this question... If HILLARY ! Were never married to Bill Clinton would YOU be voting for Hillary Rodham for president ? If you are dishonest and say yes, based on what political accomplishments is she qualified for the highest office in the land. (by this I mean name ANYTHING she has achieved independently, bills, legislation etc.. in the Senate) Dont expect a reply.
Tony Linder at 6:52PM on Jun 5th 2007
41. Funny how people, especially men fear having a woman in the white house, like it or not she is by far the most qualified for the job, but like most men you don't have the balls to admit when a woman is qualified, get over yourselves. just a reminder it was hillary 14 years ago that first brought the idea of universal health care to the table and the repub's beat the hell out of her for it and what our we talking about in great depth today. and remeber the old song "stand by your man", well she did and you still beat the hell out of her. isn't this what one of those christian loving repub's would do, oh my and we do know a few of those from the church, funny how we have two sets of rules, if people were only honest with themselves we would probably have a better country and a better government,
vote the truth and we just might get back on track
donna at 6:54PM on Jun 5th 2007
42. Fred Thompson is an ACTOR! He plays a D.A on T.V. Other than being a conservitive Republican, he has no experience in politics.
Kat at 7:09PM on Jun 5th 2007
43. Trying to scare someone into not voting for Borack because of his birth name of Borack Hussean Obama is plan racist.If Mr cannon does not think he is a racist, he better take another look into his heart.
michael at 7:26PM on Jun 5th 2007
44. WHO SAID DIVIDED WE WILL FALL? HAVE WE EVER BEEN MORE DIVIDED? MOST OF THE PRESIDENTIAL HOPEFULLS STUMBLING ONTO ANYTHING TO SAY THAT MIGHT APPEAL TO THE AMERICAN VOTER. WE HAVE ALMOST FORGOTTEN WHAT AN HONEST MAN SOUNDS LIKE, BUT IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS OR SO, AT TIMES I HAVE ONCE AGAIN HEARD THE RINGS OF TRUTH FROM ONE OF THE CANIDATES, THOUGH IT HAS BEEN SO LONG SINCE ANY OF US HAVE BEEN TOLD THE TRUTH, IT IS SOMEWHAT HARD TO RECONISE. BUT FOR SOME REASON WHEN AN HONEST MAN IS TALKING WE CANT HELP BUT NOT ONLY TAKE NOTICE, BUT ALSO FEEL SOMETHING DEEP INSIDE. I DONT BELIEV I HAVE TO SAY THE NAME, BECAUSE THIS CANIDATE HAS US ALL WONDERING IF WE CAN ONCE AGAIN BE PROUD OF, AND TRUST THE PERSON WE ELECT TO REPRESENT THIS COUNTRY.
W. GALLAGHER at 7:40PM on Jun 5th 2007
45. no one in government cares about the common person. they only care who can line their pocket more.obama threatens riots if he is not elected. hilary runs on bills transgressions. movie stars, politicos who haven't done a very good job in the other areas. by the people for the people. what a joke. by a few for a few is the form of government we have.
arthur at 7:40PM on Jun 5th 2007