2008 Election Polls

Democratic Convention 2008 Politics

2008-03-27T09:08:00.000-04:00

By Brian C. Mooney
Globe Staff / March 27, 2008

Some Democratic Party leaders are growing more concerned that the protracted, caustic fight for the presidential nomination will cripple the eventual nominee, and there are new signs they have reason to worry.

More party leaders are saying that the increasingly personal crossfire between the Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama campaigns serves only to write the script for Republican ads in the fall and to give John McCain, the presumptive GOP nominee, a head start in framing his candidacy.

While the Democrats have been arguing almost daily the past two weeks about each other's electability and integrity, McCain has visited Iraq and other countries in the Middle East and Europe, received the blessing Tuesday of Nancy Reagan, and yesterday delivered a sweeping address on foreign policy.
"There's nothing like a two-way Democrat suicide pact to make it easy for McCain to go off on a grand statesman tour," Mike Murphy, a Republican strategist who once worked for McCain, said yesterday.

A Gallup poll released yesterday indicated that 28 percent of Democrats supporting Clinton said they would vote for McCain over Obama in November, while 19 percent of Obama's backers said they would vote for McCain over Clinton.

Polls suggest that McCain is even or has a narrow lead over both Democrats, and CNN polls also indicate increasing unrest in the Democratic Party. The percentage of Clinton voters who say they would be upset if Obama received the nomination has jumped from 35 percent in January to 51 percent this month, while the percentage of Obama supporters who say they would be upset if Clinton got the nod has risen from 26 percent to 41 percent.
Some Democratic Party leaders, behind the scenes and now more often in public, are pushing for a resolution before the convention.

Governor Phil Bredesen of Tennessee went on CNN and MSNBC yesterday to promote his proposal for a June gathering of superdelegates, nearly 800 elected officials and party leaders, to declare their intentions after the final primaries, on June 3, and settle the nominee before the party convention in late August.

"Things have gotten very bitter; it's very different than it was 90 days ago when Democrats were saying, 'Isn't it wonderful we have two great candidates,' " said Bredesen, a moderate who describes himself as "genuinely uncommitted" in the Obama-Clinton fight. His fear is that if the candidates continue to slug it out all the way to the convention floor in Denver, it will leave the party divided and exhausted less than 10 weeks before the Nov. 4 election.
Obama told reporters last night that he was open to Bredesen's plan. "I think giving whoever the nominee is two or three months to pivot into the general election would be extremely helpful," he said.
Howard Dean, chairman of the Democratic National Committee, is cool to the idea of a June summit of superdelegates, but Bredesen said yesterday that he will continue to try to build support for the proposal, including this weekend at a policy conference that will be attended by about a dozen Democratic governors.
In an interview with the Globe, Bredesen said he remains open to other suggestions, however, "Most of the other suggestions seem to be, 'Let's cross our fingers and hope for the best,' " he said. "Hope is not a strategy."

Clinton's campaign has been under pressure from some Obama partisans, citing his lead in delegates, total votes, and fund-raising, to give up because she has almost no chance of overtaking him in the contest for pledged delegates. With 10 contests remaining until June 3, Clinton trails Obama by 122 delegates, according to the Associated Press tally.

Clinton holds an edge among the more than half of all superdelegates who have declared their allegiance. The Clinton campaign, however, continues to send strong signals that it will not fold. Clinton said this week that voters do not want to "shut this race down."

Senator Clinton's chief surrogate, her husband, former president Bill Clinton, told voters in West Virginia yesterday, "My family's not big on quitting." He also downplayed concern over the campaign's tone, saying: "Let's just saddle up and have an argument. What's the matter with that?"

Also, some major Democratic fund-raisers who support Clinton sent a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi chiding her for publicly suggesting that the superdelegates should follow the will of the voters as reflected in pledged delegates and the popular vote - two measures on which Clinton faces long odds to catch up.

In the past two presidential elections, Al Gore and John F. Kerry had locked up the Democratic nomination by this month, quickly united the party, and went on to lose general election cliffhangers to George W. Bush.

Despite its bitterness, the history-making Obama-Clinton contest continues to break records for new voter registration, turnout, and fund-raising, giving some Democrats hope that they will capture the White House.

That enthusiasm could be a double-edged sword, however, because of the emotional involvement of voters who want either Clinton to become the first woman nominated by a major party or Obama to become the first African-American to be nominated.

The risk of alienating segments of the losing candidate's constituencies was evident in interviews this week with voters in Pennsylvania, where Democratic registration has spiked in advance of the state's primary on April 22.
"Every blue-collar person I talk to said if Obama gets the nomination they'll vote for John McCain - every one, female or male," said Charles J. Eck, 67, a retired printing shop employee in South Philadelphia.

But Obama supporter Chelsa Wagner, a state representative whose district includes part of Pittsburgh, fears that if Obama is not the nominee, many young voters drawn by him will become disillusioned. "I would guess they would be unwilling to participate, but some say they would be a protest vote for McCain - and I don't think they know anything about him," she said.
Two veteran Democratic operatives, however, cited the unprecedented interest in the contest and predicted the party would close ranks quickly, even if the fight goes to the convention. Both had key roles in past campaigns that had to unite the party after less intense nomination fights.
"Democrats really want to win, and it creates energy and momentum to quickly button things up and focus on the fall," said one of them, Michael Feldman, senior adviser to Gore's campaign in 2000.

Of the fears that the party will fracture, Mary Beth Cahill, who managed Kerry's campaign, said: "I don't buy it at all. . . . I think the hunger on the Democratic side to get the White House back and put the country back on track is impossible to overstate."
Sasha Issenberg of the Globe staff contributed to this report.

© Copyright 2008 Globe Newspaper Company.

Democratic Convention 2008 Could Get Ugly

2008-03-27T08:48:00.000-04:00

Democratic Convention Could Get Ugly

Kevin Rennie NOW YOU KNOW
Millions of voters got a tingle last week when they participated in presidential primaries and caucuses across the nation. The feeling among Democrats, who continue to skip to the polls in numbers that ought to worry Republicans, was especially buoyant. And why not? Their two candidates tell them they are voting for change, hope, a new beginning. No voter's done that since, let's see, the last election.

This time voters will be making history, which always adds bounce to the step. The trouble with making history is that, in politics, it usually doesn't turn out to be the sort of history you intended. All this excitement may curdle into anger and resentment when cheerful voters find out that not every vote counts the same.

Neither Barack Obama nor Hillary Clinton will give way until one of them reaches the number of delegates needed to win the nomination at the Democratic convention in August. And when one does declare delegate victory, the other will contest the addition. MORE>>>

Democratic National Convention Host Committee 2008

2007-11-04T11:55:00.000-05:00

2008 Host Committee Members.... All the names involved with 2008 Democratic Convention in Denver...

Special thanks to George Washington University for archiving this information!

Democratic National Convention Host Committee 2008

Democratic Convention Boston Host Committee Archive 2004

Terry McAuliffe - Chairmen Hillary Clinton's 2008 Presidential Campaign

2007-10-13T15:16:00.000-04:00

Terry McAuliffe...
He helped Hillary Clinton 2008 raise a stunning amount of money.

Terry McAuliffe, On a Mission...

2007-10-07T15:24:00.000-04:00

Terry McAuliffe helped Hillary Clinton raise a stunning amount of money in the third quarter.

Can he make sure she carries the Iowa caucus?

He’s giving it a shot, one small cluster at a time.

Richard Wolffe Oct 4, 2007
Oct. 5, 2007 - The scene did not exactly reek of triumph. Just two dozen supporters had gathered at the union hall
perched between a welding company and a gas station in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The room was two-thirds empty, the sign-up sheets on the walls blank. But that did not deter Terry McAuliffe, the hyperkinetic chairman of Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign, as he tucked into his speech at the seventh event of his long day. The campaign is on fire.

We’re doing great, McAuliffe told the room.

Click Here for MORE...

Technorati Profile for Jake Boston

2007-10-05T04:00:00.000-04:00

Technorati Profile

Mike Dino - Michael Dino Denver 2008

2007-10-05T03:45:00.000-04:00

DNC organizers look to strategist Michael Dino - "Mike Dino"
By George Merritt Denver Post Staff Writer
Article Last Updated: 02/05/2007 11:20:35 PM MST

The group organizing the 2008 Democratic National Convention wants Democratic strategist Michael Dino to head the staff.

Two sources confirmed Monday that Mike Dino will be named executive director of Denver's host committee this week. He is the senior policy adviser at Patton Boggs LLP.
Michael Dino has a long track record in Denver politics. He was a leader of Denver Mayor Wellington Webb's 1995 runoff campaign and served as a senior adviser under Webb.
And Dino has connections to three of the state's top Democrats. He was a campaign adviser to both Gov. Bill Ritter and U.S. Rep. Ed Perlmutter, D-Colo., last year.

He was also campaign chairman in 2003 for Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper.
Under Webb, Dino gained event experience as executive director of Denver's 1997 Summit of the Eight Task Force.

Debbie Willhite, who has served as the host committee's executive director during the successful bid for the convention, said she plans to continue working with the host committee as it transitions from bidding for the convention to preparing for it.
An assistant to Mike Dino said he declined comment.

Democrats Prefer Hillary Clinton to Her Rivals 2008

2007-10-05T03:23:00.000-04:00

October 04, 2007
Democrats Prefer Clinton to Her Rivals to Handle Most Policy Issues
However, ratings suggest possible bias against having a woman in the commander-in-chief role

by Lydia Saad

GALLUP NEWS SERVICE

PRINCETON, NJ -- Sen. Hillary Clinton, who currently leads the Democratic race for the 2008 presidential nomination by more than 20 percentage points in a USA Today/Gallup poll, is also chosen by Democrats (including Democratic-leaning independents) as the candidate best able to handle many national issues. In fact, according to the latest Gallup Panel survey, Democrats perceive Clinton as the best prepared of the top three Democratic contenders to handle 13 of 17 different challenges that could face the next president.

While Clinton dominates on core policy issues, Sen. Barack Obama does relatively well on the handful of items included that tap into the candidates' ability to relate to people and heal divisions in the country. Democrats do not consider former Sen. John Edwards the best candidate on any issue.

Clinton Walks Away With Top Policy Issues

When given the choice of the top three Democratic candidates -- including Clinton, Obama, and Edwards -- an outright majority of Democrats say Clinton would do the best job on 6 out of 17 issues measured in the poll. This includes some of the major domestic policy issues that Americans typically rate among the most important to their vote for federal offices: healthcare, the economy, and education. It also includes two of the leading values issues in today's culture: abortion and gay marriage.

Clinton is preferred by a solid plurality of Democrats on an additional seven issues. Among these are terrorism and the situation in Iraq. She also holds solid leads on taxes, energy, and crime, and somewhat smaller leads on immigration and being commander-in-chief of the military.

Obama's Strength Is on the Personal Dimension

A majority of Democrats prefer Obama on only one issue: race relations. He also leads Clinton and Edwards with a sizeable plurality as the candidate best able to inspire Americans.

While being inspiring could be a valuable asset to a candidate, particularly as campaigning picks up closer to the first primaries, Obama's existing lead in that area is evidently not enough to compensate for Clinton's overwhelming advantage on policy issues. Otherwise, he might not be trailing Clinton by as much as 22 points in Gallup's latest trial heat.

Obama's image as someone who can move people is also evident in his relatively strong scores for healing political divisions in the country; he edges out Clinton by a statistically non-significant 3 points on this item. Obama also ties Clinton as the candidate most likely to be perceived as "reforming the way the government in Washington works" -- something that could require as much interpersonal as political skill. (Reform has been a focal point of the Obama campaign, so the fact that he only ties Clinton among Democrats on the issue is notable.)

Edwards Is Shut Out

Edwards, currently in third place for the Democratic nomination, is shut out of contention for top billing on all of the 17 issues.

Notably, Edwards receives his highest score -- 28% -- for being commander-in-chief of the military. This is much higher than his average score of 18% for all 17 issues.

The fact that Edwards receives his highest rating on the commander-in-chief dimension could say more about what Democrats think of Clinton and Obama on this issue, than what they think of Edwards.

Why?

Clinton could be underperforming on the commander-in-chief item because she is a woman. This is suggested by the fact that she is much more widely chosen for "handling relations with other countries" than for being "commander-in-chief of the military": 54% vs. 38%.

Obama may not be the perfect commander-in-chief alternative to Clinton for the Democrats. He went on record this summer saying that, as president, he would consider a unilateral invasion of Pakistan to root out terrorists, and promised to engage in diplomacy talks with the leaders of nations hostile to the United States. This earned Obama considerable criticism from his Democratic rivals, and may explain Clinton's expanded lead in Gallup's trial heat polls in the past two months. (See "Clinton Bounds Further Ahead in Democratic Contest" in Related Items.)
Indeed, the percentage choosing Obama as best able to handle relations with other countries fell by five points between January 2007 and today.

Indecision 2008 - Comedy Central

2007-08-11T12:22:00.000-04:00

Comedy Central 2008 Election Coverage

2008 Presidential Election - 2008 Election Polls

2007-08-11T12:10:00.000-04:00

2008 Presidential Election
Aug. 10, 2007 - News

Senator Hillary Clinton of New York retains her position firmly at the front of the pack of Democratic presidential candidates, with poll Thursday giving her 44 percent of the vote, nearly double the 24 percent garnered by the next-closest candidate, Senator Barack Obama of Illinois. For information go to CNN.
Republican presidential long shot Ron Paul's passionate online supporters face a critical challenge in Saturday's Iowa straw poll: translating their online energy into success in the offline political process. For more information go to wired.com.
Perhaps if Mitt Romney wasn’t such a rubber stamp for every blunder George Bush has made in Iraq, then the question he was hit with in Iowa the other day could be viewed as out of bounds. For more information go to The Boston Herald.
Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee warned Thursday that nominating Mitt Romney would leave the party vulnerable to Democratic charges of flip-flopping that could endanger GOP chances of winning the White House in 2008. For more information go to The Washington Post.
Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani said Thursday he had exposed himself to the same health risks as workers at ground zero after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and spent as much time at the site as those involved in the recovery. For more information go to The Washington Post.
A new University of Iowa poll released today shows the race for the Democratic presidential nomination tightening in Iowa with caucus goers splitting nearly evenly between former vice presidential nominee John Edwards, and Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. For more information go to boston.com.

June 2, 2007 - 2008 Election Poll News

2007-06-03T14:06:00.000-04:00

Hillary Clinton defends her family's acceptance of $900,000 in corporate jet travel funds from Infousa, a company linked with scamming the elderly. More information go to Townhall.com.
Republican candidates Ron Paul, Rudy Giuliani, Mitt Romney, John McCain, and Mike Huckabee are preparing for the next republican debate, to be held in Manchester, New Hampshire on June 5, from 7 to 9 PM. More information go to TransWorldNews.com.
Barack Obama delivered a half-hour speech to an enthusiastic crowd in Seattle on Friday. Issues he addressed included the Iraq war, health care, education, and the environment. More information go to seattlepi.com.
John Edwards receives $100,000 in campaign funds from supportes in Utah. More information go to The Salt Lake Tribune.
Al Gore launches a scathing attack on President Bush regarding his handling of the war in Iraq as well as his reluctance to reduce carbon dioxide emissions responsible for global warming. More information go to dnaindia.com.
Permalink.
June 1, 2007 - News
Pennsylvania and New York Polls released
source: USAElectionPolls.com
Quinnipiac University Poll 5/25/2007Pennsylvania
Hillary Clinton
33% - Al Gore - 16% - Barack Obama - 13%
John Edwards
11%
Joe Biden
3%
Bill Richardson
3%
Dennis Kucinich
1%
Other
4%
Siena College Poll 5/22/2007New York
Hillary Clinton
42%
Barack Obama
13%
Al Gore
13%
John Edwards
7%
Dennis Kucinich
4%
Joe Biden
3%
Bill Richardson
3%
Unsure
15%
Quinnipiac University Poll 5/25/2007 Pennsylvania
Rudy Giuliani
28%
John McCain
11%
Fred Thompson
10%
Mitt Romney
9%
Newt Gingrich
8%
Tom Tancredo
1%
Sam Brownback
1%
Mike Huckabee
1%
Ron Paul
1%
George Pataki
1%
Other
2%
Siena College Poll 5/22/2007 New York
Rudy Giuliani
52%
John McCain
14%
Mitt Romney
7%
Tommy Thompson
4%
Ron Paul
2%
Tom Tancredo
1%
Sam Brownback
1%
Jim Gilmore
1%
Mike Huckabee
1%
Unsure
17%
Siena College Poll 5/22/2007w/ Thompson/GingrichNew York
Rudy Giuliani
50%
John McCain
12%
Fred Thompson
8%
Mitt Romney
7%
Newt Gingrich
7%
Unsure
15%
Source: USAElectionPolls.com

2008 Republican Presidential Candidates Polls

2007-05-21T01:41:00.000-04:00

2008 Republican Presidential Candidates Polls - See how Rudy Giuliani, John McCain, Newt Gingrich, Mitt Romney fare in the latest presidential polls.

Election 2008: Clinton Ties Giuliani 45% to 45%

2007-05-09T22:13:00.000-04:00

Friday, May 04, 2007

In the race for the presidency, Senator Hillary Clinton (D) and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani (R) are now tied 45% to 45%. That’s little changed from a month ago when Giuliani enjoyed a nominal edge, 48% to 47%.

The new national telephone survey also found Clinton leading Republican Senator John McCain by four percentage points, 48% to 44%. A month ago, Clinton was up by just a single point over McCain, 47% to 46%.

Giuliani and McCain have consistently been the top two candidates in the Republican Primary competition. Clinton and Illinois Senator Barack Obama have been on top of the Democratic Primary field. MORE... CLICK HERE

Internet Freedom and Internet Independence 2008

2007-05-07T15:06:00.000-04:00

AFP report by US Correspondent Linda Milazzo

The resounding moment of truth during Thursday's Reagan-raptured debate came when Texas Congressman Dr. Ron Paul said he preferred Internet reporting to mainstream media, then strongly defended the need for Internet freedom and independence.

When asked the question, "Do you trust the mainstream media?" Dr. Paul instantly replied:

"Some of them [mainstream media]. But I trust the Internet a lot more. And I trust the freedom of expression and that's why we should never interfere with the Internet. That's why I've never voted to regulate the Internet even when there's the temptation to put bad things on the Internet. Regulation of bad and good on the Internet should be done differently. But there's every reason to believe we have enough freedom in this country to have freedom of expression and that's what's important..."

Bravo!!

What a welcome relief to hear a Presidential candidate willing to take on New Media, where establishment rules of "off limits" and "quid pro quo" no longer apply. Where predictable questions which candidates rehearse are replaced with relevant questions 'we-the-people' want to know.

As long as the Internet can sustain the freedoms espoused by Congressman Paul, we-the-people will play a pivotal role in the governance of this nation.

Two months ago, while attending a speech by Democratic Presidential
candidate John Edwards, I was taken aback when he didn't address the
millions of Americans who'd protested Government policy for the past
six years. I wondered if he'd paid attention to the massive organizing,
the heartfelt pleas, and the distances traveled by patriots who marched
and rallied across and beyond this land. I wondered if he cared.

That evening I wrote an article,
in which I proposed that all Presidential candidates be asked if they'd
paid attention to the millions who opposed the policies of the current
President. I proposed that they each be asked if they cared. Because if
they didn't care and they didn't pay attention, than the Presidency
shouldn't be theirs.

Old Media spent the entire presidency of George W. Bush suppressing
public opposition and concealing democracy-in-action. From its near
total blackout in 2005, to
its scant exposure in 2007,
media owners like GE, which benefit handsomely from the military
industrial complex, have no
profit motive to televise peace. They choose corporatism over
patriotism and money over country nearly every time.

But a window of truth has finally opened and some light is seeping in.
Thanks to the growth and empowerment of grassroots media and Internet
journalism, the words and deeds of politicians holding office and those
running for office, are monitored and broadcast freely over an ever
widening web of accessible sites. In the current Presidential election,
mainstream media swiftboating is less likely to succeed. And no
mealy-mouthed candidate will be permitted to retreat from battling
back.

Who ever takes the people's mantle this time will be held to account by the people themselves.

At last weekend's California Democratic Convention at the San Diego
Convention Center, New Media were prominent, welcome and vital
participants. On the Convention floor, an central area was roped off
and specifically designated for the bloggers of Calitics, the community website for California
politics. Several Calitics bloggers played dual roles at the Convention
as Delegates and full-fledged members of the Press.

All eight Democratic Presidential candidates attended the event. John
Edwards, Chris Dodd and Dennis Kucinich were completely at ease with
New Media. They welcomed ALL questioners in their press conferences and
beyond. This time, John Edwards clearly acknowledged the active role
Americans play in their democracy. As he said in his closing remarks on
Sunday:

"The fact that you are here and that you are this involved and this
engaged, demonstrates your commitment to the country. But I think every
one of us have to ask ourselves, what are you willing to do? How much
are you willing to do? How much do you love America?

If you look at the big changes that have happened in this country — the
civil rights movement that began on college campuses in America,
speaking out against the war in Vietnam, bringing down this apartheid
regime in South Africa.

This movement to end the war in Iraq, the great movements that have
happened in America, they didn't start in Washington, D.C., they didn't
start in the Oval Office, they started right here with people of
conviction, and courage, and passion, who would stand up for what you
believe in, and what you knew is right. We need you again. We need all
of you — to speak out, to speak up, and to build the kind of America,
moral and just, that all of us believe in."

Thank you, John, for listening!

Chris Dodd was also quite gracious. At his press conference I asked if
being a first time father at sixty-two prompted his bid for the
Presidency. He responded that his two tiny daughters were indeed his
impetus, which led me to ask how he, a parent now himself, believed
George Bush had treated Cindy Sheehan. Dodd responded, "Terribly.
Demeaning people, belittling people who have a different point of view.
That's not right."

Yet one candidate was a bit uncomfortable with New Media. That was New Mexico's Governor Bill Richardson.

At the very beginning his press conference, Governor Richardson
immediately called on a reporter from the AP who asked an
inconsequential gotcha question about deceased Supreme Court Justice,
Byron White.

Contrastingly, the next questioner from New Media asked whether Paul
Wolfowitz should resign. Then came a New Media "youth" reporter who
addressed issues important to youth. Another New Media questioner asked
about income disparity in America. New Media reporter, Kate Daniels,
from The Women's International Perspective (thewip.net), asked
Richardson how he would develop new alliances and improve America's
image abroad.

Not long after came my question:

"Leading up to the war against Iraq, millions of people protested
around the world, possibly fifteen to thirty million. Millions
protested within the United States. Over the past six years this
government has shown disdain for people who exercise that First
Amendment right. What's your opinion of people who actively protest
policy?"

Governor Richardson responded:

"Well, I'm for it. I think YOU should demonstrate as long as it's
peaceful. I think YOU should direct YOUR demonstrations to the Congress
because I believe that's where we need change...

Every president challenges the authority of the war powers act, but
it's the Congress that has the authority to make war, to stop war, that
is our Constitution...

Look, I'm for making sure YOU have that."

Interesting how Governor Richardson believes public protest should be
directed at Congress and not at the President, which would immunize him
from such actions should that Office one day become his. The fact is,
public protest should be directed at ANYONE who deserves to be opposed.
Be it the President. The Vice-President. Secretary of State.
Congressperson. Corporation. Or contractor.

Also interesting was how Governor Richardson used the pronoun YOU when
answering me, especially since I never included myself or the pronoun I
in my question. Nor was I biased in my tone.

Presumably, Governor Richardson was troubled by my question because
traditional or corporate media rarely ask it. But New Media will ask
this question and many more like it, because New Media cares that the
President who is elected honors the rights of those he or she
represents.

Immediately after answering my question, Governor Richardson mocked,
"This IS a press conference, isn't it? Has any member of the press not
asked anything?"

Yes, Governor Richardson, this was a press conference. And members of
all forms of press had something to ask. But your confusion stems less
from the unfamiliar faces present and more from the questions they
asked. This, Governor Richardson, was not YOUR traditional corporate
press conference.

It was a New Press conference with New Media voices who aren't
corporate owned. New Media voices who won't permit another President to
disregard the will of the people as the "Old Press" wantonly do. A New
Press with free unencumbered voices, much of which arise from the
Internet. A New Press that appreciate Congressman Ron Paul, who 'trusts
freedom of expression so much that he would never interfere with the
Internet' to uphold the Constitutional First Amendment ideal.

Bottom line, Governor, this ain't YOUR corporate Media any more!

Will Congressman Ron Paul Register on the 2008 Election Polls?

2007-04-29T23:00:00.000-04:00

Brief Overview of Congressman Paul’s Record He has never voted to raise taxes.He has never voted for an unbalanced budget.He has never voted for a federal restriction on gun ownership.He has never voted to raise congressional pay.He has never taken a government-paid junket.He has never voted to increase the power of the executive branch.
He voted against the Patriot Act.He voted against regulating the Internet.He voted against the Iraq war. More on Congressman Paul...

As John Edwards travels the country, he's sticking to his message

2007-04-20T03:04:00.000-04:00

By Jonathan Darman
Newsweek

April 9, 2007 issue - After Bill Clinton, there is perhaps no spouse in the 2008 presidential race as powerful as Elizabeth Edwards. She is her husband's closest adviser and toughest enforcer. She has her own fund-raising following. She revises drafts of some of John's speeches. Outsiders angling for staff positions get grilled intensively by the candidate—and his wife. "This doesn't require any parsing of words," John Edwards says. "Elizabeth is involved in everything."

Now Edwards and his top counselor are facing their toughest campaign challenge yet: how to manage her future on the trail. In the two weeks since the Edwardses learned that Elizabeth's breast cancer has returned and is incurable, the couple has seen an outpouring of support.

Lance Armstrong, a family friend, called. So did George H.W. Bush, who suggested a specialist at Houston's M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. The campaign raised $540,000 online in the week after Elizabeth's announcement. In the latest NEWSWEEK Poll, 56 percent of adults think Edwards made the right decision by staying in the race; only 12 percent think he is trying to use his wife's illness to his own political advantage. "When I walk down the street I can't move," John tells NEWSWEEK. "People stop me: 'How's Elizabeth? We're thinking about her'."

Poll: Presidential races tighten on both sides

2007-04-17T10:43:00.000-04:00

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Sen. John McCain has slashed Rudy Giuliani's double-digit lead by 10 points, but the GOP picture gets muddier if former Sen. Fred Thompson or former House Speaker Newt Gingrich enters the race, according to a CNN poll gauging the popularity of 2008 presidential hopefuls.

Giuliani, the former New York mayor, had a healthy 16-point lead over the Arizona senator last month, but that has dwindled to six points -- that is, if either Thompson or Gingrich enters the race.

Should they both toss their hats in the ring, Giuliani's lead over McCain drops to three points, 27 percent to 24 percent.

Analysts say McCain may have been buoyed by an April 11 speech at the Virginia Military Institute, in which he declared full support for President Bush's plan to send additional troops to Iraq. Giuliani may have taken a hit in the polls as questions continue to arise about his stances on abortion, gay rights and gun rights.

The CNN poll was conducted Tuesday through Thursday by Opinion Research Corp. Pollsters quizzed 1,218 registered voters, including 498 who call themselves Democrats or Democratic-leaning independents and 368 Republicans or Republican-leaning independents.

The Democratic survey has a sampling error of 4 percentage points; the GOP survey's sampling error is 5 percentage points.
The poll shows that voters would give substantial support to Thompson or Gingrich if they decided to enter.

Thompson, a former senator from Tennessee who has played a district attorney on three episodes of NBC's "Law & Order," would snare 11 percent of the vote (12 percent if Gingrich decides not to enter) if he announced a 2008 presidential bid.
Gingrich, on the other hand, would take 8 percent of the vote (10 percent without Thompson in the race) if he entered the running.

Gingrich has said he will announce whether he will run in September, while Thompson has said he is eyeing a presidential bid and will appear Wednesday on Capitol Hill with about 50 GOP lawmakers who would support his candidacy. (Watch how Reaganesque politics, cancer could affect Thompson's chances )

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who led Republican hopefuls in first-quarter fundraising with $23 million, slid into the No. 4 spot -- between Thompson and Gingrich -- with 10 percent of the vote.

Nine GOP candidates placed behind Gingrich and each earned 2 percent or less of the vote. Thirteen percent of Republicans polled said they were unsure who they would vote for.
Clinton still tops among DemsOn the Democratic side of the ticket, Sen. Barack Obama has slashed Sen. Hillary Clinton's lead to single digits, according to the poll, but not because support for the former first lady is waning.

The New York senator still earns 36 percent of the vote, compared to 37 percent in a poll last month, but Obama, the freshman senator from Illinois, saw his support jump from 22 percent last month to 28 percent this month.

The poll suggests a generational divide may be emerging in the Democratic race, according to CNN Senior Political Analyst Bill Schneider.
"Clinton's lead comes from blacks, older Democrats and those who did not go to college -- traditional Democrats," Schneider said.
Obama's supporters, however, are more likely to want to change the direction of the Democratic Party, Schneider said.
"Obama does best among younger, college educated Democrats -- those who distrust the establishment," Schneider said.

Bringing up the rear is former North Carolina senator and vice presidential candidate John Edwards, who earned 15 percent of the vote. New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson and retired Gen. Wesley Clark each earned three percent of the vote, while the remaining four hopefuls failed to snare more than 1 percent of the vote.

Seven percent of Democrats polled said they were unsure who they would vote for.
However, just like with Republicans, the inclusion of a well-known politico in the race could make the Democratic picture murkier. If former Vice President Al Gore enters the race -- although he has said repeatedly that he has no plans to -- support for Clinton, Obama and Edwards drops.

Obama and Edwards would see marginal drops in support, but Clinton would see her support decline from 36 percent to 30 percent, according to the poll. Gore, the 2000 Democratic nominee who won the popular vote but fell short in Electoral College votes, would draw 15 percent of the ballots if he entered the race, the poll states.

Clinton has an 11-point edge over Obama with black voters, and a recent poll suggests that may be directly related to her husband. In a recent poll that showed 50 percent of whites were glad that former President Bill Clinton was no longer in office, only 2 percent of blacks polled gave the same response. Ninety-six percent of blacks said they missed the former president. (Watch how Bill Clinton remains a magical name among black voters )

"The name 'Clinton' remains a powerful draw among African-Americans," Schneider said.
Obama's share of the black vote has grown since last month, but last week's poll showed that 88 percent of blacks felt Clinton understood the problems they face, while only 77 percent said the same of Obama. Those questions had a sampling error of 6 percentage points.

Rasmussen Reports’ Election coverage has been praised for its accuracy and reliability.

2007-04-13T03:33:00.000-04:00

Rasmussen Reports - Election Polls 2008

Election 2008: Obama Grabs 6-Point Lead Over McCain
Illinois Senator Also Leads Romney by Double Digits

April 12, 2007

Democratic Senator Barack Obama
The latest Rasmussen Reports national survey of the presidential race shows Democratic Senator Barack Obama now leading GOP Senator John McCain 48% to 42%.

The two candidates were tied 44% to 44% a month ago and in February.
McCain continues to out-poll Obama among males and whites. But Senator Obama, fresh from a surprisingly successful quarter of fundraising, enjoys a more dramatic advantage among women (53% to 37%) and especially blacks (70% to 21%) and other minorities. And Obama dominates 51% to 35% among unaffiliated voters--especially bad news for the GOP candidate given the declining number of voters calling themselves Republican.

In November, McCain had an eight-point lead, besting Obama 47% to 39%. But Senator McCain's campaign has been hindered by his staunch support of the unpopular war in Iraq, Rudy Giuliani's ascendancy as the leading GOP contender.

"Democracy is a device that ensures we shall be governed no better than we deserve."

2007-04-13T03:28:00.000-04:00

The goal of ExpertVoter is to assist voters in choosing the next president.

With the advent of YouTube, it's never been easier for the candidates to communicate with the voters. YouTube even has a project to encourage dialog with the candidates, called YouChoose.

ExpertVoter is simply an organization of candidate videos by issue.
ExpertVoter does not endorse any candidate or political party.
To the contrary, ExpertVoter makes every attempt to be politically neutral.

If you have a movie suggestion, go here.

National Presidential Poll 2008

2007-04-12T13:52:00.000-04:00

CLICK HEREand Cast Your Vote!

Here is your opportunity to join others across the nation in the first National Presidential Preference Straw Poll.
You can vote only once per e-mail address.
Multiple votes will be deleted.
You can vote for only one candidate, either Democrat or Republican.
You cannot vote in both parties.

Most Searched ='s 2008 Presidential Cash?$?

2007-04-06T09:50:00.000-04:00

Run for the Money
By Vera H-C Chan
Thu, April 05, 2007, 1:59 pm PDT

Senator Barack Obama played coy, but he finally cashed in his fundraising chips and showed that he had raised $25 million in the first quarter of 2007, just a cool mil under fellow Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton's $26 million record-breaker.

Their successes have been partially credited to Web fundraising strategies. The Internet has proven to be a great equalizer, especially for Obama, who reported half his donors contributed through his web site.

Still, neither the people nor the pundits should be surprised by the junior Senator's first-quarter numbers, or that Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney out-earned John McCain (who has a new finance guy).

Obama and Clinton have been playing a game of Buzz leapfrog week to week, while Romney's queries have surpassed that of McCain and Giuliani. Dollars may not translate into election-booth support, but people might put their money where their searches are...

Top 10 Presidential contenders in Search: March 2007

Barack Obama (raised $25 mil)
Hillary Rodham Clinton ($26 mil)
John Edwards ($14 mil)
Mitt Romney ($23 mil)
Rudy Giuliani ($15 mil)
John McCain ($12.5 mil)
Ron Paul (not yet announced)
Bill Richardson ($6 mil
Dennis Kucinich (not yet announced)
Sam Brownback ($1.9 million)

A few notes on the month gone by...

—A Time magazine cover, his book, and a slew of public appearances helped Obama's searches. He drew 22% more queries than Clinton during March, but his Buzz declined 42% during the month, compared to Clinton's 8% drop.

—The news of Elizabeth Edwards' cancer pushed John Edwards' buzz up 174%. However, prior to the announcement Edwards had been in the middle of the pack, trailing Rudy Giuliani.

—On the Republican side, Mitt Romney took the lead over Giuliani (with the good people of Utah helping to boost the former Mass guv's buzz), while John McCain lost his slim lead over the former New York City mayor.

Cash-poor candidates may have to make hard decisions soon because final fundraising numbers are due April 15. At least that gives them two extra days to write off any losses on their taxes.

2008 Election Polls

2007-04-04T23:47:00.000-04:00

SurveyUSA conducts opinion polls for TV stations. We started in 1992.

We have completed 30,000 research projects, and interviewed 30 million Americans.

Today, we are the largest and most-active media pollster in the United States.

Democratic Convention 2004 / 2008

2007-04-04T23:34:00.000-04:00

Democratic Convention Guide

Atlas Forum and 2008 Presidential Election

2007-04-04T23:08:00.000-04:00

US Presidential Elections Resource

Republican Candidates 2008

2007-03-30T20:28:00.000-04:00

2008 Republican Candidates

Sam Brownback
Current Job/Position: Senator from Kansas
Hometown: Parker, Kan.
Status: Statement of Candidacy 1/22/07
Jim Gilmore
Current Job/Position: Adviser
Hometown: Richmond, Va.
Status: Statement of Candidacy 1/9/07
Newt Gingrich
Current Job/Position: Chair, the Gingrich Group
Hometown: Columbus, Ga.
Status: Unofficial
Rudy Giuliani
Current Job/Position: Lawyer
Hometown: New York, N.Y.
Status: Statement of Candidacy 2/5/07
Chuck Hagel
Current Job/Position: Senator from Nebraska
Hometown: Columbus, Neb.
Status: Unknown
Mike Huckabee
Current Job/Position: Candidate
Hometown: Hope, Ark.
Status: Statement of Candidacy 1/29/07
Duncan Hunter
Current Job/Position: Representative from California
Hometown: Alpine, Calif.
Status: Statement of Candidacy 1/25/07
John McCain
Current Job/Position: Senator from Arizona
Hometown: Alexandria, Va.
Status: Statement of Candidacy 11/16/06
George Pataki
Current Job/Position: Candidate
Hometown: Peekskill, N.Y.
Status: Unofficial
Ron Paul
Current Job/Position: Representative from Texas
Hometown: Pittsburgh, Pa.
Status: Exploratory Cmte. 1/7/07
Mitt Romney
Current Job/Position: Candidate
Hometown: Bloomfield Hills, Mich.
Status: Statement of Candidacy 1/3/07
Tom Tancredo
Current Job/Position: Representative from Colorado
Hometown: Broomfield, Colo.
Status: Exploratory Cmte. 1/22/07
Fred Thompson
Current Job/Position: Actor
Hometown: Lawrenceburg, Tenn.
Status: Unofficial
Tommy Thompson
Current Job/Position: Candidate
Hometown: Elroy, Wis.
Status: Statement of Candidacy 1/11/07

2008 Democratic Candidates

2007-03-30T20:25:00.000-04:00

Democratic Candidates 2008

Joe Biden
Current Job/Position: Senator from Delaware
Hometown: New Castle, Del.
Status: Statement of Candidacy 1/31/07
Hillary Rodham Clinton
Current Job/Position: Senator from New York
Hometown: Park Ridge, Ill.
Status: Statement of Candidacy 1/22/07
Chris Dodd
Current Job/Position: Senator from Connecticut
Hometown: East Haddam, Conn.
Status: Statement of Candidacy 1/11/07
John Edwards
Current Job/Position: Director for Center on Poverty; Trial Lawyer
Hometown: Robbins, N.C.
Status: Statement of Candidacy 1/3/07
Al Gore
Current Job/Position: President of television channel Current
Hometown: Carthage, Tenn.
Status: Unofficial
Mike Gravel
Current Job/Position: Lecturer
Hometown: Springfield, Mass.
Status: Statement of Candidacy 4/14/06
Dennis Kucinich
Current Job/Position: Representative from Ohio
Hometown: Cleveland, Ohio
Status: Statement of Candidacy 12/29/06
Barack Obama
Current Job/Position: Senator from Illinois
Hometown: Jakarta, Indonesia; Honolulu, Hawaii
Status: Statement of Candidacy 2/12/07
Bill Richardson
Current Job/Position: Governor of New Mexico
Hometown: Pasadena, Calif.; Mexico City, Mexico
Status: Statement of Candidacy 1/22/07

Gallup Polls 2008 Election

2007-03-30T20:03:00.000-04:00

The Voters Speak: Reasons Behind Support for Four Front-runners
Although there are similarities in the reasons given for support of each of four leading candidates for president -- Rudy Giuliani, John McCain, Hillary Clinton, and Barack Obama -- there are also some important differences. Giuliani and Obama supporters are most likely to cite problems with these candidates' opponents, while McCain and Clinton supporters focus more on these two candidates' own strengths.
FULL ANALYSIS

Election 2008: Presidential, Senate and House Races Updated Daily

2007-03-27T01:38:00.000-04:00

News from the Votemaster

Here are the cumulative primary polls. Take them with a grain of salt. It is still early in the season and a lot can happen. A candidate's wife having cancer is a serious problem, but a candidate having it is a lot worse (McCain has had malignant melanoma 3 times and Giuliani has had prostate cancer). One or more Thompsons (Fred, Tommy) could catch fire. Al Gore or Newt Gingrich could enter the race. Stay tuned.

Democratic Convention 2004

2007-03-24T14:05:00.000-04:00

Democratic Convention Volunteers 2008

Democratic Convention 2004 Archives and DNC 2008 Links/Information
Democratic Convention Guide 2004

2008 Democratic Candidate Polls

2007-03-24T11:59:00.000-04:00

Polling Report 2008

www.pollingreport.com/2008.htm

Let the Polls Begin!

2007-03-24T11:42:00.000-04:00

Zogby Presidential Election Polls