Redstate

Posted at 3:03pm on Apr. 29, 2008 Obama: Weak On The Issues

But At Least He's Got A Good Beat The Kids Love To Dance To

By Dan McLaughlin

There's a growing school of thought among Republicans that even despite his massive fundraising machine, pop culture cache and messianic aura, Barack Obama may yet turn out to be a much weaker general election opponent than Hillary Clinton. Hillary is certain to be a competitive candidate, but has enormous built-in negatives; any election involving her is likely to be very closely divided. But Obama, while he seems to have a much higher ceiling, also faces a much more significant risk of getting completely Mondaled. And a new poll from Rasmussen helps explain why - even moreso than Hillary, Obama matches up terribly against McCain on which candidate is more trusted on a host of key issues. Here's the key findings in tabular form:

Obama's inability to crack 40% against McCain on the central issues of the day makes him look less like a transformational political figure and more like the incumbent president's 34% approval rating. Note that McCain matches up so well against Obama despite "generic ballot" questions showing that the Democrats as a whole are more trusted than Republicans on a number of these issues. (Note also that McCain unsurprisingly beats Hillary handily on the ethics question).

Is Obama actually the easier target? Maybe, maybe not; any one poll is just a snapshot, and it's a long way to November. But more and more Republicans are eager to find out.

Posted in 2008 | Barack Obama | John McCain | polls | rasmussen — Comments (14)/ Email this page » / Read More »

Posted at 2:19am on Feb. 1, 2008 A study of the limits of polling

Also, a look at the California Presidential Primary

By Neil Stevens

The new poll is out! Rasmussen reports a tight race in California: McCain 32, Romney 28, Giuliani 14, Huckabee 11, Paul 5. Wowee, that's a tight race with lots of excitement, isn't it? Too bad it gives us almost no information on who's in position to win more delegates.

Read on...

Posted in 2008 | California | polls | rasmussen — Comments (0)/ Email this page » / Read More »

Posted at 4:44pm on Dec. 10, 2007 The Joy of Tracking Polls 8

By Neil Stevens

I can't be sure, but the movement in the last week of the Rasmussen tracking poll looks like a regression to the previous norms, although with a bump for Huckabee:

Posted in 2008 | Elections | Fred Thompson | John McCain | Mike Huckabee | Mitt Romney | polls | rasmussen | Rudy Giuliani — Comments (6) / Email this page » / Read More »

Posted at 1:31pm on Dec. 4, 2007 The Joy of Tracking Polls 7

By Neil Stevens

I'd basically stopped doing my weekly view of the Rasmussen tracking poll both because my health has been spotty lately, and because the poll had just gotten boring. After all, during the Thanksgiving break in the poll, we had a three way tie for second, Giuliani sitting on his average, and McCain slightly behind the other three.

Today though, I am compelled to post.

Posted in 2008 | Elections | Fred Thompson | John McCain | Mike Huckabee | Mitt Romney | polls | rasmussen | Rudy Giuliani — Comments (32) / Email this page » / Read More »

Posted at 8:00pm on Nov. 19, 2007 The Joy of Tracking Polls 6

By Neil Stevens

Another week, another crowded pack at the Rasmussen tracking poll, but unfortunately I'm not at my best health-wise at the moment (it's only luck that this is getting posted at all), so don't expect a lot of analysis this week.

Posted in 2008 | Archived | Fred Thompson | John McCain | Mike Huckabee | Mitt Romney | polls | rasmussen | Rudy Giuliani — Comments (3) / Email this page » / Read More »

Posted at 1:41pm on Nov. 12, 2007 The Joy of Tracking Polls 5

By Neil Stevens

The Rasmussen Tracking Poll is an going concern, and so here are my thoughts on last week's movement.

Posted in 2008 | Archived | Fred Thompson | John McCain | Mike Huckabee | Mitt Romney | polls | rasmussen | Rudy Giuliani — Comments (16) / Email this page » / Read More »

Posted at 6:05pm on Nov. 5, 2007 The Joy of Tracking Polls 4

By Neil Stevens

I seem to be settling in on Mondays to do my reviews of the Rasmussen tracking poll because the site updaters take the weekends off from updating, even though the polls go on over Saturdays and Sundays.

As far as I know, there have been no huge stories this week, no big events to shake things up, and it shows in the poll. There's little movement, and that's never good news for anyone in a race with no dominant frontrunner.

Posted in 2008 | Archived | Fred Thompson | John McCain | Mike Huckabee | Mitt Romney | polls | rasmussen | Rudy Giuliani — Comments (1) / Email this page » / Read More »

Posted at 2:06pm on Oct. 29, 2007 The Joy of Tracking Polls 3

By Neil Stevens

And we're off! Mike Huckabee sure enough has taken off in the Rasmussen tracking poll after his well-received performanace at the Washington Briefing, jumping right into the pack alongside John McCain and Mitt Romney.

Posted in 2008 | Archived | Fred Thompson | John McCain | Mike Huckabee | Mitt Romney | polls | rasmussen | Rudy Giuliani — Comments (15) / Email this page » / Read More »

Posted at 10:57am on Oct. 21, 2007 The Joy of Tracking Polls 2

By Neil Stevens

Consider this the baseline for Mike Huckabee's Values Voter bounce, if any, as Rudy Giuliani falls back to Earth and the next round of the frontrunners' sparring match makes ready to start.

Posted in 2008 | 2008 | Fred Thompson | John McCain | Mike Huckabee | Mitt Romney | polls | rasmussen | Rudy Giuliani — Comments (6) / Email this page » / Read More »