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Jul
Giuliani, Thompson trail “None of the Above” in AP Poll
Rudy Giuliani and Fred Thompson top the list of named candidates in the latest Associated Press poll on GOP presidential preferences, but they’ve both fallen behind “none of the above.” The AP story on the poll says that “23 percent [of Republicans] can’t or won’t say which candidate they would back, a jump from the 14 percent who took a pass in June.”
Giuliani comes in at 21%, down from 27% in June and 35% in March, while Thompson garnered 19%. John McCain, whose campaign is nearly broke and hemorrhaging staffers, still pulls 15%, while champion fundraiser and all-around handsome guy Mitt Romney managed 11% despite the recent Fred Thompson-orchestrated attacks on his humanity.
The bad news for Republicans is that hardly anyone likes any of their candidates. The good news is that there’s still time for someone who semi-opposes the ongoing occupation of Iraq to jump in, which would be bad news for dithering Democratic candidates. The good news for Democrats is that the GOP numbers suggest that a moderate third-party candidate might split Republicans and leave the Democratic vote relatively intact.
On the subject of Romney, I want to renew my prediction that the formerly moderate former governor will earn a place in history alongside former GOP senator Phil Gramm as the candidate to spend the most money for the least successful presidential primary campaign. It must be noted that I predicted at the same time that Chuck Hagel would be the eventual GOP nominee, which isn’t going to happen, but Romney appears to have the stuff to go the distance in the contest with Gramm.
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[…] Clark Link to Article mitt romney Giuliani, Thompson trail “None of the Above” in AP Poll » […]
July 17th, 2007 at 8:00 amPretty silly article..since when does an undecided voter become “None of the above?” If you read the AP article, that’s exactly what happens.
July 17th, 2007 at 9:10 amRudy Giuliani or Vampire Ghouliani?
July 17th, 2007 at 9:12 am[…] Clark Link to Article john mccain Giuliani, Thompson trail “None of the Above” in AP Poll » […]
July 17th, 2007 at 9:57 amWhy do you think that about Romney? Because he’s a Mormon, an inarguably bizarre cult of Christianity that most Christians say is not Christian? If I think Christianity itself is a cult (and I do - I don’t think there’s a major religion that isn’t a cult), I guess I shouldn’t be worried about Romney’s religion. (I mean, if he were a Scientologist, now - I may as well vote for a Gambino don.) If I am a Christian, I think I could put his Mormonism in a little compartment in my cognitively dissonant brain, right down the narrow, dark hall from the Bush, Cheney and Iraq compartments, and vote for him anyway if the polls said he was the GOP’s best chance.
Is it because he’s a flip-flopper from the Planet Flip-Flop? True, conservatives are less tolerant of flip-flopping, unless - and this is a humongous unless, related to the Mormon unless - they think they have a chance of winning. Then it’s however many flip-flops it takes; he’ll return to the fold once he’s in office. So given Republicans’ current desperation, I’d say Romney could flip-flop himself right into the nomination. On the other hand, so could Thompson. If they don’t collide flip-flopping on their way up, they could even end up as presidential and vice presidential nominees - who cares who’s which? “Hi, I’m Flip, and this is my running mate, Flop.”
It couldn’t be because he’s rich as Croesus. That kind of thing floats a lotta Republican votes.
Is it because he’s just too handsome? Like, shouldn’t he be modeling suits for Brooks Brothers or Armani (no, not Armani; maybe Botany 500)? Doesn’t he have like the male equivalent of Laura Bush’s hair? And that perfect smile? Who can trust someone who looks like that?
Yeah, I think it’s looks. That’s a burden he cannot crawl out from under. For those who are uneasy with Mormonism, or flip-flopping, or obscene wealth, but not uneasy enough to vote against him, his looks could prove to be the tipping point, immune to cognitive dissonance and other forms of Republican mental impairment (which are legion).
July 17th, 2007 at 3:25 pmWell, I guess I could have read your linked prediction if I’d thought of it, and thereby learned your reasoning, but that wouldn’t have been as much fun.
I’d like to predict something myself: It is too soon for there to be an American president with an Italian last name. And certainly not one who looks like Giuliani.
In American politics, it’s all image, all the time. And image begins with looks and the sound of your name. This is why Republicans, realizing their presidential hopes are like the survivors in “Lifeboat” (if not the Donner Party), are grasping at a straw named Fred Thompson - he looks like a president to them, and has actually portrayed at least three presidents in his acting career, and isn’t that enough? I mean, isn’t he just the shade of Ronald Reagan, only with more credits? Reagan, after all, didn’t get his first president role until he was actually president. And “President Thompson” has an authentically American ring to it that “President Giuliani” just cannot attain.
July 17th, 2007 at 3:45 pmRomney has spent most of his money. By most calculations, subtract the loans and he has less than $2 million on hand. He ran an agressive campaign on TV and burned $5million. He moved about 1-2% in the polls. He will die when he comes south.
Romney has some serious skeltons in the closet. Not the least of which was his handling of the Boy Scouts in the Olympic games. He still has a lot to answer for there.
I predict a Thompson-Giuliani ticket next fall. Giuliani will make a great VP.
July 17th, 2007 at 3:51 pmHey! Just become a member of the slapahoe tribe. Then all take care if Hillary.
July 17th, 2007 at 4:15 pmQuit the infighting over crumbs.
Beetle, I have to agree that of the available mobbed-up, megalomaniacal, war loving former mayors potentially available for VP duty, Giuliani is the cream of the crop. And I think that a Fred-Rudy ticket stands the best chance of all the current possible permutations at cracking 45% in the popular vote. I’m still not convinced that the GOP candidate is coming from this field, though.
July 17th, 2007 at 5:00 pmMontfort, that pretty much describes Thompson’s appeal.
I should also pat myself on the back for predicting McCain’s political demise, although to this point he hasn’t made quite the spectacle of it that I thought he would, which is to say he hasn’t bitten any of his fellow candidates yet.
July 17th, 2007 at 5:03 pmGus, old son, what can I say but “Right ON!” One of those ambulatory Viagra ads will separate hisself from the pack soon enough and you’ll be able to pull on your cup, walk into the voting booth and metaphorically slap the metaphorical shit out of that uppity bitch. The nerve on her.
July 17th, 2007 at 5:22 pmRomney has least successful campaign? I have been impressed by his optimism, motivation and organization, and past successes. Also, if I am not mistaken, he has outlasted former front runner Mccain, and currently leads the polls in the NH and Iowa. I suspect that once he gets his message out to the rest of the states, his numbers will rise nationwide as well-
July 17th, 2007 at 5:43 pmI don’t think Romney has the least successful campaign, Mark; only that he’ll turn out to have raised and spent the most money (on the GOP side) to the least effect among all the candidates.
July 17th, 2007 at 6:04 pmOminous Clouds on Horizon for Rudy…
I haven’t taken sides yet in the Republican Presidential nominee marathon. OKAY, I am decidely against Giuliani, but I haven’t really seen enough yet to pick my favorite. But when the WaPo compares Rudy to Trick Dick, it should be…
July 18th, 2007 at 4:26 amWell, I think you probably leaving out the depth of marketing and/or media endorsement. There’s still good time before we get all of our cues on which candidates to love or hate, and the press can be fickle about what story it wants to tell.
It’s still funny stuff though.
July 18th, 2007 at 5:48 amI’m with Fred!
July 18th, 2007 at 9:01 am