McCain, Giuliani Fare Well Vs. Top Dems, Edwards Might Be Toughest Rival (Investor Business Daily)

Investors ^ | 1/10/07

[areafiftyone]

A new IBD/TIPP poll gives Republican front-runners Sen. John McCain and Rudy Giuliani an edge over top Democratic contenders and shows that John Edwards might be their toughest opponent.

In a potential presidential matchup, McCain led the former one-term senator from North Carolina and 2004 vice presidential nominee by 44% to 43% but had a more comfortable margin over the two Democratic heavyweights expected to run. New York Sen. Hillary Clinton trailed McCain 48% to 41% while Illinois Sen. Barack Obama was down 48% to 36%.

In a matchup against Giuliani, the former New York mayor, Clinton and Edwards both trailed by 5%, (48%-43% and 47%-42%, respectively) while Obama lagged by 13% (49%-36%). But as in the matchup against McCain, Edwards showed a bit better ability than the former first lady to pull in Republicans and independents.

Edwards Strong

While Clinton and Obama have been cast as the Goliaths of the Democratic field, "when you look at the numbers, they're not the strongest in the general election," said Lee Miringoff, director of the Marist Institute for Public Opinion.

The poll of 951 adults for IBD by TIPP, a unit of TechnoMetrica Market Intelligence, was conducted Jan. 2-4.

[areafiftyone]

Giuliani enjoyed the strongest party loyalty of all the candidates, noted TIPP President Raghavan Mayur. Both McCain and Giuliani had a significant edge among independents, even against Edwards. That may prove critical in 2008. "This election will be won in the center, not on the fringes," Zogby said.

I don't always agree with Zogby but in this I agree - it will be won in the center that is why any and all Republican candidates must woo the independents and moderates in order to beat the Democrats. They already have the Republican votes or at least most of them - they need the others who are on the fence to beat the Democrats.

[areafiftyone]

((((((PING)))))

[tkathy]

Us despised moderates have a vote that counts just as much as anyone.

[DBrow]

The easiest way to defeat Edwards, or any liberal, is to ask questions about the constitution.

He has already stated that as president he'd veto constitutional amendments he didn't like, and also that he'd issue executive orders if the legislature didn't please him.

I doubt he'd be able to answer a simple 10th amendment question, or has even read much of the document.

[fleagle]

"The easiest way to defeat Edwards, or any liberal, is to ask questions about the constitution."

Yep. Or we could just have Dick Cheney debate any liberal contenders and expose them for the lightweight hypocrites they are.

[x1stcav]

I'd crawl on broken glass before I'd vote for McCain.

[alicewonders]

I'd crawl on broken glass before I'd vote for McCain.

Me Too!!! Bears repeating. The only people I know that like McCain are democrats. Who are these "Republicans" they keep polling?

[Senator_Blutarski]

Please let it be Edwards... He has that "prissy" style that excites the liberal base.

[areafiftyone]

God I wish Cheney was running. His debating skills are awesome!

[MadIvan]

I don't understand the attraction to Edwards. He served only one term as Senator (I understand his election was a fluke) - he's completely inexperienced otherwise and belongs to one of the most despised classes in America: trial lawyers.

Regards, Ivan

[alicewonders]

But you have to admit, he has pretty hair.

[areafiftyone]

But he wears nice lipstick!

[MadIvan]

But you have to admit, he has pretty hair.

To be frank, I thought the "mop top" went out after the Beatles broke up.

Regards, Ivan

[MadIvan]

But he wears nice lipstick!

He's an idiot. His going on about poverty in America is beyond stupid; I've seen genuine poverty in Africa and Eastern Europe. Poverty does not own a colour television and a car.

Regards, Ivan

[alicewonders]

Edwards is an idiot - and so are the people that vote for him.

[defconw]

Like all good liberals he thinks he's emulating Robet F. Kennedy, who had he lived would probably be more like Zell Miller then Ted Kenndey,

[JimFreedom]

What you said! Are you trying to attract MR 'A' and MR 'FA' to this thread, LOL!

[MadIvan]

Jack and Bobby Kennedy were interested in a concept which is out of fashion in some circles - "toughness". Thus John Kennedy portrayed himself as being tougher on defence than Nixon. Bobby Kennedy was part of that administration; I have little doubt that he would have shared at least some of that viewpoint.

Ted obviously drank away whatever fortitude existed in the Kennedy clan and helped turn Massachusetts from the home of Paul Revere into that of the blithering, mindless liberal.

Regards, Ivan

[OCCASparky]

"Poverty" in this country is now defined as not being able to have digital cable television (42-inch plasma) AND buy spinning-rims for your car.

Thanks, Breck Girl. We really need to hear that "two Americas" speech a few thousand more times. I didn't puke up nearly enough in 2004.

[defconw]

I don't disagree. As a very young and naive child of 16 I embarked upon the Kennedy 80 campaign. I soon realized that Teddy had accumulated none of the attributes that made me admire his brother Robert.

People can flame me. But I still think Robert Kennedy would have been a great man, given a chance. I am now 6 months older then he was when he was killed and wow. What a world. I still have so much to learn and experience. So did he, but he was cut down. Sad really.

Teddy has been handed everything and it shows. He has no concept of real life.