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The Hill Poll: Voters say Romney, Obama equal on issues of character
The Hill ^ | 07/30/2012 | Sheldon Alberts -

Posted on 07/30/2012 10:03:49 AM PDT by SeekAndFind

Mitt Romney holds thin advantages over President Obama on leadership, personal values and honesty, according to a new poll for The Hill.

The poll, conducted for The Hill by Pulse Opinion Research, suggests voters see little difference between the candidates on character issues that Democrats have cited as key to Obama’s appeal.

It found 48 percent of voters consider Romney the stronger leader, compared to 44 percent who favored Obama.

Similarly, 47 percent of likely voters also said Romney most shares their values while 44 percent picked Obama. When asked which candidate voters considered more honest and trustworthy, 46 percent said Romney and 44 percent said Obama — a result within the poll’s 3 percentage point margin of error.

The results may prompt new questions about the effectiveness of the Obama campaign’s effort to characterize Romney as a calculating former corporate executive who has little in common with ordinary voters.

The findings could also raise a red flag for Obama, who analysts say needs to maintain a strong personal connection with voters to balance off his chief political weakness — the economy.

“I think in a very close election — which this one promises to be — those intangibles do make a difference and it could be a decisive difference for some people,” Cal Jillson, a political scientist at Southern Methodist University, told The Hill.

“Even before Romney was the [de facto Republican] nominee, Obama’s character and personality always polled better than his policies and better than his performance,” Jillson said. “If he were being evaluated purely on performance, he would be in great difficulty.”

The poll found 93 percent of voters consider “policies and competence” more important than “likability” when choosing who to support for president.

Jillson said the result shows voters “care about” the candidates’ policies, but he believes “those personal characteristics actually [count] for far more than 3 percent in voter decision making.”

Obama has generally fared better than Romney throughout the campaign in polls assessing the candidates’ personal qualities.

CLICK ABOVE LINK FOR THE REST...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Front Page News; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: character; obama; poll; romney

1 posted on 07/30/2012 10:03:56 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
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To: All


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2 posted on 07/30/2012 10:10:47 AM PDT by musicman (Until I see the REAL Long Form Vault BC, he's just "PRES__ENT" Obama = Without "ID")
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To: SeekAndFind

That is frightening; America is in deep trouble. I’m no fan of Romney’s politics, but his character is pretty good for a politician.


3 posted on 07/30/2012 10:17:16 AM PDT by Pollster1 (Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. - Ronald Reagan)
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To: SeekAndFind

And OJ Simpson was innocent.


4 posted on 07/30/2012 10:18:18 AM PDT by veritas2002
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To: Pollster1

Knowing what we know about Obama, and being one of those that know Mitt’s lifelong history, I would call their character about the same as well.


5 posted on 07/30/2012 10:22:16 AM PDT by ansel12 (Massachusetts Governors,,, where the GOP goes for it's "conservative" Presidential candidates.)
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To: SeekAndFind

Interesting that they are even on the character issue in this article being as Obama has no positive character traits—doesn’t say much for the pollees.


6 posted on 07/30/2012 10:26:04 AM PDT by izzatzo (Just beat Obama.)
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To: SeekAndFind
Asking an impeached adulterer caught having fellatio on the taxpayer's dime as well as a fake Cherokee Indian to speak at the DNC National Convention is strong proof of Barry a.k.a. Barak a.k.a Barack Hussein Soetoro a.k.a. Obama’s character.

But I am sure his “real estate guy” Rezko will vouch for him if they ever let him out of prison.

7 posted on 07/30/2012 10:32:37 AM PDT by Gabrial (The nightmare will continue as long as the nightmare is in the White House)
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To: SeekAndFind

Democrats have a solid 43-46% on any issue

Carter got that in his landslide defeat by Reagan

This group will NEVER change no matter what happens


8 posted on 07/30/2012 11:55:44 AM PDT by uncbob
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To: SeekAndFind

little in common with ordinary voters.

Speaking of little in common, just how many of us “ordinary” voters are Marxist communists like Obama?


9 posted on 07/30/2012 12:54:27 PM PDT by W. W. SMITH (Maybe the horse (RNC) will learn to sing)
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To: Pollster1

I’m no fan of Romney’s politics

Romney has been running hard for four years to become president. He has had both staff and surrogates attack his opponent viciously. He has used the tactics of back stabbing and paid mouthpieces. He might stand a chance of winning if he would use those tactics against Obama instead of Palin.


10 posted on 07/30/2012 1:00:36 PM PDT by W. W. SMITH (Maybe the horse (RNC) will learn to sing)
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To: musicman

Actions carry more weight than mere words. Look at Romney’s actions while governor of Massachusetts and the results of those actions. So! which of them, Obama or Romney will get us to that socialist dictatorship they so desire the quickest?


11 posted on 07/30/2012 1:35:08 PM PDT by W. W. SMITH (Maybe the horse (RNC) will learn to sing)
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To: W. W. SMITH

Obama

http://investigatingobama.blogspot.com/2009/08/compleat-list-of-czars.html

http://www.infoplease.com/us/government/cabinet-members-barack-obama.html

http://www.glennbeck.com/content/articles/article/198/29391/

Now show me Romney’s “EVIL POSSE” list.


12 posted on 07/30/2012 1:41:51 PM PDT by musicman (Until I see the REAL Long Form Vault BC, he's just "PRES__ENT" Obama = Without "ID")
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To: SeekAndFind

The left is trying to tag Romney a wimp. Implying, I guess, that Obama is the vision of manliness? Skinny necked, limp wristed,throws a ball and rides a bike like a girl Obama.


13 posted on 07/30/2012 3:57:56 PM PDT by Leep (Enemy of the Statist)
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To: musicman

DNC/RNC = political elite

you had not noticed?


14 posted on 07/30/2012 11:31:08 PM PDT by W. W. SMITH (Maybe the horse (RNC) will learn to sing)
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To: W. W. SMITH

I answerd YOUR question.

You TOTALLY evaded answering mine.


15 posted on 07/31/2012 9:44:12 AM PDT by musicman (Until I see the REAL Long Form Vault BC, he's just "PRES__ENT" Obama = Without "ID")
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