Early Opinion Polls Look Bad for Gore [NYT, USA Today, CNN, Gallup, FOX, Bloomberg]

The NY Times - Political Round-up / Politics Section | Dec. 23, 2001 | NYT staff

[summer]

Early Opinion Polls Look Bad for Gore

Al Gore keeps saying he has not decided whether to run for president again in 2004.

But a lot of Democratic voters have reached a decision on that matter, if a new CNN/USAToday/Gallup Poll has it right.

Asked whether the party's 2004 standard-bearer should again be Mr. Gore or "someone else," 66 percent of poll respondents said "someone else."

And there is more.

Two other new polls — by Bloomberg and Fox News/Opinion Dynamics — indicate that even if Mr. Gore should be renominated, he would lose again, by a ratio of more than two to one, if President Bush should again be the Republican nominee.

[Cicero]

I don't know if the Democrat Powers That Be, which certainly include the publisher and editors of the Times, have decided who will get the nod. But they've obviously decided that Gore is a loser, and that this is a good time to show him the door.

[rellimpank]

--Gore is as done as a candidate as Harold Stassen--

[marajade]

Did you see the stupid questions he was asking Ashcroft during the recent hearings? Don't remember specifically but I do remember they were stupid considering his schooling.

[cardinal4]

Eight years? More like eight minutes. And no one will have seen a thing. No suspects, no witnesses, he's gone, just like that. Osama did it.

Thats frightening.I believe she would do it.Well,she would order it done.

[AFreeBird]

I cannot see labor going for her whatsoever.

I guess that al depends on how much money the DNC and the like throw at the union bosses, who have been known to extort certain behaviour from its members.

[desertcry]

nyt want's hillary, she owns all the liberal media.

[arete]

Come on. It's Hilliary

Who in their right mind would run with her?

Richard W.

[Torie]

Dukakis particulars. I was off by a percent of so.

[Howlin]

Actually, I'm not sure Edwards can win N.C.; a LOT of people are mad with him because he wouldn't meet with them about the nulcear power plant below Raleigh.

And he sponsored a bill in the Senate to give financial help to the people of eastern N.C. after Hurricane Floyd; however, he did not vote for his OWN bill because Dick Gephardt didn't want to give the "win" to the Republicans and told him not to vote for it.

[summer]

BTW, here's what I mean about Bill Clinton, as I think he and the entire party -- including Al Gore and for that matter, Janet Reno -- all need to part ways with Dem voters, if the Dems really want to anywhere:

December 23, 2001

A Fresh Legacy for Bill Clinton?

To the Editor:

Re "Clinton and Aides Lay Plans to Repair a Battered Image" (front page, Dec. 21):

Bill Clinton is determined to use his post-presidency constructively to further causes in which he believes. One of those is to build the idea-based political movement known as New Democrat in this country and "the third way" around the world — the movement to modernize progressivism for the information age.

I began working with Mr. Clinton to build the New Democrat movement in 1985 when we founded the Democratic Leadership Council. He was governor of Arkansas at the time. He's been a leader of the movement ever since, and during his presidency, New Democrat ideas — fiscal discipline, welfare reform, national service and community policing — made America a better, safer, more prosperous country.

The "third way" movement will continue to grow whether or not Mr. Clinton participates in the future. But it will be stronger because, as a former president, he will help shape the next generation of progressive ideas and mentor the next generation of New Democrat leaders.

AL FROM
Washington, Dec. 21, 2001
The writer is chief executive of the Democratic Leadership Council.

• To the Editor:

Re "Clinton and Aides Lay Plans to Repair a Battered Image" (front page, Dec. 21): Bill Clinton presided over an eight-year period of mostly peace and prosperity for America. It is unlikely that this will soon be forgotten. But the ongoing vanity of the man, and his campaign for a favored place in history, grow tiresome.

It will always be appropriate for Mr. Clinton and his supporters to work for the issues they believe in. And for Mr. Clinton to do good works, like Jimmy Carter. But his own era is past.

DONALD J. ISLER
Irvington, N.Y., Dec. 21, 2001 •

To the Editor:

As one who voted for Bill Clinton and contributed modestly to his impeachment defense fund, I have a suggestion for enhancing his legacy ("Clinton and Aides Lay Plans to Repair a Battered Image," front page, Dec. 21). Rather than spending his days fretting about his image, why doesn't he take on some unfinished business of his administration?

Specifically, he could help repair the damage caused by welfare reform, which he promised to do when he signed the bill. Tens of thousands of welfare children will become destitute unless real jobs at decent wages are created for their parents. He could also lead efforts to save Social Security from the privatizers and to add to the rental housing supply for low-income families.

Mr. Clinton is still relatively young; he can add to his legacy by deeds, not by public relations.

MORTON J. SCHUSSHEIM
Washington, Dec. 21, 2001 •

To the Editor:

Re "Clinton and Aides Lay Plans to Repair a Battered Image" (front page, Dec. 21):

It's reassuring to know that Bill Clinton's "permanent campaign" will never end. His continued obsession over his policies, perception and performance will no doubt aid historians in analyzing eight years of unrivaled prosperity and missed opportunities.

RONEN SARRAF
New York, Dec. 21, 2001 •

To the Editor:

Re "Clinton and Aides Lay Plans to Repair a Battered Image" (front page, Dec. 21):

I do not object to Bill Clinton's effort to "defend his legacy," but I hope that he will not succeed in another objective mentioned in the article: playing "a central role in setting an issue agenda for the Democrats." I am one Democrat who is looking for a new cast of leaders willing to move beyond Mr. Clinton's characteristic timidity about pushing a progressive agenda.

JACK JUSTICE


Santa Fe, N.M., Dec. 21, 2001 • To the Editor:

Re "Clinton and Aides Lay Plans to Repair a Battered Image" (front page, Dec. 21): Bill Clinton should realize that legacies are not determined by spinmeisters, but by future historians, who will analyze his presidency 50 or 100 years from now.

Spin may temporarily improve his reputation among today's print editors, and even historians, but this will have little lasting significance. Future scholars will be immune to the spin.

EDWARD M. STAUB
Fairfield, Conn., Dec. 21, 2001

[Bismark]

John Edwards won on the women's vote in his last (and ONLY) election. He'll have to survive a challenge from Liddy Dole next year to even be considered and he will be in a hard fight to do so. North Carolina voters can, and should, end this punks career. He is the classic "empty suit."

[Bubba_Leroy]

Don't listen to them Al! I want you to run.

The only thing that will be more entertaining than watching soreloserman and Hitlary fighting it out in the democRAT primaries is watching whichever one gets the nomination lose big time to GWB in 2004.

[summer]

really want to anywhere: = really want to get anywhere

[GretchenEE]

But why would any (real) man willingly ask hillary to be his veep?

[glockmeister40]

I think Gore should be encouraged to run. This way, Bush can kick his a$$ again.

PS: This time it won't be close.

[summer]

But they've obviously decided that Gore is a loser, and that this is a good time to show him the door.

That's my impression, too. I think they would breathe a huge sigh of relief if Gore would announce he has NO intention of running again in 2004.

[GretchenEE]

There is a problem with this article.

It is too daggone short!

The real title of this should have been written by the NYT staff as, "DEMS TROLLING FOR VIABLE 2004 CANDIDATE: HELP WANTED!!!!"

[summer]

Re your post #48 -- Thanks for that link. So, Dukakis won ten states, plus DC. Gosh, I really thought he did a lot worse than that.

[summer]

however, he did not vote for his OWN bill

LOL....

[summer]

Don't listen to them Al! I want you to run.

LOL... some people visiting this forum for the first time probably get all confused when they read how many posters here (1) want Al Gore to run in 2004, and (2) want Janet Reno to be the Dem candidate for the FL gov race in 2002....LOL...