...Poll of Massachusetts Voters Views of John Kerry (They Know Him Best!)

DemsExtremeMakeover.com ^ | 07/24/04

[Recovering_Democrat]

Boston- Below is a transcript of Chairman Gillespie’s conference call today with reporters on a poll of Massachusetts’ voters’ views of John Kerry. The actual poll results follow the transcript.

Transcript

Gillespie: Thank you Rich and thank you all for spending time with me on a Saturday I know many of you are already in Boston and I’ll be joining you there shortly.

We wanted to visit with you a little bit about a poll we’re releasing today that was taken earlier this week. A poll of 500 registered voters and it’s weighted to reflect the Massachusetts electorate, which means three Democrats for every Republican and margin of error of plus or minus 4.38 percent and our thought was the Democrats convention there beginning on Monday is designed to introduce John Kerry to the American people but the people of Massachusetts already know him and know him well.

He has served on their behalf in the US Senate for 20 years, so we thought it might be interesting for the American people to learn some of the conclusions and assessments that the people of Massachusetts have made of Sen. Kerry over the past 20 years in the Senate and 2 years as Lt. Governor there under Michael Dukakis as well. And we found some very interesting things.

In fact, Massachusetts voters, who do know the senator best, believe that as president he would raise taxes, tighten gun control laws and cut defense spending. I’m going to give you some of the numbers now that I think are interesting. We’re releasing this on our web site and we’ll put out data points later today.

• 49 percent, nearly half of Massachusetts voters say that Sen. Kerry says what he believes people want to hear rather than what he really believes

• 53 percent a majority of Massachusetts voters say he is more concerned with raising his national profile to being a serious legislator

• Again nearly half 48 percent believe that flip flopper is a fair label and I’ll remind you this is a poll weighted 3-to-1 Democrat

• They also believe that John Edwards is more charismatic by 70 percent to 15 percent than is John Kerry

• Sen. Kerry said that in 1991 he said, “I’m a liberal” but a few weeks ago he said, “I’m not a liberal I represent conservative values.” But the people of Massachusetts have a different perspective they believe by 47 percent to 8 percent that Sen. Kerry takes liberal rather than conservative positions.

  When you look at the specific issues that leads them to conclude that it’s understandable.

  Given his votes in the senate 55 percent of Massachusetts voters disagreed with john Kerry’s votes against parental notification relative to teenage abortion

• 68 percent disagree with his vote to allow schools to hand out the morning after pill without parental knowledge or consent

• 68 percent disagree with his vote to increase taxes on social security benefits

• 56 percent disagree with his vote against the death penalty to those who kill police officers in the line of duty

• 57 percent disagree with his vote to continue the marriage penalty tax

• 54 percent disagree with his vote to cut FBI funding

• 60 percent disagree with his vote to cut the nation’s intelligence budget

  We obviously had a clear understanding that those voters would support the President and they did obviously but they also concluded that when asked about who was more decisive by a margin of 51 percent to 31 percent they felt President Bush was more decisive.

  When asked who is more pessimistic about the country’s future 44 percent said Sen. Kerry 25 percent said President Bush.

  I think these insights from the good people of Massachusetts provide a pretty clear picture of the Real John Kerry and we wanted to share them with members of the media and we’ll publicly post them for the public to see how it is the people of Massachusetts view Sen. Kerry after getting to know him so well over the past 20 years in the senate and two years before that in public office state wide. With that I’m happy to take questions.

  Moderator: I’m seeing no questions.

  All right people are free to get more details on the web site and we will publicly release more information later on. Thank you all for participating and we’ll see you all in Boston.

  Massachusetts Voter Poll

  Conducted By:
  Public Opinion Strategies
  July 18-19, 2004
  500 Registered Voters
  Margin of Error=+4.38%
  As you probably know, John Kerry recently named US Senator John Edwards from North Carolina as his Vice Presidential running mate. Between the two - John Kerry and John Edwards, whom do you consider more charismatic?

  15% JOHN KERRY
  70% JOHN EDWARDS
  3% NEITHER
  3% BOTH
  9% DK/R

  Now, I’d like to read you a few phrases, and please tell me whether each one better describes... George W. Bush...or…John Kerry…

  (BUSH-KERRY)

  Represents conservative values
  74% 20%

  Is decisive
  51% 31%

  Is pessimistic about the country’s future
  25% 44%

  As President, do you believe John Kerry would cut taxes or would he raise taxes to pay for expanded federal programs?

  19% WOULD CUT TAXES
  65% WOULD RAISE TAXES
  16% DK/R

  (YES/NO)

  As President, do you believe John Kerry would tighten gun control laws?
  

  64% 22%

  As President, do you believe that John Kerry would oppose the death penalty?
  54% 25%

  As President, do you believe that John Kerry would cut defense spending?
  46% 44%

  Now, please tell me whether you believe each of the following statements regarding John Kerry to be true or false:

  TRUE/FALSE

  John Kerry represents conservative values.
  33% 63%

  As Governor Michael Dukakis’ Lieutenant Governor, John Kerry was a strong supporter of Dukakis and shared similar views on the issues.
  51% 17%

  Now, as you may know, John Kerry recently said that he believes that life begins at conception. Do you think his belief that life begins at conception is at odds with his pro-choice voting record as a US Senator?
  47% YES
  42% NO
  12% DK/R

  Now, on another topic, as you may know, John Kerry has been criticized for missing 70% of the votes in the US Senate over the last two years. How concerned would you say you are about the votes that John Kerry has missed in the Senate?
  59% CONCERNED
  40% NOT CONCERNED

  And, do you believe that by missing 70% of the votes in the US Senate over the last two years, John Kerry failed to stand up for Massachusetts?
  49% YES
  47% NO
  4% DK

  Do you believe that John Kerry should resign from the US Senate so that he can devote full-time to his campaign and so that his missed votes are no longer a campaign issue?
  45% YES
  52% NO
  4% DK/R

  And, do you believe that over the last couple of years, John Kerry has been a serious legislator in Washington looking out for the needs of Massachusetts, or do you believe he has been more concerned with raising his national profile.
  39% SERIOUS LEGISLATOR
  53% CONCERNED WITH RAISING HIS NATIONAL PROFILE
  8% DK/R

  And, do you believe that in this Presidential campaign that John Kerry says what he really believes most of the time, or do you believe that he says what he believes people want to hear?
  45% SAYS WHAT HE REALLY BELIEVES
  49% SAYS WHAT HE BELIEVES PEOPLE WANT TO HEAR
  5% DK/R

  Now, some people have described John Kerry as a flip-flopper. Do you think this is a fair label?
  48% YES
  48% NO
  4% DK/R

  Now, regardless of how you plan to vote in the Presidential election, I’d like to read you a few issue positions that John Kerry has taken, and please tell me whether you agree or disagree with each one...

  Kerry voted to allow schools to hand out the morning after pill without parents’ knowledge.
  26% 68%

  Kerry voted to increase taxes on Social Security benefits.
  24% 68%

  Kerry voted against parental notification for teenage abortions.
  

  38% 55%

  Kerry voted against the death penalty for cop killers.
  36% 56%

  Kerry voted to cut the nation’s intelligence budget.
  29% 60%

  Kerry voted to cut FBI funding.
  33% 54%

  Kerry voted against expanding the child tax credit.
  34% 50%

[Recovering_Democrat]

This poll REFLECTS MASSACHUSETTS!~75% OF THE POLL PARTICIPANTS WERE DEMOCRATS!

[cmsgop]

A Man Of True Conviction it seems.....

[ECM]

This guy is going to get destroyed in November, regardless of what the "experts" say right now.

[Richard Kimball]

I see this all the time, and not just with Kerry. I keep asking people WHY do you keep voting to send these people to Congress when you disagree with virtually everything they stand for?

[conshack]

Almost sounds like the folks from Taxachusettes don't agree with much of anything about John Kerry-except that he should continue to NOT legislate for them. The mind of liberals.

[SamAdams76]

This is so similar to the 1988 campaign when Mike Dukakis was the Democratic nominee. We in Massachussetts knew Mike Dukakis best and we shuddered at the thought of him being president. Fortunately that did not come to pass.

Since then, a Republican has held the corner office of the State House ever since.

It is hoped from these quarters that after this campaign, that a Republican will be our senator from this pont on.

Not because Kerry wins but because Kerry loses big.

[antisocialista]

Moderator: I’m seeing no questions.

Of course they're not listening - this is going to get zero airtime this week.

[punster]

"A Man Of True Conviction it seems....."

How many convictions? Or, is it that he has not yet been charged and prosecuted?

[smoothsailing]

Sandy Berger and Joe Wilson have been taken down from the official Kerry website.

Kerry's running away, just like he did in Nam.

[MissyMa]

Bump to read w/ morning coffee.

[punster]

"Kerry's running away, just like he did in Nam."

Yes, Kaptain Ketchup has a yellow stread, a mile wide, down his back.

[Lady In Blue]

Check this out! Too good!!

[c-b 1]

If that is the case why do the fools in Taxachusetts keep re-electing him?

[kabar]

This is so similar to the 1988 campaign when Mike Dukakis was the Democratic nominee. We in Massachussetts knew Mike Dukakis best and we shuddered at the thought of him being president. Fortunately that did not come to pass.

Dukakis beat Bush 53% to 45% while the country voted for Bush 53.4% to Dukakis 45.7%. Some in Mass may have shuddered over Dukakis being President, but the majority in Mass wanted him. Thankfully, most of the states prevented the result desired by Mass voters.

[jnarcus]

Yeah too bad they don't vote their convictions but rather only vote for the dem party...how else to explain both Kerry and Kennedy? What a joke Taxachutes is

[the gillman@blacklagoon.com]

You can get almost any Masshole to admit that Ted kennedy is a liar.
Then they will admit he is a drunkard.
Then a murder, and then a communist.

So you sum it up, he's a lying drunken murdering communist, will you vote for him?

Yes, he's good for the state.

They get what they deserve, but they give it to uss, too.

[The Mayor]

Bump..

my home state....

[Salvation]

**I keep asking people WHY do you keep voting to send these people to Congress when you disagree with virtually everything they stand for?**

Good line for all of us to use!

[blackie]

John F'n Kerry is a lying traitor ~ Bump!