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Hillary Clinton's Popularity Up in State, Even Among Republicans
NY Times ^ | 2/22/05 | RAYMOND HERNANDEZ

Posted on 02/21/2005 8:32:45 PM PST by Libloather

Clinton's Popularity Up in State, Even Among Republicans
By RAYMOND HERNANDEZ
Published: February 22, 2005

Remember Hillary Rodham Clinton and the conventional wisdom about how polarizing a figure she is? Well, think again.

Recent polls have shown that Mrs. Clinton, the junior senator from New York, may have turned a corner politically, sharply reducing the number of voters in the state who harbor negative views of her.

Pollsters say the change is remarkable for a woman who has long been shadowed by a seemingly implacable group of voters - commonly referred to as Hillary haters - who dislike her, no matter what she does, and who pose a potential obstacle to any presidential ambitions she may harbor.

A measure of how far Senator Clinton has come was on display Sunday when Senator John McCain, Republican from Arizona, said on "Meet the Press" that he thought Mrs. Clinton, a Democrat, would make a good president, although he said that he would support his party's nominee. She returned the compliment, saying when asked by the program's host, Tim Russert, that Senator McCain would be a good president.

The changing view of Mrs. Clinton coincides with a period following the November election in which she offered a series of speeches filled with references to faith and prayer, while putting less emphasis on polarizing social issues like gay marriage and abortion.

The result of these comments has been an emerging image of Senator Clinton that is far different from the caricature that Republicans have painted of her: that of a secular liberal whose stances are largely at odds with a public that they say is concerned about the nation's moral direction.

Political analysts say the themes Senator Clinton has emphasized - combined with the hard-working image she has sought to project - appear to be causing large numbers of voters to re-evaluate her in New York, although not nationally, where the number of people who disapprove of her is still high. In a Marist poll last fall, roughly 4 in 10 Americans had negative views of her.

Her progress appealing to once skeptical New Yorkers was illuminated by a New York Times poll released last week that showed that 21 percent of New Yorkers had an unfavorable opinion of how she is handling her job, down significantly from the 29 percent of voters who expressed similar sentiments in October 2002.

(In two recent back-to-back surveys, pollsters for Quinnipiac University, in Hamden, Conn., also found a notable decline in the number of New York voters who expressed a negative view of Mrs. Clinton.)

At the same time, Senator Clinton's job approval rating has increased to 69 percent from 58 percent in October 2002, according to the Times poll. That is higher even than the 63 percent approval rating of Charles E. Schumer, the senior senator from New York who was re-elected last year to a second term with a record 71 percent of the vote and who is known for his attention to upstate concerns.

The new attitudes toward Mrs. Clinton may be forcing Republicans to reconsider how to deal with an opponent they had until now viewed as an enticing target because of the depth of negative feelings she inspires among large numbers of New York voters.

Independent political analysts say her strong standing may give pause to any big-name Republican thinking about challenging her in 2006, chief among them Rudolph W. Giuliani and Gov. George E. Pataki. In fact, a Quinnipiac poll released earlier this month found that Mrs. Clinton would defeat both Mr. Pataki and Mr. Giuliani in head-to-head contests.

"There isn't a long line of opponents forming to take her on in 2006," said Lee M. Miringoff, the director of the Marist Institute for Public Opinion in Poughkeepsie, N.Y.

But New York Republican leaders say that they are eager to challenge Senator Clinton, especially since Republicans from around the country will almost certainly provide plenty of money and other campaign support to defeat her, as they did in 2000.

New York Republicans also say that the senator has had a free ride so far and that her opponent in the campaign will have an easy time driving up her negative ratings - and halting her rise in the polls - by pointing out what they describe as her poor record of accomplishment and her liberal ideology.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Extended News; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 2008; among; bizzaro; clinton; clintonterm3; deceit; dragonlady; du; election; even; exfirstlady; findhillarysthesis; hildabeast; hillary; hitlery; ladyinred; liarfraud; lurkers; nydummies; popularity; propaganda; psychopath; republicans; saveamerica; state; stophillary; stopthenightmare; troll; trolls; up; world
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To: Digger

There probably will be a good third party, they better be careful.


161 posted on 02/21/2005 11:00:06 PM PST by John Lenin (It's the things below the surface that you can't erase)
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To: HardStarboard

Who said I was ignoring her ..??

I just said I believe the report is NOT CREDIBLE. The NYT will lie to promote her.


162 posted on 02/21/2005 11:07:50 PM PST by CyberAnt (Pres. Bush: "Self-government relies, in the end, on the governing of the self.")
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To: xm177e2
family values except where they conflict with gay rights

This makes no sense whatsoever, do they teach logical thinking like this in college ? I must have missed it when I was in school ...
163 posted on 02/21/2005 11:10:49 PM PST by John Lenin (It's the things below the surface that you can't erase)
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To: John Lenin
This makes no sense whatsoever, do they teach logical thinking like this in college ?

Obviously, you have a very shallow understanding of what "family values" are. There's more to it than hating gay people.

For instance, employment law can work for or against families. Tax law can encourage or discourage behaviors, some of which are pro- or anti-family. Combating domestic violence is part of family values. Etc.

164 posted on 02/21/2005 11:22:20 PM PST by xm177e2 (Stalinists, Maoists, Ba'athists, Pacifists: Why are they always on the same side?)
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To: John Lenin

Please point out where I said this was the only issue I support. Using your thought processes anyone who states a strong opinion on an issue is a one issue voter.

By the way, why are you still refusing to answer my original question? It isn't that hard a question.


165 posted on 02/21/2005 11:25:16 PM PST by FactsMatter (If you play World of Warcraft please freepmail me. :))
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To: John Lenin

Please be careful, you do not want to make yourself as a one issue voter.


166 posted on 02/21/2005 11:29:18 PM PST by FactsMatter (If you play World of Warcraft please freepmail me. :))
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To: Stellar Dendrite

I know this might hardly be taken seriously on these boards but I want to see Dan Quayle go for the gold in '08. I just finished reading his 2000 presidential platform book, "Worth Fighting For," and it's a great modern conservative platform. I was floored by his breadth. He saw problems coming from miles away: he felt 9/11 coming - he couldn't put his finger on it but he knew it was coming. The China, N.Korea, and Putin (although not in name) problems he saw - even before Putin was president. Terrorism, yes. Even better though: he has answers. Answers that reflect deep conservative values and a breadth of knowledge that screams World Leader. In short, it was extremely well thought out and fine tuned. It's the work of an intelligent man, a committed conservative, a man of values and integrity, and a man who loves his country.

Quayle should immediately hit the mashed-potato (no pun!) circuit running. He needs to get his name out there. Slowly and steadily - not necessary in the "here I am, I'm gonna run for prez in '08!" fashion. Just simply he needs to get his message out to the folks via old fashioned cross-country stump speeches; Maybe talk to the PACs, get mentioned on "Special Report." He needs to get his name back into the living rooms of America. He needs his name to reemerge in THE CONSCIOUSNESS OF THE NATION.

The time since President Bush's and his defeat in 1992 has passed. And passed time has a way to heal wounds. And admittedly Dan had some of the media-induced sort, as any conservative Republican does. They tried to shoot down a GOP "rising star" and they darn-near succeeded. Or that's what they thought.

His 2000 platform is still very relevant. Obviously it needs to be updated to life in the 9/11, post-Saddam world. But virtually everything is extremely relevant even here in 2005. W is working on some of Quayle's ideas in ways, but there is still so much to be done. And I feel unltimately that, as much as I love W, Quayle would really stick it to big gov't in ways W probably wouldn't do.

As far as Hillary as concerned, I frankly don't think she could "un-sell" Dan's majestic platform. Isn't that what we're worried about?? That some moderate GOPer will run and Hillary will play smoke-and-mirrors, and thereby fracture the conservative vote, winning the election against a vassilating "moderate" platform. Well with Dan there's no worry of that. THe substance of his platform is THAT thick (imagine the width of the Pentagon!) and he is a solid pro-family, pro-defense, America-first conservative to boot.

So, I want Dan Quayle to take that big step onto the national stage one last time. I would be proud to have him as an American President.


167 posted on 02/21/2005 11:36:16 PM PST by Norman Bates (Usama Bin Laden, 1957-2005)
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To: everyone

Given the pathetic RINO-ized state of the New York GOP, this isn't too surprising. They stand for nothing, so voters have no reason not to support a real Democrat.


168 posted on 02/21/2005 11:40:08 PM PST by California Patriot
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To: xm177e2
I don't hate gay people, nice try, there is nothing family value ish about being gay if children are involved. Gay marriage is all about $$$, nothing more, nothing less. It's against nature, it's a lie. As if the scourge of AIDS isn't telling humans that sleeping around is not good for the human race. The witch is a big supporter of the lifestyle and a part time lesbian herself. Let's just say she has an uphill climb to respectabiltiy and no bogus newspaper is going to make up for that fact. I wish the demos good luck with the SS Tit antic, known as Hillary Clinton.
169 posted on 02/21/2005 11:47:39 PM PST by John Lenin (It's the things below the surface that you can't erase)
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To: jveritas

"First you are assuming that people are screaming on the water cooler about illegal immigration, I do not know many people who are screaming about it and I travel all over the country frequently on business trips and I meet many people and no one is screaming about it, they have a lot of other priority political and national security issues that concern them."

Are you meeting the people that are hurt by illegal immigration, or the people that are helped by illegal immigration?

Business owners benefit from cheap workers. Upper middle class families benefit from cheap domestic help. There are some people who think there's nothing wrong with illegal immigration, as long as they benefit from it.

Go to rural Iowa, and learn how meat-packing jobs went from being good-paying jobs to minimum wage jobs with the importation of illegal immigrants. Go to rural Georgia, and see how illegal immigrants have taken over the good-paying construction jobs. Go to Orange County, California, or Suffolk County, New York, and see how illegal immigrants are building shantytowns in suburban neighborhoods.

But you are right.. there's an elite that benefits from illegal immigration. The question is whether our party wants to represent this elite, or the average American.


170 posted on 02/22/2005 12:13:08 AM PST by nj26
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To: Libloather; ALOHA RONNIE; Quix

Sure, a former First Lady is "popular"
meaning EVERYONE knows who she is!

But, would they feel safe with Hillary Rodham
as their president?

Would they feel safe with Bill Clinton playing
cat-and-mouse with interns in the White House?

They probably showed people pictures of Hillary
riding her broomstick to Iraq, and said:

"Do you know who this is?"

"DUH, Hillary Clinton?"

WOW!! Hit the Presses! She's Sooooo Popular!


171 posted on 02/22/2005 1:11:15 AM PST by reformjoy
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To: Libloather; Carl/NewsMax
NY TIMES...A measure of how far Senator Clinton has come was on display Sunday when Senator John McCain, Republican from Arizona, said on "Meet the Press" that he thought Mrs. Clinton, a Democrat, would make a good president...,

So, now the Liberal Press makes their own news???

NEWS- The MSM Way - Ask a staged question, put McCain on the spot, record his answer as "proof" of Hillary's popularity!

And then report how Popular Hillary is!!!

Now we have proof Bill Clinton, as Governor in Ark, really did admit he admired Goebbels and the way he ran Hitler's campaign!!

LIVING HISTORY - Before our very eyes.

172 posted on 02/22/2005 1:19:00 AM PST by reformjoy
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To: reformjoy

We must NOT underestimate

her public skills

and the puppet masters' skills and powers to sell her to the masses.

SHRILLERY ANTOINETTE DE FOSTERIZER DE MARX DE MACHIAVELLI DE POL POT DE STALIN DE CASTRO DE SADE

must NEVER get close to the Presidency again.

We must not let down our guard nor stop trying to influence rational liberals--if there are any such left.


173 posted on 02/22/2005 1:26:05 AM PST by Quix (HAVING A FORM of GODLINESS but DENYING IT'S POWER. 2 TIM 3:5)
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To: Libloather
NY TIMES...New York Republicans also say that the senator has had a free ride so far and that her opponent in the campaign will have an easy time driving up her negative ratings - and halting her rise in the polls - by pointing out what they describe as her poor record of accomplishment and her liberal ideology.

Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton is working very hard to
eliminate the possibility that negativity can stick to her
in her 2006 Senate race.

She is a FRAUD

But, she plays this game better than anyone.
She is speaking as a centrist and working hard
to author or cosponsor bills to look like a effective legislator.

Living and Learning.

Both Bill and Hillary are psychopaths,
they absorb what they need to, to pull off the
their devious deception.

Liars both.

Evil to the core.

174 posted on 02/22/2005 1:28:43 AM PST by reformjoy
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To: Quix
We must not let down our guard nor stop trying to influence rational liberals--if there are any such left.

I agree.

Hillary Rodham is morphing a new identity.

But really, hasn't she always?

175 posted on 02/22/2005 1:30:49 AM PST by reformjoy
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To: LibertarianInExile
Okay, so you can't read. I said

LOL! I nailed you down with that single bit of tripe that you posted.

As per usual, you libertines can't buy a clue as to what is important to the public.

As for trade, it does not even make the top ten. It will not be a issue in 08, and Hillary Clinton, Pat Buchanan, and yes, even Lou Dobbs are unelectable for POTUS.

The Rats intend to use some of these wedge issues to spit the party, but they won't be able to.

Ya see, even Lou Dobbs likely voted for Bush, and anyone with half a brain knows that Hillary is a flamin socialist. She uses everything she can to divide and conquer, just as her commie mentors taught her.

Funny thing about the new Commies, they are now calling themselves Progressives and have since embraced Capitalism as the missing link in their previous failures.

Soros and company will be backing the one they can win with however, and even Soros does not trust the Clintons. Even he, sees that Clintons are in it to feather their nest and for the power, the feeling of power.

BTW, Lou Dobbs has the red ass because his dreams, his pay, and his ex company did not rise with the tide of dot coms. He sees foreign competition, Indian techies and global trade as dangerous for little fiefdoms who want to get rich quick on stock options. Unfortunately for him, that little game did not pan out, and he blames globalization, Bush, and anybody that PO's him.

Pat Buchanan is much the same in some ways. But his politics are at least honest. He is just from a time and place that disappeared prior to WWII. He thinks we picked the wrong option from the two that were available after 9/11. He wanted to retreat and build the proverbial "wall" around America and let the fools kill each other across the oceans he still sees as offering protection.

If he had had his way, a large thermonuclear explosion would likely have occurred in one of our harbors, taking out a large city and devastating our economy.

Pat is dead wrong, but he comes to it with honesty. The rest are trying to get rid of some particular facet of life that they abhor for personal reasons.

Bush will defuse anything the Dems throw at the Republican party for the next four years, and we will field a good candidate. I just don't have a clue who it will be yet.

We will have so much on our plate, that Free Trade will be invisible on the list. We need vision, imagination and a president that is willing to use all we command. Not a woman with a Marxist ideology and a Lothario for a "first man". She will have little influence regarding what we do, or who we put up as a candidate.

We lead, we don't follow.

176 posted on 02/22/2005 1:36:00 AM PST by Cold Heat (What are fears but voices awry?Whispering harm where harm is not and deluding the unwary. Wordsworth)
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To: potlatch; Happy2BMe; PhilDragoo; devolve
Hillary getting popular??

Yeah, right.

Someone left the 'barf alert' off the article, I see.

The New York Slimes. I should have known.



Click here or on the pic for the article.


Hillary's Rating per the ACU


Senator Hillary Clinton (D)
New York
Democrat, Years of Service: 4

ACU Ratings for Senator Clinton:
Year 2004 0
Year 2003 10
Lifetime 9


177 posted on 02/22/2005 2:08:34 AM PST by MeekOneGOP (There is only one GOOD 'RAT: one that has been voted OUT of POWER !! Straight ticket GOP!)
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To: Libloather

Wow! Breaking news! She's popular in NY!!!


178 posted on 02/22/2005 3:27:32 AM PST by pookie18 (Clinton Happens!)
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To: Zivasmate
Yep. This is a good assessment.

Look, everyone knows Hillary can preen and posture as a "conservative" or "mainstream" Dem, but when she finally has to break out her broom, she is going to be exposed as a shrill Lib. I don't think she will even get the nomination, but that much will be fun!

179 posted on 02/22/2005 3:33:40 AM PST by LS (CNN is the Amtrak of news (there is no c in Amtrak and no truth in MSM news))
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To: Vision

Wouldn't it be great if Bush announced that, because of her insistence on troops on border, that he was going to do just that?


180 posted on 02/22/2005 3:34:19 AM PST by Grateful One
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