Posted on 02/17/2007 4:59:08 AM PST by areafiftyone
Could John McCain’s unprecedented old age (he would be 72 when elected) be more problematic for his presidential run than Rudy Giuliani’s rocky marital life (he has been married thrice) in 2008? The latest USA Today/Gallup Poll seems to suggest this might be the case.
The new survey asks voters what they think about certain presidential candidate quirks.
USA Today/Gallup Poll. Feb. 9-11, 2007. N=1,006 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.
“Between now and the 2008 political conventions, there will be discussion about the qualifications of presidential candidates — their education, age, religion, race, and so on. If your party nominated a generally well-qualified person for president who happened to be [see below], would you vote for that person?” Trend includes slight variation in wording. Yes No Unsure % % % Catholic 2/9-11/07 95 4 1 5/30 - 6/1/03 93 5 2 2/19-21/99 94 4 2 2/3-8/37 60 30 10 Black 2/9-11/07 94 5 1 5/30 - 6/1/03 92 6 2 2/19-21/99 95 4 1 1/4 - 2/28/97 93 4 3 7/10-13/87 79 13 8 7/21-24/78 77 18 5 4/19-24/67 53 41 6 9/10-15/58 38 54 8 Jewish 2/9-11/07 92 7 2 5/30 - 6/1/03 89 8 3 2/19-21/99 92 6 2 9/10-15/58 63 29 8 2/10-15/37 46 47 8 A woman 2/9-11/07 88 11 1 5/30 - 6/1/03 87 12 1 2/19-21/99 92 7 1 7/10-13/87 82 12 6 7/21-24/78 76 19 5 4/19-24/67 57 39 4 9/10-15/58 54 41 5 1/27 - 2/1/37 33 64 3 Hispanic 2/9-11/07 87 12 1 Mormon 2/9-11/07 72 24 4 2/19-21/99 79 17 4 4/19-24/67 75 17 8 Married for the third time 2/9-11/07 67 30 3 Seventy-two years of age 2/9-11/07 57 42 1 A homosexual 2/9-11/07 55 43 2 2/19-21/99 59 37 4 4/29 - 5/2/83 29 64 7 7/21-24/78 26 66 8 Atheist 2/9-11/07 45 53 3 2/19-21/99 49 48 3 9/10-15/58 18 77 5 . Asked of those who answered “yes” to each appropriate item above:
“Would you be completely comfortable voting for a qualified presidential candidate who was [see below], or would you have some reservations?” Combined results, based on total sample.
Completely
ComfortableSome
ReservationsWould Not
Vote For
Unsure % % % %
Black 2/9-11/07
84 9 5 1 A woman
2/9-11/07 78 10 11 1
Mormon 2/9-11/07 58
14 24 4 Married for the third time
2/9-11/07 54 13 30 3
Seventy-two years of age 2/9-11/07 43
15 42 1
Voters are more comfortable with an anonymous thrice-married candidate than an anonymous seventy-two year old candidate? Most serious pundits (including yours truly) have long dismissed the notion that McCain’s old age would harm his presidential prospects. This doesn’t necessarily spell doom for the elderly McCain, and the results might be different if Rudy’s name went along with the thrice-married tag and McCain’s with the 72-year-old tag, but these results do pose some interesting questions about what qualities the American electorate requires from their Commander in Chief in this especially trying and weighty era of history.
(((RUDY PING)))))
There was no question about "Brainwashed by Russions while a POW"
It's not McCain's age, it's his "foot in both parties lack of conservatism" that bothers me. I'd vote for RUMSFELD in a heartbeat!
I couldn't care less about Rudy's divorces and I don't even know how old McCain is. I wouldn't vote for either one of them because they're both RINOs. End of story.
McCain's military service is the no no for me! I will not vote for him under any circumstances.
I am nor supporting any one at this point, just know who that I will NOT support.
Amen to that.
Why is anyone making a big deal about Rudy Giuliani being divorced? Reagan was divorced. Newt Gingrich was divorced. Being divorced by itself doesn't make a person evil!
So you'll be happy if we got President Hillary?
It is not McCain's age that worries me, it is his mental status.
His mental instability frightens me more than his age. As well as the times the 'maverick senator' has used the media to stick one in the party's back.
Don't you think it would be a bit of a stretch to make such an assumption? I wouldn't be happy with either of the three. I can't see that there is much difference, except that McCain probably looks better in a dress than Hillary.
Frankly, if we can't do better than these three, I won't waste my time voting.
For me Divorce means nothing. Sometimes it takes a few times to find the right person. We are all human..
I'm not a Romney fan (and I'm Catholic), but nevertheless I find it embarrassing that such a significant portion of those polled would not vote for a Mormon.
Yes. I believe he is too unstable for the presidency.
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