New poll shows Clinton trails top 2008 Republicans

Reuters on Yahoo ^ | 11/26/07 | John Whitesides

[NormsRevenge]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton trails five top Republican presidential contenders in general election match-ups, a drop in support from this summer, according to a poll released on Monday.

Clinton's top Democratic rivals, Barack Obama and John Edwards, still lead Republicans in hypothetical match-ups ahead of the November 4, 2008, presidential election, the survey by Zogby Interactive showed.

Clinton, a New York senator who has been at the top of the Democratic pack in national polls in the 2008 race, trails Republican candidates Rudy Giuliani, Mitt Romney, Fred Thompson, John McCain and Mike Huckabee by three to five percentage points in the direct matches.

In July, Clinton narrowly led McCain, an Arizona senator, and held a five-point lead over former New York Mayor Giuliani, a six-point lead over former Tennessee Sen. Thompson and a 10-point lead over former Massachusetts Gov. Romney.

She was not matched against the fast-rising Huckabee, a former Arkansas governor, in the July poll.

The results come as other national polls show the race for the Democratic nomination tightening five weeks before the first contest in Iowa, which kicks off the state-by-state nomination battles in each party.

Some Democrats have expressed concerns about the former first lady's electability in a race against Republicans. The survey showed Clinton not performing as well as Obama and Edwards among independents and younger voters, pollster John Zogby said.

"The questions about her electability have always been there, but as we get close this suggests that is a problem," Zogby said.

Obama, an Illinois senator, and Edwards, a former North Carolina senator, both hold narrow leads over the Republican contenders in the hypothetical 2008 match-ups.

"It all points to a very competitive general election at a time when many people think the Democrats are going to win the White House," Zogby said.

The poll of 9,355 people had a margin of error of plus or minus one percentage point. The interactive poll surveys individuals who have registered to take part in online polls.

(To read more about the U.S. political campaign, visit Reuters "Tales from the Trail: 2008" online at http://blogs.reuters.com/trail08/)

[TommyDale]

“That’s nothing,” Hillary insisted, “I decorated the White House for eight consecutive years with Christmas decorations made in China.”

That would have been those sex toy decorations...

[hillarynot]

I only hope you’re right. The thought of her as President keeps me awake at nights.

Even though some here say she’s the most beatable in the general election, I say — why even take the chance.

[Liz]

No wonder Hillary is slipping in the polls. With late-night TV airing old reruns, voters think Bill’s getting it on with Monica Lewinsky again.

[Mariner]

This poll means nothing.

Never rest.

[Heartofsong83]

Hillary is toast right now. I think she could lose to just about any GOP candidate...but I think she is doomed on primary day as well.

[Liz]

And Bill was furious with Hillary for raiding his toy box.

[stephenjohnbanker]

Yeah! That’s it!

[Dante3]

My thoughts also.

[Brucifer]

“Even though some here say she’s the most beatable in the general election, I say — why even take the chance.”

I’d like to second that.

[Heartofsong83]

Notice it said Obama and Edwards were still leading GOP candidates in hypothetical matchups though...so I think that this is more anti-Hillary than anything.

Personally, I predict it will be Thompson-Romney vs. Obama-Richardson.

[conservative blonde]

I agree. I wouldn’t trust a Zogby poll ever.

[xtinct]

Hopefully people are starting to catch on to Hillary's slimy funnymoney schemes, like HSU and this one in yesterday's Washington Post, How Big Man In McAllen Bundles Big For Clinton

Democrats are always popping off about being the party of the poor --> Hogwash!! Hildabeast's campaign fundraisers appear to be running a scheme here.

[Route66]

I would love to see Hillary defeated in the primaries so we could be certain that there will not be a return of the Clintons to the White House, but we've learned to never count them out. I won’t rest until Hillary and Bill are in a Gore/Kerry style state of depression on election night.

[admiralsn]

That lady looks like the old woman on the Sex Show— the one out of Canada.

[geopyg]

Thread jumping - but isn’t that a photo of the Romney family? ;)

[hsalaw]

It was probably the endorsement by the White House itself that holed the hull like hitting an iceberg.

Hehehe. Very Rovian-like. I wonder if Karl calls in periodically with tips.

[FourtySeven]

Wow. So much for the “invincible Hildebeast”.

All the more PROOF that there’s absolutely NO REASON to “settle” for Rudy!

[IL Republican]

Personally, I am praying that Hillary wins the democrat nomination. As bad as she will be, Obama scares the day lights out of me. I’m from Illinois, and I’ve been following Obama for awhile now. God help us if he wins.

[gpapa]

[rrrod]

Aw come on...let’s elect a dyke for prez!