AP-Yahoo poll shows McCain winning back unhappy Republicans

AP ^ | Apr 17, 2008 | ALAN FRAM and TREVOR TOMPSON

[tlb]

WASHINGTON (AP) - Republicans are no longer underdogs in the race for the White House. To pull that off, John McCain has attracted disgruntled GOP voters, independents and even some moderate Democrats who shunned his party last fall.

Partly thanks to an increasingly likable image, the Republican presidential candidate has pulled even with the two Democrats still brawling for their party's nomination, according to an Associated Press-Yahoo news poll released Thursday. Just five months ago - before either party had winnowed its field - the survey showed people preferred sending an unnamed Democrat over a Republican to the White House by 13 percentage points.

Also helping the Arizona senator close the gap: Peoples' opinions of Hillary Rodham Clinton have soured slightly, while their views of Barack Obama have improved though less impressively than McCain's.

The survey suggests that those switching to McCain are largely attuned to his personal qualities and McCain may be benefiting as the two Democrats snipe at each other during their prolonged nomination fight.

By tracking the same group of roughly 2,000 people throughout the campaign, the AP-Yahoo poll can gauge how individual views are evolving. What's clear is that some Republican-leaning voters who backed Bush in 2004 but lost enthusiasm for him are returning to the GOP fold - along with a smaller but significant number of Democrats who have come to dislike their party's two contenders.

[longtermmemmory]

most of us know his history. That is no longer an issue.

McCain has been a political RINO. He has been a social RINO. He has supported homosexual marriage, stated he would like to keep Roe vs Wade (per others here on FR more knowledgable about abortion voting history)

McCain has UTTERLY FAILED to provide any leadership in this race. ZIP.

The democrats are wiping themselves out ONLY because the Hillary sees a tactical opportunity and Obama wants the same power.

McCain has nothing to do with winning or losing, he is now a place holder. ONCE upon a time bravery is no excuse for 2008 incompetence.

[SoConPubbie]

...but he won't sell out our country. He is a patriot. And he won't set conservatism back as much as having ChiComs, Hugo Chavez, Castro, Putin, or Kim Jong Il in the White House (and that's Hillary, Obama, Gore, and Kerry).

You won't be singing the same tune once he grants amnesty to 20-30 million+ Illegal Aliens that will vote 60-70 percent Democrat.

Then you will be calling him a traitor as you watch the GOP become the minority party for decades to come.

Then you will see the wholesale abandonment of the party by conservatives.

[Osage Orange]

I just was mailed a letter from McCain's campaign asking for $$$

First off...they think I'm a "member of the RNC"....which I'm not.

Secondly I taped a penny to the card and mailed it in.

If he's gonna win....he ain't doing it on my $$$.

I will at this point, vote against Obama, and Hillary though. And that's all McCain will get out of me.........

[Night Hides Not]

You won't be singing the same tune once he grants amnesty to 20-30 million+ Illegal Aliens that will vote 60-70 percent Democrat.

You racist! These are God's children you're talking about!!!

Before I forget...off, off, damned sarcasm!!

[Southack]

It’s not if I like McCain...it’s that McCain is better in the White House than having Kim Il Jong, Putin, or Hugo Chavez in our White House.

And those are our options.

You seem to have difficulty accepting those choices, so consider yourself fortunate that you’ve never been in a life or death struggle where your available choices were all bad, but one choice was less bad than the others.

[Dante3]

Speculation and interpretation of events is a part of discussion boards. Nothing wrong with it.

[Dante3]

Tragic that we have no choice. The three candidates equally bad. None of them able or willing to fight WOT. None qualified to be POTUS. None exhibiting a concern for the future of our country. Democrats must be ecstatic about McCain being GOP nominee.

[Vigilanteman]

Thanks to all for your comments.

Post #16, while not perfect, pretty well sums up my dilemma.

My coming of age election was 1976, when the candidate I supported (Ronald Reagan) was pushed out by a RINO named Gerald Ford who, while less repugnant than Jimmy Carter, was also less repugnant than John McCain.

Obama gets my vote in the Pennsylvania Primary, but not in the general election.

In 1976, I had the luxury of living in North Dakota, a state I knew Ford would carry, so I voted for one Thomas Jefferson Anderson, a fine patriotic journalist on a third party ticket which I do not recall.

It is more of a dilemma this time because Pennsylvania could actually be meaningful. The big question is whether a McCain Presidency would be meaningfully different than a Hillbama Presidency. As much damage as Jimmy Carter did to this Republic, I do give him credit for mucking up things so bad that we got eight years of the best presidency in at least 120 years, maybe longer.

[SoConPubbie]

You seem to have difficulty accepting those choices, so consider yourself fortunate that you’ve never been in a life or death struggle where your available choices were all bad, but one choice was less bad than the others.

If by that you mean I have trouble sacrificing my principles on the alter of political convenience because somebody has an 'R' next to their name, you are correct.

Your choices are simple this election cycle:

1. Vote for McCain and watch him destroy the GOP and the conservative movement in the GOP by him granting Amnesty to millions of criminals and implementing some type of Kyoto-based Cap-and-Trade system that destroys our economy.
If he is elected, the GOP will not benefit in downstream races and McCain will do what he does best and pander to the left during all of his presidency. The GOP members of the House and Senate will simply fall in line (See GWB for proof)
2. Write in a conservative candidate that is actually a Republican and fight like hell to get ACTUAL conservatives elected in all downstream races. If the DEM candidate is elected we will have four years of excruciating pain, however, the GOP congressmen will suddenly find a spine and will not go along as they would with a McCain LIBERAL presidency. We will make gains in Congress in all following elections as once again the nation sees how a Democrat governs (see previous Clinton Administration for proof).

I choose not to destroy my party, my principles, nor my country.

You choose how you see fit and what YOUR principles will allow you to do.

[altura]

Same old argument ... you’ll never get those people to admit they will vote for McCain.

My hope is that they will actually do so when it comes down to it.

I think they will come to their senses and swallow their misgivings ... but it’s like the guy said, disaffected people voting for Perot elected Bill Clinton.

McCain has actually said some things lately that I really like.

[Dixie Yooper]

As Usual, the two left for the election won’t be much to pick from, but this year, the entire crop was bad news. Ever since the media abused without letting on VP Dan Quayle, no one in their right mind wants anything to do with the top two jobs.

[MBB1984]

We were fortunate to barely defeat the Amnesty bill. We only won because the democrats have only a slim majority in the Senate. The truth is, the GOP is likely to lose more Senate seats this election (look at the number of Republican seats up for election in 2008). The loss of more Republican Senators combined with a newly elected leftist McCain claiming a Rino mandate will ensure that you will get Amnesty crammed down your throat soon.

Have you forgotten the McCain won McCain Feingold? That he defeated conservative judicial nominees through the “Gang of Fourteen?” That he successfully defeated the Marriage Amendment by leading the fight against it on the Senate Floor? That he will likely see his Global Warming Bill passed? You can expect him to see increased leftist victories on an exponential level if he wins the Presidency. Are you willing to support a leftist agenda?

[elfman2]

“Use that line on the Jews in the Nazi concentration camps”

First one who compares opposing strategies to those of the Nazis admits intellectual bankruptcy of their own.

[Names Ash Housewares]

Agreed on much of what you say. I am not defending his shortcomings.

But Freepers are not going to decide this election.

That personal story is going to sell him well to many Americans.

Just the way it’s going to be.

[MBB1984]

You will likely get nationalized health care regardless of who wins in this election. You will only get it sooner rather than later with Obama or Clinton winning.

Regarding terrorists, you will not have to worry about them under McCain's Amnesty when we become annexed and incorporated into Mexico. The terrorists don't have problems with Mexico.

Have you ever heard of Warren Rudman? He is a close friend and adviser to McCain. He was a key factor in the appointment of David Souter. Don't think that the orchestrator of the “Gang of Fourteen” will appoint moderate. The appointee (He/She/It) will be a leftist.

[free_life]

Hillary, obama and McRat are all Rats. No support from me for any of them.

It may take an Obama to cause a conservative revolution! In the long run Obama will be better than McCain as Mccain lowers the bar all the way down to the stink at ground level and with him as President we will never see another conservative nominee from the GOP. The GOP is unrecognizable to me and I do not support them in any way, form or fashion. I am a principled conservative.

[mad_as_he$$]

Hey, Thank YOU for your srvice!

[mad_as_he$$]

You didn't win that fight you just won that round and delayed it. There is already replacement legislation being formulated in the House.

[Southack]

"Regarding terrorists, you will not have to worry about them under McCain's Amnesty when we become annexed and incorporated into Mexico."

You are taking on the air of someone who has lost touch with reality.

The longer a human remains out of daily personal contact with other humans, the more radical said human tends to become.

At some point, the person either recognizes and corrects that condition, or else grows insane.

[Southack]

"It may take an Obama to cause a conservative revolution! In the long run Obama will be better than McCain..."

Obama was never a serious candidate. His job is to make Hillary look like a Centrist in comparison. He's well paid for that job.

And for his efforts some conservatives will sit out Election 2008, or drink the Ann Coulter Koolaid and vote/campaign for Hillary herself.

That's quite a feat to get conservatives tricked into aiding Hillary, so Obama's $4 million income is well earned.