Poll Names McClintock as Winner of the Debate

Sacramento T.V. Station KXTV ^ | 9/4/2003 | SurveyUSA

[SierraWasp]

Poll Names McClintock as Winner of the Debate

State Senator Tom McClintock came out on top in a poll that gauged public reaction to Wednesday's candidate debate.

A News10/SurveyUSA poll found that 30 percent of California voters felt McClintock won the debate. Twenty-two percent of those questioned said Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante was number one, while 12 percent named Peter Ueberroth as the winner. Arianna Huffington was favored by nine percent of those surveyed, while three percent said Peter Camejo won.

As evidence that the election is still very much up for grabs, the survey found 24 percent of voters either undecided about the winner of the debate or with no favorite.

The poll showed that Arnold Schwarzenegger's decision to skip the debate may have been costly. Fifty-five percent of voters felt it was the wrong thing to do, while 37 percent approved of the actor's absence. Eight percent had no opinion.

According to the survey, Gov. Gray Davis' half-hour appearance prior to the debate may not have improved his chances of avoiding recall. About a third of those surveyed, 36 percent, said the question-and-answer session caused their opinion of Davis to fall. Seventeen percent came away from the telecast with a better impression of the governor, while 46 percent said their opinion was unchanged.

,

The poll questioned 1,444 registered California voters in the hours immediately following the debate. Margin of error for the survey is %.1 percent.

Story last updated Thursday, September 04, 2003 - 5:38 PM

[Political Junkie Too]

Bustamante can count on at least 30% to 35% of the vote because of the "D" next to his name.

Bustamante is the only Democrat on the ballot and the Dems are famous for voting party line. They will all hold their noses and vote Bustamante.

Normally I'd agree with you, but that doesn't explain why Democrats supported the recall in the first place. They "held their nose" and voted for Davis, then supported his recall. Will they really do it all over again with Bustamante, or might they, just this once, go against the trend?

-PJ

[steveegg]

Butamante's poor showing could mean that Davis will be retained.

Only problem with that red-rosy scenario is that Gray-Out needs 50%+1. Seeing he couldn't manage that last election, I rather doubt that he can this time out either.

[FairOpinion]

"Check http://www.realclearpolitics.com -- they have a link to "Recall Polls". "

===


Good site. They list all the polls and give an excellent analysis.


http://www.realclearpolitics.com/Congressional/California_Recall3.html

[ProtectorOfTwo]

It would depend on his views on certain programs...:)

Personally, I think he would receive the votes BECAUSE he is Charlie Manson. Name recognition and all, coupled with the (D) would gurantee a win out here in lala land. :(

[My2Cents]

I wonder how illegals can afford to live here.

[Republic If You Can Keep It]

But if new, soon-to-be-released polls also show McClintock closing in on the lead...

The only thing McClintock is "closing in on" is delivering the governorship to Bustamante. He's doing a good job of that.

[ProtectorOfTwo]

Davis could get 90% of people to say he did the right thing if he cancelled the Drivers License stupidity, doesn't mean he has 90% of the people wanting him to stay in office...the numbers are not correlative.

[ambrose]

don't take RCP too seriously right now. they were talking about Bush having a 44 state landslide in 2000 and the GOP getting a 60 seat senate majority in 2002.

they usually switch to making realistic projections right before the election.

[ProtectorOfTwo]

"Moreover close analysis of the LA push poll suggests there are still about 10 perecent of Democrat voters that think that if you vote No on the recall you can't vote on question 2. Despite attempts to educate them with the "No on Recall, yes on Bustamante" slogan, I bet a signifigant number will not bother to vote on question 2 at all."

One can only pray that this is true...it would increase the odds of change. I am also surviving down here in Eastern LA County...sure is hot today

[My2Cents]

While exact numbers were not released, those familiar with the survey described the results as having McClintock “within the margin of error” of being tied for first with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Cruz Bustamanate.

With all due respect, I think one has to question a poll that isn't willing to publish its numbers.

[deport]

Insufficient data. Being perceived as the winner in a debate is not the same thing as being supported.

---

Witness Keyes in 2000 in the Republican Primary debates.... Supposedly he won going away but was an also ran in the primary election.......

[SierraWasp]

Like I said... Whatever. It's too soon to tell anything so I'm not gonna try to come off as the all knowing "expert" like a gob of Freepers have been doing for the past month, demanding in thread after thread that either Arnold, or Tom should give up and capitulate prematurely!

What message do you think would resonate better than Tom's? I think his "American Graffiti" (where were you in '62) is SUPER STRONG!!! There is a powerful longing in CA for 1962!!!

I'm praying he stays in long enough to get that message to EVERY (polled) voter at least three times!!!

[kellynla]

EXCELLENT NEWS! Thanks for the flag!

[truthkeeper]

I wonder how illegals can afford to live here.

It's not so hard when you have 17 people living in a two bedroom house.

Think I'm kidding? I'm not.

[SierraWasp]

"William E. Saracino"

I know a lot about this particular political operative!!!

Some good... Some not so good!!!

[Canticle_of_Deborah]

It was a private poll done by DC business interests.

[CyberCowboy777]

Gore did poorly in all the debates.

Only in one did anyone say he did any good at all.

To this day the media jokes about how poorly he did.

He should have just skipped the debates.

[SierraWasp]

"but that doesn't explain why Democrats supported the recall in the first place"

The tripling of the damn CAR TAX!!!

Which McClintock jumped on before the recall ever materialized!!! There are road signs up all over the countryside around here that say "Help Tom McClintock STOP THE CAR TAX! They're on every commute route and even rural roads!!!

[Canticle_of_Deborah]

Okay, I'll take your word for it. I'm just the messenger :-)

This is the only poll I've seen since the debates. It was a private poll done by DC interests.

[Princeliberty]

But this was the poll the Arnold guys have been
bragging about because USA gives Arnold his best numbers.

So for Arnold this is big blow for sure.