For GOP- A Good Man is Hard to Find
A recent Associated Press poll conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs showed considerable promise for Democratic Presidential candidates among 1,004 surveyed adults, 773 registered voters.
Democrats Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, and John Edwards remain the front runners in the Democratic primary, which was recently hastened to February 5th in Tennessee and 7 [possibly 19] other states.
Support has remained steady for all three candidates since polling was conducted May 5-7 earlier this year. Former Vice-President Al Gore inserts himself consistently as among the most popular potential candidates amidst constant media deflections that he is currently considering a presidential bid.
For Republicans, however, the outlook is far less promising with the Associated Press reporting that “nearly a quarter of Republicans are unwilling to back top-tier hopefuls Rudy Giuliani, Fred Thompson, John McCain, or Mitt Romney . . . such dissatisfaction underscores the volatility of the 2008 GOP nomination fight.” [See: ‘None of Above’ leads Republican field’, Associated Press, 7/17/07]
In a field that ‘boasts’ a one-term Senator and thirty plus-year lobbyist, a “thrice-married backer of abortion”, an Arizona Senator whose campaign is nearly broke, and a former Governor privy to campaign trail ‘conversions’ on important social issues, Republicans are finding it difficult to rally around one suitor.
Adding to the sting of GOP voter defections, low Presidential approval ratings continue to steal support from Republicans in Congress, such as Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN) with his vocal support for the Iraq Study Group recommendations. However, for elected Republicans, their public voting record is something much more difficult to shake from memory.
Senator Alexander, who has voted 90% with Bush policies, is now part of a Republican filibuster effort to halt Democrats from changing direction in Iraq.
When President Bush arrives in Nashville this Thursday to discuss the budget and tour a local Bun factory, there will be a symbolic proximity between Senator Alexander and the administration’s failed policies and divisive ideologies regardless of whether or not Alexander is in the state or in Washington, D.C.
In 2008, unless there is a real change in direction for the GOP, they will be scrambling for candidates to unite the Congressional castoffs. Luckily for Democrats, the diverse field of candidates will capture the attention of swing voters looking for a good man or woman lacking on the other side.
