Unless there is a major shift in Bush administration policy on the war in Iraq between now and next summer, that issue is likely to dominate the 2008 presidential campaign. But the poll finds none of the major candidates standing out from the others on this issue. Aside from Romney and Thompson, the five other candidates score between 50% and 55% on this measure of public confidence in their ability to choose the proper course of action in Iraq. The failure of the Democratic candidates to score higher confidence levels on Iraq is significant given the fact that a substantial majority of Americans say that the war -- initiated and supported by a Republican administration -- is a mistake, and that a majority have opposed the Bush administration surge that has been supported by both Giuliani, and in particular, McCain.
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The public usually views the Republican Party as better on terrorism than the Democratic Party, so it is no surprise to see Giuliani and McCain well ahead of the other candidates in public confidence on this issue. Sixty-nine percent of Americans have at least a fair amount of confidence in Giuliani, widely hailed for his response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks while serving as mayor of New York City. Sixty-six percent of Americans express confidence in McCain.
The Democrats fair better on Domestic issues according to the same Gallup Poll:
While the Republicans usually have an edge on terrorism from the public's perspective, the Democrats usually do better on a range of domestic issues such as healthcare. The recent poll is no exception, finding nearly two in three Americans saying they have a great deal or fair amount of confidence in Clinton to recommend the right thing for the nation's healthcare system, slightly higher than the 61% who say this about Obama. A majority of Americans also express confidence in Edwards, 54%. Giuliani is the only Republican to get a confidence rating above 50% on healthcare.
The recent successes and progress in Iraq, as well as the latest news showing even a couple of Democratic lawmakers, after having been to Iraq, are seeing amazing progress there, might have quite a bit to do with these findings, but the problem that is now presented, if other polls find these same results, for the Democratic presidential candidates, is that they have staked almost all their credibility on Iraq and their position of defeat.
Will the candidates, as well as the far left liberal bloggers, continue to assume that by using Iraq and Terrorism as their "key" issues against the Republican presidential candidates, they will fair better?
Or will they now change tactics since it is beginning to look obvious to even the mainstream media that we will be successful in Iraq?
Even if they change focus, at this point, is it too late to undo the damage that their defeatism has already done to them?
There are smaller gaps in the ratings of the Republican candidates, suggesting that Republicans rate Democratic candidates worse than Democrats rate Republican candidates. Romney's ratings show the least polarization, in part because of his lower public profile. Among the better-known candidates, confidence ratings of McCain show the smallest differences along party lines.
Quite the conundrum for the Democratic candidates, isn't it?
[Update] The political left pundits have their spin on this poll out already, it seems that the poll shows GOP having the publics trust on Iraq and Terrorism, just HAS to mean that the general public is uninformed and "confused", according to the Carpetbagger Report I just linked to.
Typical denial, distortion and spin because they cannot handle the truth.
This is good news for the Republican Presidential candidates though, because it means they will continue with their rhetoric and trying to use Iraq and Terrorism as their "key issues" for the 2008 elections and the more good news and good reports coming out of Iraq, the more that tactic is going to bite them right in the ass.
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Tracked back and linked by:
Mortality Salience, Democrats, and Perhaps Another from Comments From Left Field (THANKS---spree)
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