Drudge links a rather silly FOX News poll which reports that President Bush would defeat Bill Clinton 53 percent to 32 percent if the election were held today (and if popular votes rather than electoral votes mattered). I find this amusing but not all that instructive, especially given Clinton’s legendary campaigning skills and that he’s been out of the limelight for all but the most diehard political junkies for two years now.
And the same poll finds a remarkable percentage of respondents who had “never heard of” several of the Democratic challengers: Dennis Kucinich (70%), Howard Dean (56%), Carol Moseley Braun (54%), and John Edwards (49%).
About James Joyner
One word about that poll from our most Fair & Balanced News Station: Propaganda!
Fox pays Opinion Dynamic to run the poll so calling it propagada is just silly.
It was on obvious poll to run. Clinton mouthed off and said he wanted to run again for President. He sorta asked for this poll to be run.
While I think you are right James that Clinton is “out of sight and out of mind” it is probably also true that the “Clinton spell” is wearing off.
A fair amount of it was gone by 9/12/2001.
I don’t know if it was that poll or another one but one poll said that only 20% of the people wanted Clinton to run.
Historically, Clinton has ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS had that same 20%. When Hillary tried to take over healthcare and Newt came in, Clinton polled at 20%. When during Monica they asked if Clinton was an honest person that same 20% said he was. That is his “yellow dog” (if delusional) base.
Paul