September 13, 2007
NJ Insiders: Who's The Strongest Of Them All?
As general election candidates, it’s Hillary and Rudy according the latest National Journal Insiders Poll. Political Insiders in both parties, by strikingly similar percentages tapped the two NYers as the strongest nominees their respective parties could put forward in '08.
Clinton was judged as the strongest Dem general election candidate by 55% of the Dem Insiders and 52% of the GOP Insiders. Said one GOP Insider: “Even Republicans need to stop kidding themselves: she is the real deal. She is politically savvy, has money, organization and a great team.” Barack Obama was ranked as the 2nd strongest potential nominee by Dem and GOP Insiders, 21 and 18%, respectively. John Edwards came in 3rd in both groups.
Giuliani was ranked as strongest GOP general election candidate by 37% of the GOP Insiders and 37% of the Dem Insiders.
Said one Dem pol: “As the first Northeastern Catholic Republican nominee with moderate positions on social issues, Rudy could be competitive in states no other Republican would even contest.” Mitt Romney was the 2nd choice of 32% of the GOP Insiders and 28% of the Dem Insiders. The two groups of Insiders split on which GOP WH hopeful had the third best shot: 18% of the GOP Insiders said John McCain while 14%of the Dem Insiders said Fred Thompson.
The Insiders were also asked whether they thought the national news media tilt left, right or play it down the middle. Here there was a divergence of views. Among Democratic Insiders, a plurality, 43 percent, said the national media play it down the middle. An whopping 93 percent of the Republican Insiders said the media tilt left [JAMES BARNES].
Posted at 03:21 PM
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