Poll: Republicans know Clinton and Obama, but not their own candidates

[wyldwolf]

Who are the best-known candidates in the 2008 presdential election? Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama, according to a new survey. More surprising: That's true even among Republicans, half of whom could not name one presidential candidate from their party.

The Pew Research Center for the People and the Press just released the survey, which also indicates that public interest in the campaign is only modestly higher than usual -- even though it began much earlier. But the poll points to a "sizeable partisan gap in campaign interest," the center reports, with Democrats following the race much more closely than Republicans.

And then there's the Name Thing. "Clinton and Obama have become household names to substantial majorities of Americans. By contrast, the Republican candidates as a group are about as well known as previous GOP candidates, while (Rudy) Giuliani is less well known than past Republican frontrunners," the center reports.

Eighty-one percent of those surveyed can name a Democratic candidate, with 78% able to name Clinton and 62% able to pick out Obama. Among Republicans, 79% can name Clinton and 60% can name Obama. Ask Republicans to name their own candidates, though, and Giuliani finishes best with 57%. As we already noted, half of Republicans could not name one candidate.

USA Today
http://people-press.org/reports/pdf/364.pdf

[MrModerate]

1. I'm biting my tongue to avoid saying anything uncharitable . . .

about American voters.

At least this time apathy and ignorance seem to be offering progressives a tactical advantage.

Which, when you get right down to it, is not exactly surprising.

[BOSSHOG]

2. I think that poll is a direct reflection of the conservative's preoccupation with hate

They hate Clinton and Obama, they live and breathe hating other human beings. Their days are consumed with hating those two candidates. ray-gun was an incredible hater, as is limbaugh and conservatives "know" those two very well. Lack of intellectual curiousity and the patience to learn shit have prevented conservatives from discovering that republican presidential candidates are really bad for America. They are too busy hating evil liberals.

[rinsd]

3. That strateg-ery of focusing on Clinton the last few debates has paid dividends for the GOPers.

Just not the ones they expected!

[DFW]

4. This is understandable

After all, how can you get to know someone when they put
you to sleep before you even get to hear what they propose?

When they lose the election, they can all make fortunes
doing therapy for insomniacs.

[TwilightGardener]

5. They don't NEED to know the candidates--just look for the "R" on the ballot.