CNN/Gallup/USA Today has Edwards beating Bush in latest poll

[PurityOfEssence]

Admittedly, it's just by one point, and it's also not as good a margin as Kerry has, but factoring in that so very few have seen Edwards yet, and that he has yet to win a state, this is HUGE.

This guy can truly beat the snot out of Junior in a general election, and more handily than anyone else.

Your thoughts?

[spooky3]

1. Thanks, Purity, for this great news!

I'm glad that more people are discovering him.

[David Dunham]

2. Time for a Kerry-Edwards Ticket. Bush and Dean Should Go Home.

[Donkeyboy75]

6. Dunham, I've read your posts on many threads

And can you say anything other than "It's time for Dean to go home"?

[Straight Shooter]

34. No, Dunham has Kerry pulling that string in his back

And it's the same anti-Dean phrases parroted over and over. But that's all part of the negative campaign of Kerry, trickling down to the troops. Of course, when those who support Dean attack Kerry in retaliation, we're just being nasty :shrug:

[juajen]

9. Perhaps Dean will have to go home, but

Do you have to put him on the same line as *? I, for one, am very grateful for Dean and his supporters. He put life in this campaign and influenced it like no other. I would miss him a lot and would gladly vote for him, even though I am on the bandwagon for Clark/Kucinich. Please give respect where respect is due. Dean has been great for democrats and we are all in his debt.

[lancdem]

14. Good post

[surfermaw]

27. Jaujen, who knows Dean may be the man, if not we should be thankful

for getting the grass roots and many new voters out..We should be gratefully and if he doesn't make the final cut, he should be used in a way to get his people to the polls on election day...frankly I like the man even though I support Edwards and will support any one who is on the ticket...We are going to win unless we split and go our different ways...Get with the plan man.

11. Isn't Dean's home the United States?

last time I checked, so he's home now.

[maddezmom]

3. any time one of our guys can beat bush*

I'm one happymomma! :)

[cindyw]

4. Edwards and Kerry. That is why Kerry/Edwards would make a lot of sense.

Although I really like Kerry/Clark too.

[lancdem]

7. Both are fine with me

[KFC]

5. He may be a better nominee than Kerry

I'd be glad to see Edwards win.

[PurityOfEssence]

10. He is. BY FAR.

I can think of no type of voter (that exists in sizeable numbers) who would vote for Kerry in a general election but not Edwards, yet I can think of many types who would not vote for Kerry in a general election but would for Edwards.

Edwards will do better with Southerners, those dissatisfied with politicians, the young, the feckless facile types who vote for good looks, those in rural areas and the poor. He is an incredibly greater draw in showbiz terms, and he has very few negatives to seize upon.

Kerry is a good man, but selective sandbagging on his record can hurt, and the idiotic anti-intellectualism inherent in the country and the pizzaz factor will also be factors.

[lancdem]

13. I think Kerry's service in Vietnam gives him an edge over Edwards

but I think Edwards is a very strong candidate - at least as strong as Kerry.

[elsiesummers]

24. You are right - Edwards has the biography

It is Edwards' "regular guy" background that will allow him to pull the curtain back and expose Bush as (1) for the powerful interests and (2) extremely rich, priviledged and living an insulated, secluded, life. He can paint Bush as a reverse Robin Hood - stealing from the poor and giving to the ultra rich because (1) Bush was bought and paid for by the rich and big business and (2) Bush is rearranging the tax code to help the wealthy and hurt the worker.

All of the Democratic candidates have some great ideas - but they can't sell them because they don't have the resume and packaging to do it.

I don't think the fighting the corporatists message works for Ivy League graduates or those who have bennefitted from inheritence or family connections.

[GreenArrow]

28. "I can think of no type of voter "

I guess I'm one of the non-sizable numbers who would not vote for Edwards ahead of Kerry. Hell, I'd vote for Lieberman before Edwards. It's funny that you would mention "those dissatisfied with politicians" as one of the groups who would vote Edwards. I'd classify myself in that group, and too me, John Edwards exemplifies the worst of the political game. Kerry is a consummate politician himself, and I wouldn't vote for him under ordinary circumstances, but he does have a good record on plenty of issues, whereas Edwards hasn't even served out one term in the Senate and is a questionable bet to be re-elected if he were running again.

Experience is the one area where Kerry trumps Edwards, and ultimately I believe that voters who see us at a near crisis state with GWB at the helm will choose to vote for the most experienced candidate given the gravity of the problems facing the nation.

[spooky3]

31. Is it possible that Edwards is just not the best fit for North Carolina?

It's a red state.

It is MUCH easier to be a progressive in Massachusetts. You have far fewer conscience battles over your obligation to represent what the majority of your constituents want and what you believe is right.

It makes perfect sense to me that a person who has led a life of integrity and success would decide, instead of beating his head against the Repug. wall in the Senate, that he is ticked off enough and dedicated enough to the memory of his departed son, to go for broke when the opportunity is presented to him.

I certainly see no evidence for saying he "exemplifies the worst of the political game." He could have easily stayed in private life, making a lot of money at something he was extremely good at doing in a field where he was already making a great contribution.

That life gave him a LOT of good experience outside government that will help him in being President, just as Clark's does. I do not think that the only relevant experience is in the Senate.

Finally, don't forget that Bush has more relevant experience than Kerry or any other candidate: 3 years as pResident. Does that make him most qualified?

[Tom Rinaldo]

8. Any Democrat who the Media says may win the nomination

will match up well against Bush. Think of Kerry and Edwards as generic Democrats, they are the "fill in the blank" names for the Fall contest. Since Edwards was not well known before this race, and since he has not campaigned in many states, his bump is the latest evidence that media attention at this stage translates into polling numbers, and polling numbers translate into primary votes, in that order. I guarantee you, most Americans who get their news from major media know very little about John Edwards beyond a positive image of him, partially earned, partially picked up from media buzz.

[mvd]

12. More great news!

Bush can't fool all the people all the time. I really believe we are going to win in November.

[mlawson]

15. Glad they released this today; hope it's not too late.

Of course, Edwarsd is as electable as Kerry. IMO, far more so.

BTW, do any other Dems beat bush, other than Kerry??

[Leilani]

17. We wouldn't know

because they don't mention them much.

There has been a media blackout on Clark.

[DjTj]

16. The link.

http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/02/02/elec04.poll.prez/index.html

...I can't wait until tomorrow!

[spooky3]

19. not to nit-pick, but this shows Edwards a point down to *.

But with the margin of error, either way, they're basically even, and that's a far cry from a month ago.

And here's even better news: Americans are wising up to Rove and friends!

"The poll showed Bush's job approval rating at 49 percent among all the adults surveyed, the first time since he became president that his job approval has dipped below 50 percent. A month ago his rating was at 60 percent, as he enjoyed a spike in approval after the capture of Saddam Hussein.

A majority of those polled now say they disapprove of Bush's handing of the economy, foreign affairs, the situation in Iraq and health care. The poll also showed the nation evenly divided -- 49 percent to 49 percent -- on the question of whether it was worth going to war in Iraq, marking the first time approval of the war has dropped below 50 percent."

[Leilani]

23. And not to nit-pic, but Clark is only down by 2 pts

[Leilani]

20. Thanks for the link

Clark is 1 pt behind Edwards, & this is after media coverage of Iowa & NH, where Clark finished 3rd, but was ignored.

Therefore, since this is all within margin of error, Clark should be included.

[DjTj]

25. They changed the article...

...they switched Edwards and Bush just now so Edwards has 49% and Bush has 48%

[Leilani]

26. OK

CNN is really screwed up; their website was different than on air
reports, & CNN stats did not match up with USA.

But anyway, it's all good news, & shows this contest should go on, because the more the Dem message gets out, the worse it is for Chimpy.

[spooky3]

29. Yay! I am happy to stand corrected! Sorry, Purity!

[Feanorcurufinwe]

18. I love it. Bush is toast.

[Leilani]

21. Your Post is Wrong

Edwards loses by 1 pt.
Clark loses by 2 pts.

Since margin of error enters, theoretically, CLARK & Edwards are able to beat Bush.

[spooky3]

33. no, fortunately, the first story posted by CNN was wrong.

They have since corrected it. Edwards is beating him by a point, though with MOE, they are essentially tied. But this is a big move up for him and other Dems.

[MoonRiver]

22. I wonder if we can surmise at this point

that given enough name recognition just about ANY Dem candidate can defeat His Lowness?

[Doctor_J]

30. Bush is hemoraging

We are going to mop the floor with him in the GE.

[osaMABUSh]

32. Kerry/Edwards - Christ we might win a couple of Southern states

I was a Dean supporter then Clark but the reality is that Kerry is going to be the nominee and that ain't bad news. A Kerry/Edwards or Kerry/Clark ticket can win a few Southern states in addition to every one we carried in '00

[dawn]

35. My thoughts? I'm hardly surprised!

Of course he can beat Bush!!!