Rudy has the highest favorable approval rating of any major candidate (54%), Hillary Clinton is second with 50%.
Clinton also has the second highest disapproval rating of any candidate (44%), with only Newt Gingrich higher at 49%. (Okay, technically Al Gore is the highest at 51% - but he’s not running.)
The problem is Giuliani can't beat Clinton in a Crain's New York Business poll of New York voters.
Mr. Giuliani would trounce Mr. McCain in a state Republican primary, according to the poll. But in a hypothetical general election he lagged not only Ms. Clinton, but also Mr. Obama — by 42% to 31% in a head-to-head matchup.
I'm not surprised by the Giuliani numbers. The GOP is having an internal conflict about social conservatives. The party would throw the Christian Right over the side to win a campaign. There is just is no guarantee Rudy can win his home state. So Jim, put the Johnson away.
Update: Jim Johnson threw his promising political career away by blogging at Sticks of Fire. I really would love to see the media ask Jim about how he feels about those stripper and beat-up the homeless posts that passes as punditry over there. In fact, I encourage people to email media outlets next time Jim does an interview.
Jim, it's not a compliment to blog at Sticks of Fire. The webmasters will let anyone blog there. They want quantity. Not quality.
Update: Politico polled Senators about Iraq. Hillary Clinton responded that she does not regret her 2002 vote to give Bush the authority to declare war. Exactly whose support does Hillary expect to get. Third way Democrats don't realize triangulation won't work with a war so unpopular.
I'm not that much into Giuliani... it was more of a reference to one of the best sports movies ever made.
ReplyDeleteI really don't see how the fact that the Democrat would beat a Republican in New York is a problem? New York is one of the bluest states in the country, so I don't really expect him (or any other Republican) to win that state.
And it's not that I recently discovered it -- to the contrary, Rudy has been leading the Republican field in virtually every poll for a really long time. The point of my post was that I have decided to back Rudy -- at the very least until Newt decides to run, if I even switch then.
Oh, and if you want to refer to the my name in such a manner... at least use a reference to this classic icon. It's not like there's not a slang for the word "Hussey"....
Testy. Aren't we.
ReplyDeleteJim, real smart move for your political career to blog for Sticks of Fire. Not.
ReplyDeleteNot testy. Was tying to joke. If I were testy, I wouldn't comment.
ReplyDeleteAs for Sticks, I am not an ideologue -- my posting there does not condone what other people there write. You may see it that way, and that is a shame. While I disagree with a lot of what you write, I respect your writing, which is why I read you every day.
Sticks is one of the most widely read, if not THE most widely read blog in the Tampa Bay area -- and it gives me a chance to increase my exposure.
Still, people know the difference between what I write and what someone else writes. The fact that one callous and heartless poster wrote something that at the very least borders on criminal -- prior to my joining them -- should not affect me. I didn't jump into the fray before, but I will if it happens again.
Finally, I'm sure that Sticks has written about strippers before... it's not like they're a rarity around here.
That's funny because I have the same opinion of you making an appearance on Sticks. Your blog stands alone and you should keep it that way. which I tried to say politely on Sticks.
ReplyDeleteI feel the same way about Kate. No reason for her to franchise her thoughts; and it's gimicky there.
I understand what you're saying Vox... but the positives outweigh the negatives when posting elsewhere. I will not be cross posting every post - not even every post on local politics.
ReplyDeleteBut I think I can add something to Sticks that their readers will appreciate.
I can say this, I would not turn down the opportunity to guest blog or join the contributors of any blog that asks. It only helps drive traffic to my primary site ... without diluting it's impact that much.
I hope you and Michael won't stop reading my blog because of this... most of my posting will remain on the State of Sunshine proper....
Jim, crossposting to Sticks won't make a bit of difference longterm to your traffic. I get more traffic than people who blog there. People don't read Sticks for political insight. I know Tommy may get pissed when I say that or point out he should take himself off of Lefty Blogs.
ReplyDeleteIt's a joke. He doesn't respect what Lefty Blogs is trying to do, but he won't take himself off. That's lame.
Jim, crossposting to Sticks won't make readers come back. I've been linked to Sticks and it really isn't that much traffic. My links to Shakespeare's Sister and Air America were more impressive.
Most conservative blog readers would rather check out Michelle Malkin or Glenn Reynolds diss the left. They aren't interested in policy wonkery. Jim, most of your readers are lefties. Besides Peer Review and Wayne Garcia. There is a reason Right Wing Howler was more popular than you.
I see State of Sunshine has 18 blog links on Technorati. Pushing Rope has 101 blog links on Technorati. My links were higher the other day. It's because other people who read political blogs link to me. That is your audience, Jim.
If you blog for Sticks then it's fair game the next campaign cycle. It's easy to point out Jim Johnson blogs at a website that writes about beating up homeless people and sexist stripper posts. (And Sticks does have a serious level of sexism.) You will have to explain yourself Mr. campaign manager. The explanations always kill people in politics.
I read the comments at Sticks and those are some dumb fucking people. I doubt they want to read an 800 word post on impact fees.
If you blog for Sticks then it's fair game the next campaign cycle. It's easy to point out Jim Johnson blogs at a website that writes about beating up homeless people and sexist stripper posts. (And Sticks does have a serious level of sexism.) You will have to explain yourself Mr. campaign manager. The explanations always kill people in politics.
ReplyDeleteYou can take your analogy further. There is porn on the Internet. I'm on the Internet. Therefore I must condone other people's porn.
I think not. If I were to run for office tomorrow, the fact that other people on Sticks posted about questionable topics would have very little effect on me. Especially when the explanation is: "Someone else wrote that." Most people are smart enough to understand the difference.
Moreover, I can tell you that my traffic has increased since I started posting at Sticks. I didn't have a large following anyway, so just about anything is better. But you can't claim it won't help when it already has.
Also, consider three things about why your blog is more popular than mine: 1) you post more often than I do and about topics with a much. much, much larger audience; 2) you started posting six months before me; & 3) I recently changed my URL, which has some effect on Technorati and other incoming links (Tampa BLAB hasn't changed my feed over yet).
Suffice it to say that we disagree. I respect your opinion, and understand some of why you do not approve of Sticks. I agree with almost everything you've written about the pathetic post calling for attacks on the homeless. Yet, I don't see that my agreeing to post on Sticks condones that or what anyone else writes.
I don't think what other contributors post on Sticks will affect me in the future; but if it does, so be it.
"As for Sticks, I am not an ideologue -- my posting there does not condone what other people there write. You may see it that way, and that is a shame. While I disagree with a lot of what you write, I respect your writing, which is why I read you every day."
ReplyDeleteJim, others may see it that way. I'm sure there are people who think John Edwards agrees with everything Amanda and Melissa wrote.
That (sticks) is a blog that is definitely not lefty. In fact, I wonder if there are closer ties to the City of Tampa then he would like to be known? There's something cozy there, I know that. (i'm kinda wondering about those traffic stats quoted today, too -- but then, that's my job to wonder about -- and also really none of my biz so I'll stay out of it...)
ReplyDeleteJim, in answer, I'll read your blog still. I think your insight, though some distant from mine -- is necessary and informative.
Sticks is what it is and other blogs are what they are. I've found some that really stand out and I'm commenting on one now.
That (sticks) is a blog that is definitely not lefty. In fact, I wonder if there are closer ties to the City of Tampa then he would like to be known?
ReplyDeleteHeh. Indeedy.
Jim, Slap Shot is the greatest sports movie of all time.