By

Jake Miller /

CBS News/ March 7, 2013, 9:40 AM

Poll: Hillary would be tops in 2016; Christie strongest Republican

Hillary Clinton and Gov. Chris Christie, R-N.J., may be their respective parties' strongest candidates in 2016, according to a new poll from Quinnipiac University - the former Secretary of State and New York senator easily dispatches three Republicans in hypothetical matchups, and Christie tops every Democrat included except Clinton.

In a head-to-head race, Clinton would edge out Christie 45 to 37 percent, and her lead over the other two Republicans polled is even greater - she beats Florida Sen. Marco Rubio 50 to 34 percent and Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan 50 to 38 percent.

"She obviously is by far the best known and her more than 20 years in the public spotlight allows her to create a very favorable impression on the American people. But it is worth noting that she had very good poll numbers in 2006 looking toward the 2008 election, before she faced a relative unknown in Barack Obama," said Peter Brown, the assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.

The other two Democrats included - Vice President Joe Biden and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo - do not poll nearly as well. Biden is aced out by Christie 43 to 40 percent, but he outperforms Rubio (45 to 38 percent) and Ryan (45 to 42 percent.)

Cuomo, who is not as well known nationally as Clinton or Biden, fares particularly poorly: he would be trounced, 45 to 28 percent, by Christie, while losing to Ryan by a smaller margin (42 to 37 percent) and tying Rubio at 37 percent apiece.

Quinnipiac's poll, which surveyed 1,944 registered voters between February 27 and March 4 and had a margin of error of plus or minus 2.2 percent, did not pit any of the contenders against one another in a primary matchup, making it difficult to assess which two candidates would stand the best chance of actually making one of these hypothetical races real.

Both Rubio and Ryan are slated to speak at next week's Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington, D.C., a gathering of rising stars and longtime luminaries in the conservative movement. Christie, on the other hand, was not invited, leading some to speculate that the governor's independent streak and occasional blasphemies have soured certain conservative elements on the popular northeastern Republican.

© 2013 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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Harry1899 says:
This article is nothing more than manipulation by the liberal media. They want the 400 lb. unelectable Christie to be Hillary's opponent in 2016. The liberal media fears Marco Rubio, Kelly Ayotte and Bobby Jindal.
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sawmillworker1963 says:
If their our two choices we're going to be in big trouble.
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tvwatcher5345 says:
i so want hilary, my republican friends will all have coronaries, and i will have so much fun like i did at the last round of christmas parties last year telling them all the money i was making in the stock mkt, but they won't invest because of obama....too funny, now i tell them i invest in GLL (its a fund that shorts the price of gold) they have been buying gold lately...too funny
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cubscout09 says:
The strongest Republican ... is a RINO?
I still smell a WWE style setup.
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sickofwhiners replies:
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Maybe that is evidence that conservative extremists, while they are the loudest, are not the majority that they think they are.
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alibertarian2 says:
Please tell me this is in jest. Clinton? Presidential? After Benghazi? Can we, as a people, not find a leader with virtues?
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Netanyahu_slow-news replies:
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slow has no virtues so he assumes no one else does either.
How nice for him. :)
CBSun replies:
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So what happened after Beirut Barracks were bombed in 1983, while Ronald Reagan was President? He sent nobody until after 4 DAYS!Did you scream for him to be impeached? Maybe your 'virtue' means electing another racist(yes, go and read about his life works) and divisive Reagan?
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MrCampfires says:
I'd prefer to see a Republican, but she would be a good president. She's miles ahead of the one we have now. I only wish she would have won the nomination in 2008. I doubt she would have run up a 7 trillion dollar debt or divided the county the way Obama has. Former president Clinton worked with a republican congress, and the country prospered. Obama would rather see his political ideology prosper at the expense of the country.
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RobertVBrand replies:
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Former president Clinton didn't follow former president Bush. Hilary isn't black, but she is female ...so the party of old white men would likely have opposed everything she wanted to do. Since she is more "liberal" than Obama, she would probably have run up a debt more than 7 trillion dollars. But she lost the nomination, so go cry in the corner with your silly "woulda" speculations.
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Netanyahu_slow-news says:
aintfakin says:
Netanyahu_slow-news says:Hillary started the Birther movement about Barry Soetero being born in Kenya when she was trying to win the Democratic nomination for president in 2008.(The Jury is still out on that one). ---------------------------only in the mind of right wing extremists who are in total denial(about everything else too.)
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It's you left wing extremists who are in denial.
Read it and weep fleabagger.

Hillary The Mother of The Birther Movement

Why did Hillary Clinton start the birther movement?
Nearly all liberals, as well as a few misguided conservatives, have sought to dismiss the "birther" movement as the product of right-wing retards barking up the wrong tree.

However, the entire issue of Barack Obama's eligibility was brought to the fore by lawyers acting on behalf of Hillary Rodham Clinton in 2008.

Specifically, Phil J. Berg, hardly a member of any vast right wing conspiracy, was an ardent supporter of Hillary Rodham Clinton, and her candidacy for the presidency.


Notwithstanding his liberal pedigree, Phil J. Berg was hot on the trail of one Barack Obama, because Berg wished to protect the American people from electing a non-citizen to the most powerful office in the world.

In August 2008, before Obama was officially nominated by the Democrat party, Mr. Berg filed a legal challenge to Obama's constitutional eligibility to occupy the Oval Office. On October 23, Mr. Berg filed a Motion to Expedite Resolution of Berg V. Obama, summarized directly below:

"This motion argues that the facts have been established that Barack Obama is not constitutionally qualified to be elected or serve as President of the United States, and that the Court should issue a summary judgment as follows:

That Barack Hussein Obama a/k/a Barry Hussein Obama a/k/a Barack Dunham a/k/a Barry Dunham a/k/a Barack Soetoro a/k/a Barry Soetoro is not a natural born or naturalized United States citizen.
That he is ineligible to run for and/or serve as President of the United States.
That the Democratic National Committee be enjoined from naming Barack Hussein Obama, et al as the Democratic Presidential Candidate on the ballot.
That the Democratic National Committee and Barack Hussein Obama, et al are enjoined from any further campaigning on behalf of Barack Hussein Obama, et al for Office of the Presidency.
That Barack Hussein Obama's, et al name be removed from any and all ballots for the Office of the President of the United States."

There you go! The inconvenient truth is as follows: Hillary Clinton is the mother of all birthers!
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Netanyahu_slow-news replies:
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That's not what your altar boy T4T says and you are a BIG supporter of homosexual marriage.
It really bugs you doensn't it?
I can tell
LOL!
Netanyahu_slow-news replies:
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"Doesn't"
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Ruthtay says:
THERE is no way in this world that I would vote that woman in office!! She is full of lies and does not care about Americans...and Shame on you CBS for not covering Rand Paul last night on the live news! I know your pockets are lined by the democrats and you have to follow our new dictator Obama..SHAME SHAME! Americans have the right to know ALL that is going on in the world...not just what your PAID off to show or not show.
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CBSun replies:
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Yes, "Americans have the right to know ALL that is going on in the world....". I fully agree with you but if you really wish to know that, start watching BBC/AlJazeera TV or Reading BBC/AlJazeera news for a balanced view of the rest of the world! All American media are focused on America alone, sad;ly, that is why Americans are highly ignorant about the rest of the world. This is not just a CBS issue alone.
Have you ever wondered why all regular US radios sets do not have Short Wave bands? In other parts of the world, this is standard but here in the greatest country in the world, you have to cough up a lot of money for just one set - so that you can listen to the rest of the world.
RobertVBrand replies:
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CBSun, is it your silly premise that all the radio manufacturers are in collusion to suppress the international news? Even those radio sets manufactured abroad?
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CarsonCitySteve says:
Not that I'm a fan, but I'd have rather had her as President right now instead of the current office holder.
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robert1129 says:
Up front - I am a big fan of Hilliary.

Running - No she will not. Why? Hilliary's focus on the future is, except to elect a Democrat in 2016 and selected races, stay out of politics and just enjoy life. She will write, do some traveling, garden, do special assignments for the President, and just kick back and enjoy life. If Chealsea cooperates, she may even spoil grandchildren.

To the media - Please give the American public a break and let 2016 along at least until 2015.
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RobertVBrand replies:
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Do you suppose Obama would play Bush sometime? No, Bush had more practice when he was in office. But it's okay to play golf if you're a Republican.
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