NEW HAVEN, Conn., Nov. 28, 2006
Poll: Giuliani Is Most Popular Politician
Obama, McCain, Rice, Bill Clinton Also Score High; President Bush Ranks 15th Of 20
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Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani scored the highest in a national popularity poll conducted by Quinnipiac University. (AP)
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Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., right, and Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., finished second and third, respectively, in the Quinnipiac poll. (AP)
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Former President Bill Clinton finished fifth in the Quinnipiac poll, while his wife, Sen. Hillary Clinton, was ninth. (AP)
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Sen. John Kerry, the 2004 Democratic presidential nominee, finished last among 20 national leaders in the Quinnipiac poll. (Getty Images)
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Who's Who 2008 Republican Hopefuls McCain and Giuliani head up the Republican pack chasing the presidency.
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Who's Who 2008 Democratic Hopefuls Clinton, Obama and Edwards lead the chase for the Democratic nomination.
Two others mulling 2008 presidential bids, Democratic Sen. Barack Obama and Republican Sen. John McCain, were second and third, respectively, in the poll released Monday by Quinnipiac University.
Quinnipiac's "thermometer reading," taken the week after the Nov. 7 election, asked voters to rate their feelings for 20 leaders on a scale of 0 to 100.
Giuliani, a Republican, scored the highest at 64.2. Obama and McCain, who are also considering a 2008 campaign, finished next at 58.8 and 57.7.
"As we enter the presidential campaign of 2008, Giuliani and McCain are in enviable positions," said Peter Brown, assistant poll director. "They are well-regarded and most Americans are quite familiar with them. Obama's showing is impressive, but four in 10 Americans still don't know enough about him to have an opinion."
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was fourth in the poll, far ahead of her boss, President Bush, who was the 15th most popular national leader. Mr. Bush finished just behind the man he defeated in the 2000 presidential race, former Vice President Al Gore.
Former President Bill Clinton finished fifth in the poll, while his wife, New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton was ninth with a score of 49. Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry, the 2004 Democratic nominee who was roundly criticized before the election for suggesting that students who don't study could end up stuck in Iraq, came in last at 39.6.
Kerry later apologized for what he said was a botched joke.
Connecticut Sen. Joseph Lieberman, who lost the Democratic primary before winning re-election as an independent, ranked sixth with a score of 52.7.
Democratic Rep. Nancy Pelosi, in line to become the next House Speaker, improved her standing, moving from last to 12th in a few weeks. The next Senate Majority leader, Democrat Harry Reid, was 19th.
The telephone poll was conducted from Nov. 13-19. Quinnipiac surveyed 1,623 registered voters nationwide and the poll has a sampling error margin of plus or minus 2.4 percentage points.
Here's how they finished:
©MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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- A 9-11 tragedy....
"Officials in the mayor's office declined to reply to written and oral requests for comment over a three- day period about who decided to recycle the steel and the concern that the decision might be handicapping the investigation.." - Reply to this comment
- -I- think they are.
- Reply to this comment
- Rudy has my vote. If he runs with McCain as a running mate I dont think teh Demos wil have a chance. Obama is okay but a black that has a name that look like Osama is not going to get the votes in the South.
- Reply to this comment
- Who cares which PUPPET the Fascists plan on putting in next?
Two party system is a joke on us.
Democracy is DEAD. The Government represents the RICH and the RICH ONLY. - Reply to this comment
- Good, if the Repubs can put up Giuliani as their best candidate, the dems will win for sure.
But, do the Dems want Hillary and Obama, I think not.
It will be interesting. - Reply to this comment
- Where's JEBidiah Bush? I'll bet they left him out to avoid embarrassing Dumbya...
I still don't like either one and Ice Cube says, " A bird in the hand is worth more than a BUSH!"
Great song BTW... - Reply to this comment
- This is such a joke; a guy who can't even manage a woman and a family is thought of as being able to manage a country of millions of families?
Seems as if Americans haven't learn much by our twice electing/allowing a certified idiot as their leader and are suffering the negative consequences.
Who is paying for these propaganda polls? Tsk-tsk. - Reply to this comment
- There are actually some decent people on this list, at least by my standards: Rudy, Obama, McCain, Richardson, and Bayh
- Reply to this comment
- How about George Clooney? He has some acting experience!!!
- Reply to this comment
- ozilot,
None of these people have said they are running for president, the are just the ones who came up on top in a telephone poll! So you're not going to vote for someone just because some pollster asked about them?
Besides, if a candidate for president waited until 6 months before the election, they would be too late! All the fund raising and origanization to win in the primaries happens way in advance. And don't forget, the 1st primary is just over a year from now! - Reply to this comment
Author Thomas Friedman on Obama's Afghanistan plan and the war on terror.
