CBS Poll: Edwards Trailing Clinton, Obama
Former Senator Continues To "Show" Amidst Three-Horse Race For Democratic Nomination
-
Play CBS Video
Video
Edwards Camp Focuses On Iowa
News of the return of Elizabeth Edwards' cancer has only increased the intensity of John Edwards' campaign for the presidential nomination. But as Tracy Smith reports, it's an uphill battle.
-
Video
Eye To Eye: Edwards En Route
The Edwards Campaign hits the road, heading for Iowa where the senator hopes to be a contender. A CBS poll places him behind Clinton and Obama. Tracy Smith reports.
-
Photo
Former Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C. (seen here at the American Theater in Charleston, S.C. on July 23, 2007) continues to trail Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama for the Democratic Party nomination according to a poll of voters by CBS News. (AP/Alice Keeney)
-
Photo Essay
John Edwards
The former N.C. senator and VP candidate makes another run for the White House
Even though most Democratic primary voters think Edwards has the right kind of experience to be president, fewer than half are confident in the former senator's ability to handle an international crisis.
And despite his prominent campaigning on issues such as poverty and health care, 3 in 10 think his policies would favor rich people and not other income groups.
Among Democratic primary voters asked their preference to be the party's nominee among the three front-runners, Edwards received 14 percent versus 45 percent for Clinton and 25 percent for Obama. These standings have not changed much over the summer.
IF THESE WERE THE CANDIDATES, WHO WOULD YOU WANT AS DEM NOMINEE?
(Among Democratic Primary Voters)
Clinton
Obama
Edwards
Edwards' support may not be as solid as that of the two leading candidates. Just 43 percent of Edwards' supporters say they strongly favor him — a lower percentage compared with backers of both Clinton and Obama. 61 percent of Clinton supporters strongly favor her, and 63 percent of Obama supporters say they strongly back him.
Sixteen percent of Edwards' backers say they prefer him mostly because they dislike the other candidates, something few Clinton and Obama supporters say.
When primary voters are asked about their second choice for the Democratic nomination, Clinton's supporters mainly support Obama as their second choice, and vice versa. They are less likely to name Edwards.
Just one in 10 registered voters thinks an Edwards administration would favor the poor. Twenty-four percent say its policies would favor the middle class and about 1 in 5 think it would treat all groups equally. Still, 30 percent think Edwards' policies would favor rich Americans. Views among Democratic primary voters are similar.
WHO WOULD EDWARDS' POLICIES FAVOR?
(Among All Voters)
Rich
Middle Class
Poor
Treat all the same
(Among Democratic Primary Voters)
Rich
Middle Class
Poor
Treat all the same
Majorities of Democratic primary voters say the top three Democratic presidential candidates care at least some about their needs and problems, but compared to Clinton and Obama, they are less likely to say Edwards cares "a lot" about them. Thirty-three percent say he cares a lot about their needs and problems; half say this about Clinton and Obama.
Much of this presidential campaign has focused on experience and just under half of registered voters say Edwards, who served one term in the U.S. Senate, has the right kind of experience to be president. More of those intending to vote in a Democratic primary — 60 percent — say he does. Clinton gets better marks than Edwards on this measure but Obama does less well than Edwards.
When it comes to international matters, more voters are uneasy than confident in Edwards' ability to handle an international crisis wisely. Forty-six percent are uneasy about his approach, while 38 percent express confidence in him. Among Democratic primary voters, 47 percent have confidence that Edwards will deal wisely with an international crisis. Again here, Edwards does a bit better than Obama on this measure, but Clinton gets better marks than both of them. Challengers usually fare less well than incumbent presidents do on this measure.
Two-thirds of voters believe Edwards is likely to make the right decisions in dealing with foreign countries, and similar large majorities say the same about Clinton and Obama. Still, twice as many voters say Clinton is "very likely" to make good decisions in dealing with other countries than say that about Edwards.
Edwards is viewed as more traditional in his approach than his two major challengers. Half of voters think Edwards will follow generally familiar approaches to solving problems, while 30 percent think he will try new approaches. More voters think Obama will try new ways to solve problems, while views of Clinton on this are split.
Opinions of Edwards overall among registered voters are divided: 31 percent hold a favorable view of him, while 30 percent view him unfavorably. Thirty-eight percent are undecided or haven't heard enough about him. Democratic primary voters are more inclined to like him — 42 percent of those voters view Edwards favorably, but that rating is down seven points from July.
Voters overall have a favorable view of John Edwards' wife, Elizabeth, but she still remains unfamiliar to a significant number of voters. Democratic primary voters are even more likely than all voters to have a favorable opinion of her.
Mrs. Edwards, although diagnosed with a recurrence of cancer early this year, has spent a lot of time campaigning for her husband. Seven in 10 primary voters describe her level of involvement in the campaign as "about right." Seven percent say she is "not involved enough," while a similar number says she is "too involved."
A solid majority of Democratic primary voters also think former President Bill Clinton is spending the right amount of time on his wife's campaign. But 13 percent think he should have more involvement, while 6 percent say he is too involved.
WHO SUPPORTS JOHN EDWARDS?
Edwards does better with Independents who plan to vote in a Democratic primary than with self-identified Democrats. He gets more support from men than women. As for income, Edwards does best among those who earn between $30,000 and $75,000 a year.
Edwards runs neck-and-neck with Obama among seniors: 20 percent back Edwards, 21 percent support Obama.
Eleven percent of Southerners back Edwards, but despite his Southern roots, he gets more support in the Midwest (16 percent) and the West (21 percent). Edwards gets the support of just 9 percent of Democratic voters in the Northeast.
This poll was conducted among a random sample of 1,214 adults nationwide, interviewed by telephone August 8-12, 2007. The error due to sampling for results based on the entire sample could be plus or minus three percentage points. The error for subgroups is higher. An oversample of African Americans was also conducted for this poll, for a total of 169 interviews among this group and 149 African-American registered voters. The results were then weighted in proportion to the racial composition of the adult population in the U.S. Census. The margin of error for African-Americans (overall and registered voters) is plus or minus 8 percentage points.
© MMVII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.
- Latest in Opinion: CBS News Polls
- Poll: Most Back Public Health Care Option
- Poll: Sotomayor Still An Unknown
- Poll: No Dent In Obama's Popularity



Hey - we all know Rupert Murdoch and News Corps execs are sponsoring Hillary fundraisers and funding her campaign - and Murdoch''s media influence reaches farrrr beyond News Corp - evidenced by the CORPORATE media''s pro-Hillary coverage 24/7.
Murdoch also bought Tony Blair -
http://www.alternet.org/blogs/peek/57376
Support rightwing media - vote Hillary/Murdoch08
Dear CBS,
Many people are fed up with war-mongering corporate/AIPAC slaves, like Edwards, Clinton and Obama, running our country.
Have the other candidates dropped out of the race, or have you already decided for us who we will be allowed to vote for?
Clinton
45%
Obama
25%
Edwards
14%
It is early, I think he needs to back the wife off understand she is passionate supporter, and get back on message. Good decision on pulling the monies out. 31 percent hold a favorable view of him.
Hmm how is Dodd polling.
Come on Hillary Rotten-Clinton I''''''''m loving the odds for a GOP landslide in 2008. Romney/Huckabee!
Now for some fresh numbers on Hillary: (love it!)
"In contrast, Clinton''''''''s favorable numbers have dropped a bit. She is now viewed favorably by 45%. That%u2019s the first time all year her ratings have dipped below the 47% mark. Clinton''''''''s unfavorables have always been high and are currently at 52%. " - Rasmussen August 16th
This is going to force CBS (Clinton Broadcasting Station) to rachet up the Anti-GOP Propaganda machine. Yep the liberal staff of jounalists for CBS (Corrupt Broadcasting Station) will have their work/LIES cut out for themselves.
p.s You ever wonder why CBS (Crush Bush Station) NEVER reports on Hillary Rotten-Clinton''s negative poll numbers???? ....strange isn''t .........Stay tuned.....
Not only is CBS not a liberal station but a day or so ago had article on Hillary''s divisive ... sheesh - you Faux Bushit Morons are getting dumber by the second.
Posted by sjc_1 at 08:28 PM : Aug 17, 2007
I like him too, and his hair, actually the Dem line up is smoken, the righties do not like tall good looking types and really fear a white fellow harder to pick of those one issue voters, they like pug faced trolls, so if it wasn%u2019t his hair it would be something else the trick is not to let them co-op the man with their RNC bot bite, or hijack your agenda.
Posted by Qpublic at 07:57 PM : Aug 17, 2007
Wrong again! Bu$h was "elected". That means anyone, including an ambulance chaser, can be President. After all, an ambulance chaser is refreshing after 8 years of an idiot!
Posted by HSinCO at 10:07 PM : Aug 17, 2007
Amen, if a man with an idiot''s IQ could do it for the past 6 and a half years (ok, granted he''s screwed it up pretty bad), then anyone could do a better job as president. My pet Shih-Tzu could do a better job then the chimp. I mean come on! It''s not like this moron is going to be a tough act to follow! ANYBODY would be better!
I bet if you were injured, due to the negligence of others, you WILL hire an "ambulance chaser" and thank him or her after you WIN you suit.
If something happens to me that may be a liability of somebody else? I''ll tell myself: "You stupid ************.. Where was your sense?"
non muslims of the world unite... fight against the tyranny of the fascist nazi terrorslam imperialist empire of the darkside...
I was a fanatic...I know their thinking, says former radical Islamist
By blaming the Government for our actions, those who pushed this "Blair''''s bombs" line did our propaganda work for us.
More important, they also helped to draw away any critical examination from the real engine of our violence: Islamic theology.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=465570&in_page_id=1770
Bless the Beasts and Children
Fascist nazi terrorslam kills every man woman and child in the village again%u2026 typical mo for terrorslam%u2026
http://www.michaelyon-online.com/wp/bless-the-beasts-and-children.htm
Our Prophet commanded us to fight the kaafirs when we are able and to attack them in their homelands and to give them three choices before we enter their lands: either they become Muslim and be like us, sharing our rights and duties; or they pay the jizyah (poll tax) and feel themselves subdued; or they fight, in which case their wealth, women, children and homes become permissible as booty for the Muslims.
http://islamqa.com/index.php?ref=13759&ln=eng&txt=before%20islam%20arabia%20pagan
Good News!
islam practices slavery on non muslims
islam practices apartheid on non muslims
islam practices rape on non muslims
islam practices rape on babies and animals
islam practices genocide on non muslims
all are violations of international law and are crimes against humanity
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
http://www.un.org/Overview/rights.html
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/02/22/world/main2505445.shtml
Imam Khomeini - Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution
http://www.homa.org/Details.asp?ContentID=2137352826&TOCID=2083225445
Malaysia women ''suffer apartheid''
The daughter of Malaysia''s former prime minister has launched a scathing attack on the roles and status of Muslim women in the country.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4784784.stm
A matter of tolerance
http://musingwithmarinamahathir.blogspot.com/2006/12/matter-of-tolerance.html
Marina Mahathir
http://musingwithmarinamahathir.blogspot.com/
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=slavery+islam&btnG=Search
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4795808.stm
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=apartheid islam
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=rape islam
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=rape islam babies&btnG=Search
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=genocide islam&btnG=Search
WHY IS IT NOT ONE MUSLIM COUNTRY GRANTS EQUAL RIGHTS TO NON MUSLIMS???
FASCIST NAZI TERRORISLAM SAYS UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATES ISLAM LAW...
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
http://www.un.org/Overview/rights.html
For example, in 1981, the Iranian representative to the United Nations, Said Rajaie-Khorassani, articulated the position of his country regarding the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by saying that the UDHR was "a secular understanding of the Judeo-Christian tradition", which could not be implemented by Muslims without trespassing the Islamic law.
http://www.un.org/terrorism/
http://www.un.org/terrorism/strategy-counter-terrorism.html
http://www.un.org/
But the accepted assumption in India is that most of India''s Muslims were converted to Islam through the sword. Meaning the Indians were given an option between death or adopting Islam. The third option was getting examined in Islam religion along with heavy taxes- Jeziya (poll tax) and Kharaj (property tax).
http://adaniel.tripod.com/Islam.htm
this is what fascist nazi islam calls peace....
are you ready to live under islam rule as a non muslim???
apartheid fascist nazi islamic style
Rights of Non-Muslims in an Islamic State
http://www.sullivan-county.com/id3/islamic_state.htm
Without the active support of the lobbyists at the "think tanks", AEI, Brookings, and hundreds of others like AIPAC and related groups, I doubt that the war launched against iraq would have been possible.
These "lobbyists" are nothing more than "positioned" guns for hire for big-money industry or those who seek political power in order to impose on us their twisted goals (a militarized America, pre-emptive war).
Time to clean these filthy Augean DC stables!
Why should taxpayers subsidize corporations to take OUR jobs out of the country??
The gap is widening between the rich and the poor - and Edwards plans and solutions benefit the middle class.
Why does CBS News hate the middle class??
OTOH - CBS News promotes Hillary who''s funded by media mogul Rupert Murdoch, owner of Fox News.
Support rightwing media - vote Hillary/Murdoch08
let%u2019s instead compare Democrat vs. Democrat,, let%u2019s say Clinton(s) vs. J.F. Kennedy.
The Clinton(s) and current Democrat philosophy on governing/government is:
%u201CBig Government will provide for you%u201D, &
%u201CFrom cradle to grave, Big Government will take care of you%u201D, &
%u201CIt takes a Village%u201D(Big Government)
Whereas J.F. Kennedy said :
%u201CAsk not what your country can do for you, but rather what you can do for your country%u201D
These two philosophies (both Democrat) are complete polar opposite of each other.
I would much rather be a J.F. Kennedy democrat than a Clinton democrat.
Sounds to me like the NeoCommies and MoveOn.org have hijacked a Democrat party that I once knew and respected.
...
That is the Democratic wing of one big evil bird--the Washington Regime--in action.
When the Clintonistas took office, they entered the White House with lapel pins of V. I. Lenin. The daugher of Hillary and Bill told a uniformed officer of OUR armed forces that ''our family doesn''t like the military.''
Of course, Hillary has the support of the Bush-backing Rupert Murdoch and many of the Neo-Scum who supported him. They plan to re-package the Bush policies and peddle them to the card-carrying nitwits of the Democratic Party-- the ''Neo-liberals''...then, the nitwits of the Republican Party will attack the very policies that they supported prior to the election.
Dennis Kucinich is picking up support in California and has a lot more than the media gives him credit for...they are trying to black him out.
Killery has no intention of Big Government helping everyone, just helping itself to more power, more spying on Americans, more domination. You have to listen to what this fraudulent b*imbo says - people tend to imagine vicious and amoral creeps are someho not as bad as their words. Before his election, many people thought Adolph Hitler was only exaggerating in Mein Kampf, of course he wasn''t. He did precisely the evil that he said he would.
Filthy Clinton has stated quite cleary her violent and warlike intentions, to the extent of threatening to drop nuclear bombs on the middle east, I guess for the sake of Israel or something. I suspect we will find neo-liberal to be as evil, stupid, and corrupt and neo-conservatives.
Boy I%u2019m sure glad we don%u2019t have any of those ignorant, narrow-minded, racist, conservative, Fox Noise Channel viewers posting here today. Aren%u2019t you?
AND HOW WILL THE NEW OFFICE DEAL WITH A CORRUPT AND SPINELESS CONGRESS?
IF THIS WAS ON A BLACKBOARD I WOULD SAY ERASE IT AND START OVER!
Here''s the PERFECT SCENARIO:
1. Flip-flop-flop-flip Romney and Family Values Giuliani knock each other out of contention for the Repug nomination.
2. O-BOMBA and Conniving Calculating Clinton knock each other out of contention for the Dem nomination.
3. The country then focuses on quality candidates who are worthy of being elected president.
RESIDENT BUSH AND HIS COHORTS WOULD HAVE BEEN IMPEACHED!
SIMPLE!
The point is little sister--NOT that he climbed in the coffin with his son--the point was that he crafted the tale to win friends and support...telling it to one as though he were the only one ever told, then to another...It is not the genuiness of the grief that bothers me, its the fact that he tried to turn it into what he imagined was a marketable asset.
We limeys know all about love...its ''avin'' r bums spanked by a ''ooker dressed up like a Japanese school girl...
let%u2019s instead compare Democrat vs. Democrat,, let%u2019s say Clinton(s) vs. J.F. Kennedy.
The Clinton(s) and current Democrat philosophy on governing/government is:
%u201CBig Government will provide for you%u201D, &
%u201CFrom cradle to grave, Big Government will take care of you%u201D, &
%u201CIt takes a Village%u201D(Big Government)
Whereas J.F. Kennedy said :
%u201CAsk not what your country can do for you, but rather what you can do for your country%u201D
These two philosophies (both Democrat) are complete polar opposite of each other.
I would much rather be a J.F. Kennedy democrat than a Clinton democrat.
Sounds to me like the NeoCommies and MoveOn.org have hijacked a Democrat party that I once knew and respected.
...
As for edwards, who has made a bundle suing anyone and everyone (sure, they all deserved it), he is the biggest phony the dems have put out to date. Anyone who uses his ill wife to go after someone who he thinks has dissed him is a putz. He knows that if anyone says anything against her or speaks harshly to her he would use that to his advantage. The guy is a phony.
This from one of the "crazy, conservative, FOX watching right wingers", and proud of it.
non muslims of the world unite... fight against the tyranny of the fascist nazi terrorslam imperialist empire of the darkside...
I was a fanatic...I know their thinking, says former radical Islamist
By blaming the Government for our actions, those who pushed this "Blair''''''''''''''''s bombs" line did our propaganda work for us.
More important, they also helped to draw away any critical examination from the real engine of our violence: Islamic theology.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=465570&in_page_id=1770
Bless the Beasts and Children
Fascist nazi terrorslam kills every man woman and child in the village again%u2026 typical mo for terrorslam%u2026
http://www.michaelyon-online.com/wp/bless-the-beasts-and-children.htm
Our Prophet commanded us to fight the kaafirs when we are able and to attack them in their homelands and to give them three choices before we enter their lands: either they become Muslim and be like us, sharing our rights and duties; or they pay the jizyah (poll tax) and feel themselves subdued; or they fight, in which case their wealth, women, children and homes become permissible as booty for the Muslims.
http://islamqa.com/index.php?ref=13759&ln=eng&txt=before%20islam%20arabia%20pagan
USA''s PLEDGE 2 THE WORLD GIVEN BY JFK!!
"Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty." - John F. Kennedy, Inaugural Address, Jan. 20, 1961
"Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country." - John F. Kennedy, Inaugural Address, Jan. 20, 1961
One ought never to turn one''s back on a threatened danger and try to run away from it. If you do that, you will double the danger. But if you meet it promptly and without flinching, you will reduce the danger by half. Winston Churchill
"The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing." Albert Einstein
Edmund Burke: All that is necessary for evil to succeed is that good men do nothing.
Posted by FeelFree1 at 07:54 PM : Aug 17, 2007
______________________
You neglected to mention all the rethugnicans who support AIPAC, starting at the top with Bush, Cheney, Rice, McCain, ...
nyteryder2,
Re: "You neglected to mention all the rethugnicans who support AIPAC, starting at the top with Bush, Cheney, Rice, McCain"
I felt that this was too obvious to bother pointing out.
Unless the regime stages another "terror" attack, declares martial law, and cancels elections, which would not surprise me, they will be flushed down the toilet of history, in my opinion.
let%u2019s instead compare Democrat vs. Democrat,, let%u2019s say Clinton(s) vs. J.F. Kennedy.
The Clinton(s) and current Democrat philosophy on governing/government is:
%u201CBig Government will provide for you%u201D, &
%u201CFrom cradle to grave, Big Government will take care of you%u201D, &
%u201CIt takes a Village%u201D(Big Government)
Whereas J.F. Kennedy said :
%u201CAsk not what your country can do for you, but rather what you can do for your country%u201D
These two philosophies (both Democrat) are complete polar opposite of each other.
I would much rather be a J.F. Kennedy democrat than a Clinton democrat.
Sounds to me like the NeoCommies and MoveOn.org have hijacked a Democrat party that I once knew and respected.
...
Obama attended a Muslim school and a catholic school while living in the largest Muslim country in the world because they were the best schools available.
The fact that he knows about Muslims and their faith is a potential plus, not a minus. The fact that he was able to attend a Catholic school and live in peace in a nation of Muslims prves what a pile of *** Lars0008''s anti-Muslim propaganda is.
Obama himself is a life-long Christian and has never been a Muslim.
-
by blancadebree
August 20, 2007 3:30 PM PDT
- I''m glad the media is finally taking the tarnish off Edwards. He is a rich man, not like our beloved Commander Guy, who is a poor dirt farmer from a small village in Texas. Unlike our beloved Decider, who not only loves people, but actually gave a lot of them a nice football stadium to live in after Katrina, Edwards wants to do silly things for the poor like health care.
-
Reply to this comment
-
See all 49 CommentsEdwards, who became rich through frivolous lawsuits brought against poor multinational corporations for such crooks like little crippled children, is just like all those rich people who believe in noblesse oblige. He believes in redistribution of wealth, taxing the rich, and providing services and infrastructure for the poor. If God really wanted the poor to have money, he would have given it to them in the first place.
Edwards is dangerous. He will make unions stronger; he will expand health care; he will invest in our nation''s infrastructure. We cannot afford to go back to the malaise days of Clinton, when the rich paid taxes, and the poor worked. God help us all if Fred Thompson is not the next president.