NEW YORK, Aug. 17, 2007
CBS Poll: Edwards Trailing Clinton, Obama
Former Senator Continues To "Show" Amidst Three-Horse Race For Democratic Nomination
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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.
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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.
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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)
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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
45%Obama
25% Edwards
14%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
30%Middle Class
24% Poor
9%Treat all the same
18%(Among Democratic Primary Voters)
Rich
30%Middle Class
30% Poor
7%Treat all the same
20%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.
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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.
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.
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.
...
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.
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, ...
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.
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
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.
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.
...
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...
RESIDENT BUSH AND HIS COHORTS WOULD HAVE BEEN IMPEACHED!
SIMPLE!
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.
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!
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?
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.
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