Poll Shows Erosion Of Trust In Clinton

Washington Post: Majority Of Voters Now View N.Y. Senator As Dishonest

(Washingtonpost.com)  This story was written by Anne E. Kornblut and Jon Cohen.

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Lost in the Hillary Rodham Clinton campaign's aggressive attacks on Barack Obama in recent days is a deep and enduring problem that threatens to undercut any inroads Clinton has made in her struggle to overtake him in the Democratic presidential race: She has lost trust among voters, a majority of whom now view her as dishonest.

Her advisers' efforts to deal with the problem -- by having her acknowledge her mistakes and crack self-deprecating jokes -- do not seem to have succeeded. Privately, the aides admit that the recent controversy over her claim to have ducked sniper fire on a trip to Bosnia probably made things worse.

Clinton is viewed as "honest and trustworthy" by just 39 percent of Americans, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll, compared with 52 percent in May 2006. Nearly six in 10 said in the new poll that she is not honest and trustworthy. And now, compared with Obama, Clinton has a deep trust deficit among Democrats, trailing him by 23 points as the more honest, an area on which she once led both Obama and John Edwards.

Among Democrats, 63 percent called her honest, down 18 points from 2006; among independents, her trust level has dropped 13 points, to 37 percent. Republicans held Clinton in low regard on this in the past (23 percent called her honest two years ago), but it is even lower now, at 16 percent. Majorities of men and women now say the phrase does not apply to Clinton; two years ago, narrow majorities of both did.

Advisers argue that her positive ratings have dipped as she has been defined by her opponents -- a normal campaign occurrence -- and that her honesty problem reflects the pounding she took from Republicans in the 1990s. But the Bosnia incident and the way the campaign handled it have left advisers divided over what a candidate can do after such a steep drop in trust.

Some of her aides believe that after Clinton told the Bosnia story -- of having run from her military aircraft into a hangar to avoid sniper fire -- when television images of the event showed otherwise, the campaign had no choice but to say she "misspoke." Communications director Howard Wolfson first did so on a conference call with reporters, and Clinton repeated the explanation over the course of several days.

Other Clinton advisers thought that response did not come quickly enough -- and that when it did, without further explanation or talking points for surrogates to use, it only worsened the perception that she had lied. Making the situation more difficult was a split within the campaign over whether Clinton had exaggerated, or simply confused the landing with another trip. One Clinton insider announced in a strategy meeting it was ridiculous to have imagined the first lady ever having been in danger, or for Clinton to have thought she was -- a slap at the senator from New York that other advisers described as disrespectful.

At the same time, die-hard Clinton loyalists thought her communications operation did not defend her heartily enough, which press aides said they thought was impossible. "Continuing to say it did happen when it didn't happen is not a strategy," one adviser said.

The problem was exacerbated when Bill Clinton, in defending her confused memory of the Bosnia event, got key details of the incident wrong, before later saying his wife had told him to stay out of it.

Two staffers from the Clinton White House years, Lissa Muscatine and Melanne Verveer, wrote a New York Times op-ed article recalling the perils of the trip, trying to justify why Clinton had gotten the story wrong. "As has been reported, Mrs. Clinton's trip to Bosnia included a U.S.O. component with the comedian Sinbad and the singer Sheryl Crow. The helicopters that carried them to performances at American base camps zigzagged just above the trees to avoid potential ground fire, according to Carey Cavanaugh, who was then a State Department official traveling with Sinbad, and helicopters flew alongside to deal with the threat of anti-aircraft fire or snipers. These facts explain why many of us, including the first lady, believed that the conditions on the ground were precarious. We were worried about sniper fire and were prepared to rush off the tarmac when we landed," they wrote.

Senior Clinton advisers argued that the Bosnia story would not have developed the way it did if it were not for a story line about Clinton that goes back to the 1990s, when scandals involving the first lady, including the firings in the White House travel office and her financial dealings, resulted in widespread doubts about her trustworthiness. That framework, they argue, made it easier for Clinton to be perceived as dishonest, a problem that first arose in her presidential campaign in a debate last fall when she gave conflicting answers on whether she supports allowing illegal immigrants to obtain driver's licenses.

The new poll suggests that much of her problem is with men. Nearly two-thirds of men said Clinton is not honest and trustworthy (an increase of 19 points), compared with 53 percent of women (up 12 points). Democratic men, in particular, have shifted: About four in 10 now do not believe Clinton to be honest and trustworthy, nearly triple the percentage saying so in 2006.

The percentage calling Clinton honest has dropped steeply among whites with higher incomes and levels of education. And while majorities of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents across demographic lines said she is honest and trustworthy, the class divisions remain: The percentage of white Democrats without college degrees calling Clinton honest hardly budged in two years, while those with college degrees have dropped off significantly on the question (from 82 percent to 53 percent).

Among whites, the percentage saying Clinton is honest and trustworthy has declined 10 points, compared with 26 points among nonwhites. That number has declined more sharply among liberals (down 30 points) than among moderates (down 13) or conservatives (down 4 points). Head to head with Obama on honesty among Democrats, Clinton faces a 23-point deficit overall, 17 points among whites and nearly 50 points among African Americans.

Cohen reported from Washington. Polling analyst Jennifer Agiesta in Washington contributed to this report.

[b-easy63]

SORRY WASHINGTON POST, BUT THIS TIME YOU GOT IT WRONG.

As of April 19, 2008, the polls show Hillary moving ahead of Obama. Probably a response to the new video showing Obama giving the finger to Hillary. Obama has sunk to a new low. He does NOT reflect the values of most Americans and he is NOT electable.

Posted by truth-hurts at 03:41 AM : Apr 19, 2008


did you mean this poll?

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/04/18/ap/politics/main4026098.shtml

or the newsweek poll showing the same trend?

Word to the wise for Hillary Clinton and all Hillary Clinton supporters: Despite your platform and mantra, repeating lies over and over again will not make them true or change the reality. She''s falling and new stories about her bashing of moveon.org and saying "screwem'' concerning a segment of Democratic voters--certainly will not help her cause.

But okay, we''ll play..."Please post the link to the poll showing Hillary winning--note: any polls with Hillary or Hillary supporter fecal matter embedded in them will have to be ignored as well as abhorred as polls pulled out of your azz do not count." LMAO

[truth-hurts]

SORRY WASHINGTON POST, BUT THIS TIME YOU GOT IT WRONG.

As of April 19, 2008, the polls show Hillary moving ahead of Obama. Probably a response to the new video showing Obama giving the finger to Hillary. Obama has sunk to a new low. He does NOT reflect the values of most Americans and he is NOT electable.

[vigilaw]

I used to be a "admirer of Bill and Hillary Clinton"! I personally saw her face to face at a Alstom Transportation, Hornell, NY. tour she conducted, while taking commuter train training, at that site.

I am now in New Mexico. Gov. Bill Richardson country. Comment: I am glad the governor did not commit to the "Clintons", that was a smart move on the governor''s part.

Hillary has "shifty eyes, and looks down and to the side" (psychological profile here). But she has very good exchange of re-buttal wording on her part. Obama is a better "orator"!
I now think, if elected, she will "muff-out the withdrawal of American Troops from Iraq, even though...she says she is experienced in all facets of the Presidency! "I think she is dishonest, "she is slick as ice-skates, with her wording", and again..."she looks down and to the side with deception, when crucial questions - need answering"!

T. Vigil

[b-easy63]

The grade comes on Tuesday when Penn votes in their primary.

If she wins by more than 10% then the blush may be off the Obama rose.

Look for a big turnout.

Posted by donbl1 at 01:05 PM : Apr 16, 2008


Pundits said the spread would have to be over 20 points and she would have to do that in each and every state that is left.

[b-easy63]

CORRECTION:

Clinton faces a 23-point deficit overall, 17 points among whites and nearly 50 points among African Americans."

Does this mean when Hillary attends all those African American churches and rallies and talks about King and tries to make excuses for Bill, that at least half the audience ARE viewing her as a big fat liar? LMAO

Posted by b-easy63 at 10:35 AM : Apr 18, 2008

[b-easy63]

"Clinton faces a 23-point deficit overall, 17 points among whites and nearly 50 points among African Americans."

Does this mean when Hillary attends all those African American churches and rallies and talks about King and tries to make excuses for Bill, that at least half the audience is viewing her as a big fat liar? LMAO

[b-easy63]

Hillary Clinton is a known and well established LIAR. The problem with a liar...is that you cannot believe anything they say. Even their promises can be lies as can their explanations or excuses--there is nothing worse than a liar--because it is from that single predilection that all other crimes so easily spring...(and then the perp LIES about what they did too)

[obama8years]

BLACKSPIRIT3 - Would you be friends with a known terrorist, Obama Campaign said they were friends.

Would you sit in a church that had a white value system, preached racist commments, anti-american comments and then print a Hamas bulletin, for 20 years. Obama said he rarely misses a Sunday.
Oprah left the Church, she was smart.

Would you give Support to a pro-palestine group, the ISM, that puts up a Front for Peace, but really wants to undermine Isreal.

As you see this is more than Guilt by Association, this is what you call Involvement. SPIN IT ANYWAY YOU LIKE IT, Most People have brains and see right thru it, when there presented with the facts. And finally the media is starting to question Barack. Good for them.

[obama8years]

To Get an Excellent insight into Barack Obama Associates. Go to the CBS Search Box type "Bad Company" Here is a sample..... this is the intro, its amazingly Frightening.

Why is Barack Obama so comfortable around people who so despise America and its allies? Maybe it%u2019s because they%u2019re so comfortable around him.

He presents as the transcendent agent of %u201Cchange.%u201D Sounds platitudinous, but it%u2019s really quite strategically vaporous. Sen. Obama is loath to get into the details of how we should change, and, as the media%u2019s Chosen One, he hasn%u2019t had to.

But he%u2019s not, as some hopefully dismiss him, a charismatic lightweight with a gift for sparkling the same old vapid cant. Judging from the company he chooses to keep, Obama%u2019s change would radically alter this country. He eschews detail because most Americans don%u2019t believe we%u2019re a racist, heartless, imperialist cesspool of exploitation. The details would be disqualifying.

[blackspirit3]

GUILT BY ASSOCIATION
1 ATTEND A CHURCH AND A COUPLE GAY PEOPLE ATTEND THE CHURCH,SO THEREFORE I SUPPORT GAYISM?
I ATTEND A COUNTRY CLUB AND THEIR ARE INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE STOLEN MONIES FROM INVESTORS, SINCE I ATTEND THE SAME COUNTRY CLUB - I TOO MUST BE A THIEF?
I WORK FOR A COMPANY WHO DISCRIMINATE AGAINST HIRING PEOPLE OF COLOR, BECAUSE I WORK FOR THAT COMPANY, I DISCRIMINATE AGAINST THEM AS WELL?
I SIT ON A BOARD OF 30 PEOPLE AND ONE OF THEM SAY "AMERICA CAN GO TO HELL" IF I STAY ON THAT BOARD, I SUPPORT THAT INDIVIDUALS IDEA''S ABOUTM AMERICA?
SOMEONE HELP ME DEFINE WHAT THE HELL IS GUILT BY ASSOCIATION, BECAUSE ALL AMERICANS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH IDIOTS.