Poll Finds Democrats Lack Crucial Support to Beat Bush

[kskiska]

Party Must Strongly Reposition Itself to Regain White Male Voters' Support, DLC Advised

PHILADELPHIA, July 28 -- Dramatic erosion in support among white men has left the Democrats in a highly vulnerable position and unless the party strongly repositions itself, President Bush will be virtually impossible to beat in 2004, according to a new poll commissioned for the centrist Democratic Leadership Council (DLC).

The gloomy prognosis came despite evidence in the poll and in the assessments of Democratic elected officials attending the DLC's "national conversation" here that the economy alone makes Bush vulnerable for reelection. But Mark J. Penn, who conducted the poll, said the party's image has regressed since former President Bill Clinton left office and those weaknesses put Democrats in a weakened position.

Penn said his polling indicates that since Clinton's left office in 2001, more Americans believe Democrats are the party of big government and higher taxes and Bush's handling of the war on terrorism has opened up a huge gap with Democrats on who is more trusted on issues of national security.

(snip)

The poll showed Bush's vulnerabilities. Fewer than half of those surveyed (48 percent) think he deserves to be reelected and 53 percent said the economy is heading in the wrong direction.

more…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A58774-2003Jul28.html

[indictrichardperle]

1. awww BULLSHIT

DLC manure, using the "white male" excuse to move to the right.....* lite, thats the DLC neo-con garbage. Keep Holy Joe and leave the party.....LIARS.

Yea sure Iraq-nam and the great depression.....we just cant beat that :eyes:

[w4rma]

10. "An overwhelming 30 percent of men picked Dean, with only 19 percent..."

U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton could join the race for president as the New Hampshire front-runner - but former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean would be her toughest competitor, a new Herald polls shows.
...
``She doesn't eat into Dean's lead at all,'' said Herald pollster R. Kelly Myers. ``As of today, Dean is the only one who could hold his own (against Clinton).''

Indeed, among independents polled in the survey, Dean and Clinton are locked at 21 percent and 22 percent respectively.

Women, who favor Kerry when he's pitted against Dean, flock to Clinton in the poll. Thirty-two percent of women voters said they'd pick Clinton while only 18 percent picked Dean and 16 percent tapped Kerry.

An overwhelming 30 percent of men picked Dean, with only 19 percent picking Clinton and 16 percent Kerry.
...
http://www2.bostonherald.com/news/national/poll07282003.htm
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=38022&mesg_id=38022&page=

[LuminousX]

16. Wait!

I'm a White Male and I'm not on the right. In fact Bush has shifted me over to the left a bit more (5 years ago I was considered a conservative, now I'm a liberal, go figure).

This poll sounds bogus to me.

[kainah]

23. IRAQ-NAM!!!!!!

That's the best name for this scandal that I've seen yet! Congrats, indictrichardperle. Wish I could remember where I saw, yesterday, a contest to name this scandal so I could send you over there with Iraqnam!

[kainah]

27. Al Kamen: Name that FLAP contest

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A42884-2003Jul24.html

Head on over, indictrichardperle, and suggest Iraqnam!

[indictrichardperle]

28. you can have it

If we win anything we can split it :D

[study_war_no_more]

31. Its a white guy thing you wouldnt understand

give me a break, what a telling statement by the DLC

[ahimsa]

32. I like Slaughtergate

:nuke:

[TankLV]

29. Like it worked soooo well the last time.

And now we've recaptured the congress ... - no - wait - we LOST more seats!

But go ahead - beat our heads against the wall - do the same thing.

And heaven forbid - don't get "agressive" or actually become "the opposition" after all, when the repukes did it they lost big time! - no - wait - that was the dems that lost!

Yeah - what's next? - trying to sell me some valuable swamp land or a certain bridge?

[antineocon1]

2. Well I think this will give the Dem presidential contenders

something to think about and perhaps help them to gain more support in this area. However, I think Bush is toast. Here's why. First, these lies are not going to go away. Second, the Bush administration fails to see that the Iraqis see two enemies in their country: Saddam remnants and the US. Once the Saddam threat is gone, they'll fight the US next.

[robbedvoter]

3. Must've seen that claptrap in 100 versions today

Why is everyone of it news? It's only spin, no facts.

[alaine]

4. Why are they so worried about a minority group?

[gristy]

8. LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!

Why are they so worried about a minority group? :D

[ReadTomPaine]

5. This is in fact a direct indictment of the DLC/DNC…

As the facts on the ground do not support the impression given by people in these polls. These results don’t indicate that the platform should shift, as establishment democrats contend, but rather that the party leadership is unwilling or incapable of informing either their own rank in file or ‘swing’/noninterested voters throughout the country of the actual situation, politically, regarding spending and defense issues.

[Warpy]

19. Agreed

The DLC is so corrupt and so thoroughly out of touch that it's collective caboose should be kicked right out of the party, the sooner the better. It's insane that this gang of right wing thieves and thugs has been allowed so much power in the party. Get rid of them NOW, and send Breaux, Miller and Lieberman along with them!

[madrchsod]

6. dam i thought only

ann the man rewrote history. now the dlc rewrites the 2000 election. i thought gore won the election but silly me i guess i`m wrong...but what about those three white guys that work with my wife on a printing press..they voted for bush but they sure ain`t going to this time...more bullshit from the dlc

[hedda_foil]

7. Jan Schakowsky held a rally yesterday to kick off our election drive ...

300 folks on a Sunday afternoon in July may help to explain why the 9th CD in Illinois is the best at getting out the vote in the country.

One of her comments was that the Democrats have only gotten the white male vote once since the 1880's. Says Jan: "It's time to stop chasing after the Bubba vote."

Damn, I love that woman!

[indictrichardperle]

actually, alot of blue collar

and middle class white males will vote dem this time around. The economy is really hurting people, and i dont think the Oil war quagmire is going to be very popular in the up-coming election.

Now more than ever the GOP is seen as the party of the "rich" and against the little guy. I doubt many tin foil hat types are in love with the patriot act either. Im telling you, a hard left candidate that focuses on the economy and peace can win easily. Dean doesnt look like a wimp, he looks like a bull dog. FDR was seen as the champion of the little guy, thats what we need.

Neo-cons are a new creation, they dont represent alot of right-wingers. If they continue to be exposed they are going to be the ruin of the GOP.

[gristy]

9. suggested elsewhere that the DLC is run by closet repukes

I think that theory has some merit. This is just so pathetic.

[Guaranteed]

11. I think we need to see which of the Dems are pushing for the Saudi

terrorist information to be released. So many Republicans and Democrats have heavy money in the Saudi Royal Family....their integrity has been corrupted, whether they know it or not. If it's the centrist Demo's (like Lieberman, who I'm SICK of hearing from) not pushing, we know they're just like you said...closet Repukes. And, therefore, the DLC should be abolished. Reinvent the Democratic Party!!!

[ReadTomPaine]

12. Republicans have resorted to even darker tactics in the past..

...so it wouldn't be surprising, frankly. Perhaps these people were once more progressive in their youth before the beltway cut them down to size, ideologically

[leesa]

13. What crap! Become Republicans or you can't beat Republicans

No more of this CRAP!

[goforit]

14. The bright side is that W will think he is ahead and he isn't!!!!

LOL!!!!

Those great polls aren't gonna help in the long run.

Anything the DLC commissions is just gonna be "Bull-crap".
They work for Bush directly!!!

And with Clinton patting Bush on the back 24/7, no wonder the dems
don't have a leg to stand on!!!!


Well there are other leaders out there that do have a leg to stand on
and "We the people" are going to make them succeed !!!

"We the people" will beat their system!!!

[otohara]

15. Party Of Big Goverment - Hello

who has created more government in the past 2 1/2 years? This is garbage and propaganda from the DLC. Polls designed to fit their agenda of:

a) getting rid of Howard Dean
b) getting rid of Howard Dean
c) installing Joe Lieberman with money and disinforming a frightened people.

[farmbo]

17. The DLC's worst nightmare: Dean, is bringing white males back!

...he consistently polls higher than Kerry, Edwards, Gephardt, etc with males.

The DNC (Mark Penn) polling data lays the slippage of 'party identification' numbers on the loss of white males since 2000.

So, DLC, what's your problem with Dean now?

[Philosophy]

20. Good point

If the DLC is right, then shouldn't the DLC candidates poll better than than Dean with "white males"?

[Pastiche423]

18. Uh huh

We, the People, as of midnight, raised $504, 205.38 for Dean!

[jiacinto]

21. Gore lost white men 67-33%

That is unacceptable. Frankly we should do better.

I think we should try for blue collar white men and low income white me. Middle class to rich white collar white men are out of the picture.

But we should not be losing white men to the extent we are. That's unacceptable.

[aquart]

34. Stop thinking about white men. THINK ABOUT POLICIES.

What do men with families need from their nation?

What policies make men look strong, smart, heroic?

[deutsey]

40. And he still won the popular vote

Who knows how large his margin of victory would've been had tens of thousands of black men and women been allowed to vote/have their votes counted in Florida.

[GinaMaria]

43. Thanks for that important reminder D!

Yes, he won the popular vote and had the ballots been counted in Florida, the electoral vote too. Imagine, succeeding like that without turning republican to court the illusive white male vote. My personal opinion is that this group is not worth the energy or the compromise of our values. An election can be won without them.

Peace
G

[jiacinto]

47. I disagree

They vote more than other groups. They shouldn't be "our main targets" but they should be reached.

I think that working class and blue colllar white men should be targeted. Rich and upper middle class white collar white men should be ignored.

[kainah]

22. White males worrying about the white male vote

Fuck 'em! White males in this culture, by and large, feel beaten up. No one has paid them any real attention for almost 1/2 a century. They HAVE lost a lot of their power and they better start realizing that they are not going to regain their power by fighting the vast majority of other "minorities." The vast majority of white males have to get over feeling slighted by their loss of white male privilege and realize they are just as oppressed by the uber-rich and throw their fortunes in with the rest of us.

[dArKeR]

24. We should let Rove pick our candidate to beat Bush. I know he's telling

us the truth.

http://darkerxdarker.tripod.com/

[indictrichardperle]

26. LOL, yea like when Rove said

"man id love to face Dean, hed be an easy opponent"....the implication being "that Lieberman, hed be awfully tough to beat".

Please dont throw me in that briar patch......yea sure Karl. :eyes:

Junior has to run against a dem who voted for the war or is pro-war........or else he will be defenseless over Iraq-nam.

Dean/Graham.........2 pro-peace Dems.

[Democat]

25. The DLC wants Democrats to follow, not lead

Their strategy is a losing one.

[WonderTwins]

30. The DLC is kind of like the Saruman of the Democratic Party

We think they're on our side, but all along they've been playing on someone else's team, trying to create doubt and confusion and despair among the good guys.

Where the hell is Gandalf when you need him?

[aquart]

33. In other words, SHOW A SPINE! STAND UP AND FIGHT!

You want white men to vote for you? Behave like the Texas Dems and not like the craven Bush-licking DLC.

When the Democrats gave in to Bush without a fight in Florida, they looked like 98-lb weaklings. Till the Texas Dems, that was the Dem image since Clinton.

[jos]

35. I'd like to see the poll's questions

Probably loaded, to fit Penn's, From's, the DLC's and Lieberman's strategy.

[QC]

36. If the DLC is really interested in support from white guys

they need to drop the assumption, which they share with many people at DU, that all white guys are wealthy and privileged.

Most white guys in America, just like most white women, black men, Asian men, Latino women, transgendered Lithuanian immigrants, etc. etc. etc. work for a living in a nation where incomes have been stagnating for three decades. They are living through the first time in American history when a new generation has had dimmer economic prospects than the previous one. They believe that the fatcats run both parties, neither of which gives a damn about people like them.

Those are pretty common working class attitudes that are not limited much by color or gender.

So if the DLC wants to win white male votes, they might consider another look at the old-style class agenda that made the Democrats the majority party for decades.

[GinaMaria]

46. I don't think the white male demographic

who listens to rush is wealthy. My personal opinion is that they vote against their own interests, but I'm convinced that they don't see it that way. This is not a group that is worth the effort in time or money to peel them away. They are entrenched. Yes there are plenty of white males that are centrist or Left. There are also single women who vote repuke. However, in general these demographics have been difficult to peel away.

Dems can win elections without the white male demographic, so why sell out what we value to persue a handful of votes that don't amount to much?

Maybe we should be persuing the soccer mom demographic. They seem to waver between both parties. They are an interesting group to try to understand. I think we'd be more successful going after this group. Their number one priority is their kids. Start talking war and death of young soilders and you'll soon have the soccer Mom demographic listening to you and backing you.

Peace,
Gina

[tlb]

37. Foolish to call the DLC a republican front

while Bill Clinton is still pulling the strings over there. It's only been a couple of days since the call to Larry King that cut the legs out from under the anti-war candidates. This is just a further step in the same direction, by the same people.

The republicans aren't the problem here. Hillary in 08 anyone ?

[ze_dscherman]

38. Stupid White Men

SCNR

[deutsey]

39. Hey DLC: Check out Dean's web site

Over $500,000 raised since Friday. When you can start showing results like that, maybe I'll take you more seriously.

[The Backlash Cometh]

41. The DLC also supports Lieberman and a conservative agenda.

Need I say more?

[Q]

42. Leadership by polling will always fail...

...how about...for once...just doing the RIGHT THING and forget about polls?

- The DLC...like the neocons...wants to appeal to 'special interest' groups instead of ALL THE PEOPLE. There are still many Americans working for shit wages. Their unions have been broken and made irrelevant.

- The Democratic party MUST continue to represent those who need the most help: the working class.

[Stuckinthebush]

44. This white male says BS....

Look, I know a lot of educated white males who are fed up with the economy, the loss of US influence overseas, the "war", and the loss of protections that their families once enjoyed in this country. Add to this list the thousands of white male veterans and military men who will be damned if they vote for this cabal again.

I think this is DLC blather.

[Rose Siding]

45. The white man at my house says the same thing!

BS and blather. Our health ins went up 110% in the last 2 years. Whether it's traditional lib values or self interest, who isn't fed up? Anger can be a very positive, healthy motivating catalyst.

[depakid]

48. ...according to a poll commissioned for the centrist DLC

That about says it all...
More commissioned house pocucs mascarading as research. I really the DLC's loyalty (to anything other that God money) nd I'm begining to question their motives. Watch their next poll do a "Hoo-ra"" over the next set oh high undemployment numbers, while wall street rallies.