CNN poll: If Edwards and McCain are most "electable," why are they in third and fourth place?

[DeepModem Mom]

CNN: Poll: Huckabee would lose to top Democrats by double digits
By Alexander Mooney
CNN Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- While presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee is surging in new polls of GOP candidates, a CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll released Tuesday shows he would lose to all three leading Democratic candidates by double digits in hypothetical contests. In head-to-head matchups -- the first to include Huckabee -- the former Arkansas governor loses to Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York by 10 percentage points (54 percent to 44 percent), to Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois by 15 points (55 percent to 40 percent) and to former Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina by 25 points (60 percent to 35 percent)....

***

The poll also shows that Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona would do best against leading Democrats. He beats Clinton by 2 percentage points (50 percent to 48 percent), ties Obama (48 percent to 48 percent) and loses to Edwards by a smaller margin (8 points) than the other Republican candidates do. In addition to Huckabee, Giuliani and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney lose to all three top Democrats in the survey.

On the Democratic side, Edwards performs best against each of the leading Republicans. In addition to beating Huckabee by 25 percent and McCain by 8 percent, the North Carolina Democrat beats Romney by 22 percentage points (59 percent to 37 percent) and Giuliani by 9 percentage points (53 percent to 44 percent).

While the survey shows McCain and Edwards performing best in their respective fields, both candidates continue to significantly trail their parties' front-runners significantly. In the national horse race numbers released Monday, McCain trails Giuliani by 11 percentage points, and Edwards is behind Clinton by 26 percentage points.

"Edwards is the only Democrat who beats all four Republicans, and McCain is the only Republican who beats any of the three Democrats," (Keating Holland, CNN's polling director) said. "Some might argue this shows that they are the most electable candidates in their respective parties. But Edwards is in third place among Democrats, and McCain is in fourth place on the GOP side. Maybe electability is not as important as it was in 2004."...

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/12/10/poll.head.to.head/index.html

[rinsd]

1. Electability is only an issue when the frontrunners do not win GE matchups.

That is not the case here as both Hillary and Obama beat each of the GOP though its close with Rudy or McCain. Edwards also beats all the GOP but does so by greater margins.

[Hieronymus]

2. Many have said that Edwards has the best chance for some time now ..

ignore it at your peril.

[Mike03]

3. Bizarre. Edwards, I understand, but McCain?

He used to be an interesting politician to me, but it's obvious he has some sort of early-stage dementia now. How could that appeal to anyone? Or is it only by a process of elimination because the repukes have no credible candidates to choose from?

[polichick]

10. It's all relative...

McCain looks only a tad nutz compared to the others!

[Andy823]

11. Yep

The republican base doesn't want Romney, he is a Mormon.
They don't want Fred, he fizzled big time.
They don't really want Rudy, he has no morals, not ethics, and is dishonest, but they will take him in a pinch.
The others just don't stand a chance, so McCain has come up in the standings with the average republican.

Only time will tell.

[Tejanocrat]

4. Who's strong in the primary and who's strong in the general election are two different questions

For example, Hillary's husband is a HUGE benefit in the primary. It is a very mixed benefit (but still a net benefit) in the general election.

[Red Zelda]

5. NOBODY is in ANY fucking PLACE!

No votes have been cast. The media's desperate need for constant "numbers" and "results" fuels this bullshit. No one is ahead. My god, why can't this fucking stupid country wake up???????????

(more question marks than I have ever used)

[Kucinich4America]

6. Thank you!

I keep saying that myself. This whole "frontrunner" business is an illusion until Iowa, and there is no nominee until August 28.

[robbedvoter]

9. Yeay! Sanity!

[melody]

7. The problem isn't with Democrats but with Independents and straying Republicans

Obviously.

[robbedvoter]

8. "Electability" is code for "Obey". The purpose for all these polls too

[elizm]

12. Name recognition???

:shrug:

[madmom]

13. because the msm wants them there

[MGKrebs]

14. Because they suck at running a campaign.

With high electability, they have a built-in advantage. People who see them or hear them like them and think they are capable. But they are unable to compete in the current "market" that is the campaign. Whether it is fundraising, or organization, or staffing, or media relations, they fail at something critical to elevate them to their potential.

Of course, the story isn't over yet...

[ecstatic]

15. Because there's no such thing as "most electable!!!" nt

[GreenArrow]

16. the turtle and the hare

slow and steady wins the race.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

17. Hello. Have Iowa and NH had their votes yet?

Check back when they have. That is all.