Why do Rudy and McCain have such low negatives?

[WI_DEM]

I know Rasmussen is a GOP poster but he has several polls favorable to Democrats this midterm, but when he polls a certain state such as Minnesota where GOP Governor Pawlenty is in trouble running seven points behind his Democratic opponent he also asks about '08.

When asked which party Minnesotans want to win the WH in '08, by a 47-33 percent margin the respondents say "Democratic party"

but yet when asked about certain possible candidates both McCain and Rudy G. have 60% favorable ratings while Hillary has a 45% favorable rating and Gore a 50% favorable rating.

This is something I've seen in other state polls too where Rudy and McCain have high favorable ratings.

Do you think that McCain and Rudy would be the toughest candidates for us to defeat in '08?

[Clark2008]

1. Most of it is because of the conservative corporate press, but

in some cases, it's because half the Democratic Party ends up in triangulation instead of standing up for something.

In Gore's case, though, it's because he's seen as a loser even though thinking people know he won.

[blm]

2. They have not been portrayed negatively in the media - in fact, they get

treated heroically, even though both were dealing with circumstances they COULDN'T PREVENT or CONTROL. They were just ....THERE.

Giuliani did NOTHING heroic and tried to help Bush cover up his negligence in 9-11. For which he was rewarded HANDSOMELY with security contracts for his new firm with Bernie Kerik. Crooks all.

McCain lied to help Bush win in 2000 and 2004 - there is nothing heroic in selling your soul to BushInc.

[LiberalEsto]

3. Because when they're compared to B*sh and D*ck,

they're an improvement. Not much, but some.

[NYCGirl]

4. Most people out of NYC don't really know what a charlatan Rudy is. NT

[bryant69]

5. McCain and Rudy have some strengths and weaknesses

Strengths? They are moderate Republicans (or seen as such, at any rate), they can portray themselves as a return to normalcy after the extremism of the Bush Years (not an entirely honest portrayel), and they are the sorts of candidates that moderates and moderate liberals could vote for without feeeling too bad about themselves.

Weaknesses? The base doesn't think much of Rudy and less of McCain. Rudy is pro choice (or was at one point), McCain voted for campaign finance reform and ran against Bush (for which Rush Limbaugh has been castigating him for years). They might not get the extremist vote or the extremist dollar. And if they try to break with the Bush Administration (which they almost surely have to do), they may face some retribution from Administration true believers.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[fearthem]

7. McCain's short fuse is dangerous.

[skipos]

6. Rudy milks 9-11 and people eat it up

but the answer to you questions is:

BECAUSE VERY FEW PEOPLE PAY ATTENTION.

[Warpy]

8. Pubbies are desperate to approve anyone who ISN'T SHRUB

They're not quite ready to admit that it's not just Stupid, it's their party's platform and policies that are coming to full fruition during this dismal reign.

I don't know what will get through to these true believers, maybe another Great Depression. If we don't get them out of power, that just might happen.

[wisteria]

9. They have been given a free pass by the press. n/t

[Nite Owl]

10. Because of thier news

coverage. Negative things about them are not reported and the dems go along with it and help raise their status.

[AX10]

11. Because the media is going to set them up to "win" the 2008...

election, just as they did with Bush starting in early 1999.

[FSogol]

12. Its a name recognition poll. n/t

[gumby]

13. The Liberal Media.

I agree with others who have cited the media.

They portray McCain as a "straight-talking" "maverick." His voting record shows him as an extreme right-winger (though maybe not a wing-nut).

Rudy gets unearned mileage from 9/11. Look how the Liberal Media eviscerated Clinton over so many things, including Monica. Compare that to how the Liberal Media has treated Rudy's indiscretions.

[AndyTiedye]

14. Hillary Needs to Pack It In. No Way To Overcome Negatives Like That

Under the continual barrage of the MSM attack machine, negatives have no place to go but up,
The Rethuglican media has over 2 years to drive them even higher.

Gore's negatives knock him out of the running too. He knows this already.

This is way too early for Democrats to be openly running for President.

The only way for a Democrat to start campaigning this early and not get destroyed by the media
is to do it completely under-the-radar.

[saltpoint]

15. Giuliani will be shredded to bits once his opponents begin running

negative ads.

With each passing hour, 9/11 fades into a kind of inoperable distance, and the hero-mayor thing just isn't going to be sustainable. The messy divorce, the business alliance with Bernie Kerik, the savagery visited upon minority citizens under his stewardship as NYC mayor, and his general arrogance are going to trip Giuliani up. And he'll be outflanked on the "left" by Chuck Hagel, who is far more competent and viable to most mainstream voters, and possibly Mike Bloomberg if he runs, and on the far right by two or three of the other GOP contenders. Giuliani is working hard at getting the nomination but he's going to be buried alive in the early going and IMO won't last to Super Tuesday, or if he does, he won't survive it.

McCain is another story. If his health holds up, he's going to be a top contender for the nomination, if not the frontrunner outright, and he'd be tough to beat. We can beat him, but it won't be nearly as easy as if Frist got the nomination, for instance.

Senator Clinton is going to finish well back in the pack in Iowa and New Hampshire. I do not believe she will be our nominee in 08.