Phoenix Woman at Firedoglake has an extensive post and analysis of the CNN and Rasmussen national matchup polls. Phoenix Woman at Firedoglake has an extensive post and analysis of the CNN and Rasmussen national tracking polls.
Its chock full of insight. As she notes
-both of these polls have been saying similar things about the strengths and weaknesses of the major candidates, things that aren't being told to us in the evening TV news or on the cable gabfests.
Looks Like the campaign wants to make the basic point too.
Here's Rasmussen's numbers
Obama (47%) Giuliani (37%)
Obama (45%) Huckabee (43%)
Obama (43%) McCain (46%)
Obama (50%) Paul (31%)
Obama (45%) Romney (39%)
Obama (47%) Thompson (40%)
dwards (44%) Giuliani (44%)
Edwards (49%) Huckabee (37%)
Edwards (46%) McCain (39%)
Edwards (50%) Romney (34%)
Edwards (48%) Thompson (39%)
Clinton (44%) Giuliani (45%)
Clinton (42%) Huckabee (45%)
Clinton (38%) McCain (49%)
Clinton (49%) Paul (37%)
Clinton (43%) Romney (44%)
Clinton (46%) Thompson (44%)
the analysis is pretty Simple
1) McCain is by far the GOP's strongest candidate in the general election. He trounces Hillary 49% to 38%, and beats Obama 46% to 43%. In fact, the only Democrat who beats him is none other than John Edwards, who decisively beats McCain 46% to 39%.
2) John Edwards is by far the Democrats' strongest candidate in the general election. He is the only one who is not beaten outright by any Republican candidate: He ties with Giuliani at 44% each, but easily beats McCain, Thompson, Romney, and Huckabee, the latter two by double-digit margins.
Huckelberries beats Clinton folks.
- Hillary Clinton is the weakest Democratic candidate in the general election. She loses to every single Republican except Fred Thompson and Ron Paul, and neither of those two gents is going to get the Republican nomination for president.
- Barack Obama is in between Edwards and Hillary Clinton in strength in the general election
.
As has been noted on DK previously CNN's matchup polling shows the same thingEdwards is the strongest Dem, Hillary is the weakest, Obama is in between.
But as Jamess noted on Sundayy CNN's January polling plays corporate media blackout and ignores Senator Edwards.
Imagine how he'd be doing if he got comparable coverage to say 9ui11ani or Grandpa Fred. As people learn his message he gets ever more support. We know that Edwards won't get the fawning media overage under any circumstances, but Krugman is right:
On the Democratic side, John Edwards, although never the front-runner, has been driving his party’s policy agenda.
And as long as we keep beating the drum maybe we can get the message through--as seems to be happening in Nevada.
John Edwards has come within shooting distance of the two front-runners.
Of 500 likely Democratic caucus-goers surveyed, 32 percent favored Obama, 30 percent favored Clinton, and 27 percent favored Edwards.
But with 9 percent undecided and 12 percent of those who expressed a preference likely to change their minds before Saturday, the race could shift dramatically to any of the candidates.
"In a one- or two-point race, it could tip either way," pollster Del Ali said. "It's a volatile electorate out there, particularly in a primary or a caucus. Twelve percent could change their mind, that could mean all the difference in the world."
The poll was conducted Jan. 11-13 by Maryland-based Research 2000 and has a margin of error of 4.5 percent.
It is the first public poll conducted in Nevada since the Iowa caucus and New Hampshire primary reset the dynamics of the race.
Linky
So this Friday Im joining the Edward's fundraising Effort Again :)
and helping organize my states Feb 5 caucus for JRE