Real Clear Politics - TIME.com

Not To Rain On Republicans' Parade

Sean Trende — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:45:18 +0000

Republicans are ecstatic over the latest Gallup poll showing their party leading the Democrats by four points on the generic ballot. While this is undoubtedly good news for the Republican Party, let's recall that the last time Republicans led the Gallup generic ballot was . . . September 2008. That didn't turn out so well. [...]

Clinton's Deadline

Mike Memoli — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:51:49 +0000

Former President Bill Clinton spent Tuesday afternoon pushing Senate Democrats to move on health care legislation sooner rather than later, amid talk that the legislation may not get to the president's desk this year. Tuesday night, Clinton made an interesting point about what might politically be a final deadline for Obama's top legislative priority. "We need [...]

Lincoln Gets Pressure From Left

Tom Bevan — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:27:05 +0000

Senator Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) is one of the five seantors to watch in the health care debate, and one of the most vulnerable Democrats up for reelection next year. Not only is she a top GOP target, she's now being targeted from the left by a group called Blue America, which just launched this ad [...]

Poll: Investigate Ft. Hood as Terror Act

Tom Bevan — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:21:49 +0000

According to a new Rasmussen poll, 60% of respondents say the massacre at Fort Hood should be "investigated by military authorities as a terrorist act." Less than half that number, 27%, would like to see the shootings "investigated by civilian authorities as a criminal act." Thirteen percent were unsure. [...]

Dems Slip Amid An Obama "Funk"

Mike Memoli — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:38:15 +0000

One year after Barack Obama's election, a new AP/GfK poll (1,006 adults, Nov 5-9, +/- 3.1%) finds that the optimism for the new president has given way to increasing wariness over the economy and Afghanistan. Just 38 percent of Americans think the country is heading in the right direction -- the lowest number are the worst [...]

OH Gov Poll: Economy Weighs Down Strickland

Mike Memoli — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:49:52 +0000

Economic woes in the Buckeye State put Gov. Ted Strickland in a vulnerable position for 2010, a new Quinnipiac Poll (1,123 RVs, 11/5-9, +/- 2.9%) finds. General Election Matchup Strickland (D) 40 (-6 vs. last poll, 9/15) Kasich (R) 40 (+4) Don't Know 18 (+3) Other recent Ohio polls have also found this race a dead heat at this [...]

More 'Saved or Created' Follies

Tom Bevan — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:47:44 +0000

The latest in the jobs "saved or created" fiasco, this time a Boston Globe report: While Massachusetts recipients of federal stimulus money collectively report 12,374 jobs saved or created, a Globe review shows that number is wildly exaggerated. Organizations that received stimulus money miscounted jobs, filed erroneous figures, or claimed jobs for work that has not [...]

This One Goes to Eleven?

Tom Bevan — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 22:42:29 +0000

Rick Newman explains why he thinks unemployment will hit eleven percent. Me, I dunno - but I'll take any excuse I can find to throw up a clip from Spinal Tap:

Not Exactly a Profile in Courage

Tom Bevan — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 22:26:34 +0000

I was struck by this description in the WaPo's feature on Dede Scozzafava this morning: Around 6 p.m., she and her husband pulled over at a Stewart's convenience store on the rainy drive home from her Watertown campaign office. An aide called with dismal poll numbers. For hours, they sat, with Scozzafava staring at the windshield [...]

Abortion's Hold on Healthcare and Politics

David Paul Kuhn — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 19:41:39 +0000

"This is a healthcare bill, not an abortion bill," President Obama told ABC News on Monday. That he had to say this, said so much. The same day, Dick Durbin, the Senate's second most powerful Democrat, told reporters that abortion "is going to be a major issue" ahead. "I hope," Durbin added, "we can find [...]