And then there were two… Republicans exploring presidential bid
Two Republicans have now stepped up to the plate! Well, technically they have stepped up to the plate to consider stepping up to the plate.
Mitt Romney and Tim Pawlenty are the first to declare their intentions to explore a possible run for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination. Opinion polls show they have their work cut out for them.
The two Republicans who topped the list of potential candidates that Republicans would likely support for the party nomination were not Romney or Pawlenty in a new CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll.
Donald Trump and Mike Huckabee tied for first place, 19 percent, in the survey which was conducted before Romney announced formation of an exploratory committee. That compares with 12 percent for Sarah Palin, followed by a third-place tie between Romney and Newt Gingrich at 11 percent each.
While Romney has tended to draw skepticism from conservatives, in a straw poll of conservatives taken at the Conservative Political Action Conference in February, he had a strong second-place showing after Libertarian Republican Congressman Ron Paul.
Skeptics were out in full force a day after Romney made his presidential ambitions clear.
Political strategist Mark McKinnon in a column on The Daily Beast says Romney won’t win because of his “Tea Party misfires and connections to Obamacare…”
Obama up, Palin down in 2012 poll
President Barack Obama’s reelection prospects seem to be rosier, while former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin’s chances of being the Republican nominee were souring for 2012, according to a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll. But it’s early yet.
Obama is expected to run again in 2012, and CNN said the poll suggests that his tax-cut deal with Republicans, pushed through at year-end, did not hurt him with Democrats.
Among Democrats, 78 percent said Obama should be renominated as the party’s presidential candidate, while 19 percent said they wanted a different candidate. Those readings were the highest and lowest respectively since March 2010, when the poll first asked the question.
Palin has hinted that she might run for president, but the poll found 49 percent of Republicans would support that move, down 18 points since December 2008, right after she and John McCain lost to Obama and Joe Biden.
Palin lagged behind other Republicans who may seek the 2012 nomination – Mike Huckabee (67 percent), Mitt Romney (59 percent) and Newt Gingrich (54 percent).
But it’s still a long way from next winter’s trudge through nominating primaries, caucuses and debates that Republicans will stage to ferret out who they think would best challenge Obama. The winner might not even be any of the names being polled in these early stages.
Photo credit: Reuters/Luke MacGregor (Democratic Party campaign button attached to cardboard cut-out of Palin after announcement that Obama won election, Nov. 4, 2008)
Agree with Donnlashelle. If Sarah Palin wins, it’s doomsday for the world. Think Bush was bad? Sarah will be far far worse. She’ll nuke Korea. Since she’s too stupid to tell north from south, so she’ll probably nuke both. Then she’ll nuke Iran. Giddy after her 2 lopsided “victories” against lesser states…she will try to take on bigger foes. She will try to nuke Russia or China. Unfortunately for her, these states also have nuclear ICBMs and will retaliate in kind. Next thing we know every nuclear power is launching missiles all over the world. 2012 becomes a self fulfilling prophecy. Sarah will doom us all.
Another poll comes out in favor of gays in the military
As Congress mulls “don’t ask, don’t tell,” a new poll finds support for repealing it.
A CNN poll showed that 78 percent, or nearly 8 in 10 Americans believe people who are openly gay should be allowed to serve in the U.S. military.
The results of the survey of 1,023 adults, conducted May 21-23, were similar to earlier polls — 81 percent in Dec. 19-21, 2008 and 79 percent in May 4-6, 2007.
“Support is widespread, even among Republicans. Nearly 6 in 10 Republicans favor allowing openly gay individuals to serve in the military,” Keating Holland, CNN polling director, said on its website. “There is a gender gap, with 85 percent of women and 71 percent of men favoring the change, but support remains high among both groups.”
A Gallup analysis this month found “broad, steady support” for openly gay members of the military. Gallup’s last poll on the issue, conducted May 3-6, showed 70 percent in favor.
Gay rights advocates who supported President Barack Obama’s presidential campaign have demanded that he follow through on his pledge to repeal the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy. On Monday, the White House backed a proposal that would allow Congress to repeal the policy, but delay implementation until the Pentagon completes its review in December.
The Pentagon issued a statement that wasn’t exactly a ringing endorsement, more like a reluctant acceptance of political realities.
Public forecast for Afghan strategy – stalemate
Americans have doubts over whether President Barack Obama’s new Afghanistan strategy will ultimately result in victory, but a majority say the war is morally justified.
A CNN/Opinion Research Corp poll finds that 57 percent said the most likely outcome for the United States in Afghanistan would be a stalemate, with 29 percent predicting victory.
When asked whether a victory was possible or not possible, 58 percent of those surveyed said it was possible, while 41 percent said it was not possible.
But asked the same question about defeat, the responses were quite similar: 60 percent said defeat was possible, while 38 percent said defeat was not possible.
A majority — 63 percent — said U.S. action in Afghanistan was morally justified.
A column in The New Yorker says that this time the cliche is true: there are no good options in Afghanistan.
A Rasmussen Reports poll finds that 53 percent of American voters support Obama’s plan to send 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan and 47 percent support his plan to being withdrawing in 18 months — but only 20 percent agree with both parts of the strategy.
Will latest polls weigh on Obama?
President Barack Obama summoned his war council today for what may be a pivotal meeting as he decides what to do in Afghanistan. While Obama weighs up his options on whether to send in more troops — with most money on about 30,000 more – he might also glance at the latest round of public opinion polls on Afghanistan.One by the Pew Research Center put Obama’s favorable job rating on Afghanistan at 36 percent, sharply down from 49 percent in July.On troop levels in Afghanistan, 40 percent say there should be fewer U.S. soldiers, 32 percent approve of an increase while 19 percent say current troop levels are satisfactory.A CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey released today found that 56 percent of respondents opposed sending more U.S. troops to Afghanistan while 42 percent supported additional forces.Which way are you leaning? More troops, less, the same? Stay, go, the status quo? As commander-in-chief, will Obama go the way of Goldilocks and take the middle road, or will there be a surprise?Click here for more Reuters political coveragePhoto credit: Reuters/Jason Reed (Obama making statement about Fort Hood shootings)
The US has an interest in the Middle East and Asian regions. We have an interest in supporting the security and democracies from overthrow by islamic extremism, and intercountry terrorist groups such as the taliban, hamas, hezbollah, etc. We should not commit to long term troop build up without a country forming its own plan for securing its own country. We do not the full support of the people or region. Once we leave after sacrificing American lives and resources, we will have no benefit in this region. We need to focus on our own preparedness for national defense and reaction forces throughout the world. We need to focus on concerns over Pakistan, Iran, North Korea, the socialist movement in South America, and islamic radicalization throughout the world.
