Today SurveyUSA announced that Senator Clinton's net favorability has fallen to it's lowest level ever in her home state of New York. Also, Senator Obama now outpolls her in her homestate head to heads against Senator McCain by a substantial margin (21%, to 11%)
Could this be a reason she seems to have pulled back from her expected attack against Obama in tonight's debate? While Clinton tested the edge of negativity, she seemed to back off after getting bood for her "change you can Xerox" comment. She then ended on an unexpectedly gracious note, saying it was an honor to be on stage with Obama. Survey USA reported today that:
Senator Clinton has a 56% approval rating and a 42% disapproval rating. Subtracting disapproval from approval yields a Net Job Approval of Plus 14 — higher, to be sure, than that of many other U.S. Senators tracked regularly by SurveyUSA, and right in line with New York’s senior Senator, Chuck Schumer, who is at Plus 15 today — but still the lowest we’ve seen for Senator Clinton, who was at Plus 22 last month, and at Plus 37 in October.
Furthermore, SurveryUSA also reports that this 56% approval rating is a new low.
SurveyUSA has tracked the job approval rating of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton 35 times between May 2005 and February 2008. At no time had the percentage of New York adults approving of her job performance dipped below 60%; at no point had the percentage disapproving risen above 38%.
We've all been reading of the intense debate withing her campaign about whether or not to go negative. She clearly had some zingers prepared in adavance, and intended to go rough, however, when these fell flat, I think she must have intuitively realized that those on her staff warning her to think of her reputation and status in her home state may be have been right.
Whatever the reason she backed off, I hope for the sake of our party and the security of her Senate seat and reputation, she sticks to it.
I think both of our candidates did well for themselves, our party, and the country. They both have significantly advanced the hope for woman, people of color, and all minorities in American and around the world.
and Barack also advanced his case. He not only withstood the attack, but countered gracefully, making himself appear not only stronger. but more presidential as well.
Hillary seemed to be intuitively able to sense this, and responded graciously, and in a way that will facilitate a more graceful resolution of these increasingly contentious primaries. If this is what actually happened, it would be the most skillful and admirable display of political instincts I've seen from her. An immensely likeable moment.
If she sticks to a more positive tone, her likeability numbers will not only recover, but probably sore.
She has shown herself to be a much more human and likeable person. A remarkably scrappy woman, whose dedication and skill in articulating progressive causes is inspiring. I come to like her a lot more during this last two months, and been surprised by her warmth and emotional range of emotional response.
We all can be enormously happy.
This could be a vastly better end game than I've ever had hoped for.
Our party will now unite to defeat McCain,
Awesome. Totaly awesome.
Thanks everyone. Thanks Hillary. And Thanks Barack.
Let's now beat Senator McCain!
Go Team! Go Democrats! Go America!