Update [2005-2-28 18:50:3 by Armando]: From the diaries by Armando. First, ALL POLLS SUCK! Second, Gallup Polls REALLY REALLY SUCK! Third, why the hell did Dean's favorables go up? The Fighting Dem Effect? Interesting story.
You know how Howard Dean is a symbol of the loony left and how Democrats signed their suicide note by giving him the party chairmanship?
Well ... according to Gallup, Dean's unfavorable ratings have been falling steadily since he lost the nomination in 2004.
Favorable/Unfavorable ... Never heard of/no opinion
2004 Jan. 2-5: 28/39 ... 17/16
2004 Jan 29-Feb 1: 42-42 ... 5/11
And then there were no polls about Dean until he started running for DNC chair. In the meantime, poll respondants had forgotten much about him - the no opinion/never heard of number rose from 19 to 31.
In a widely reported Gallup poll of Feb 4-6, Dean's approval was a net negative - 31-38.
However, in the two weeks since Dean became DNC chair, his approval has edged into positive terrority.
What is your opinion of former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean?
Favorable - 35 (+4)
Unfavorable - 33 (-5)
Never heard of - 14 (-2)
No opinion - 18 (+3)
That's a net swing of nine points from negative to positive. What can we make of this?
1)The conventional wisdom that "no voter cares about the DNC chair" seems to bear out. The "no opinion" rating for Dean is staying pretty much the same.
2)The other conventional wisdom - that just by not screaming, Dean would make a good impression on those who saw him - seems to be bearing out, too.
3)The efforts of wingnuts and Republicans to smear Dean when he says something "controversial" or swings into a red state seem to be lead balloons. Only committed wingnuts are listening to these smears.