Poll Shows Bush Would Lose to Democrat in Election

[Bee]

Sadly, when they put names to the unknown democrat the poll will most likely change. :(

[AgPete]

Even if I have reservations about Bush's gung-ho foreign policy, I think he has one hell of a cabinet. He has some sharp people advising him. I'd elect Colin Powell as President in a heartbeat so for me, having him as Secretary of State is like having another President on the ticket. Al Gore will never be anything more than a Vice-President. If he or Hillary runs, I'll vote Dubya. Bill Clinton was the only one who was Presidential material.

I'm not voting for Gephardt either. ;)

[RainRaven]

I don't trust Bush... sure I like Powell and would vote for him possibly but Bush is stubborn (Iraq) leans to the rich (tax cuts) and is about as eloquent as me trying to write left handed.

[Ryche]

If this Iraq situation goes badly, or the eonomy doesn't start picking up a little, Bush is beatable. But even then

1. The Democrats need the right candidate.

2. That candidate has to show some real ideas, both on the economy and foreign issues.

3. A major terrorist attack in the US in the year before the election would probably ensure a Bush re-election.

I don't know if any of the current Democrat hopefuls can take Bush down. Lieberman may be the best qualified, but I'm not sure Americans want a Jewish president when we have so many tensions with the Muslim world. He's probably the only one for whom I would consider voting. John Kerry is looking like a JFK wannabe, John Edwards a Clinton wannabe (although I don't really know much about him), Gephardt is damaged goods after the last election and the other guys and woman just don't have a shot.

I'm don't know who else out there would have a chance. Hillary Clinton is waiting until 2008 or later. Gore missed his shot (I'm sorry, you have to win your home state if you want to be president). Daschle is from the wrong state and was essentially defeated by Bush in the last election.

Perhaps the only person with a shot is John McCain, but he'd have to switch parties and get the nomination, which is highly unlikely.

Bush is beatable, but I think someone will have to emerge from the woodwork, and soon, to take him down.

[Maple Leafs]

Originally posted by AgPete
I'd elect Colin Powell as President in a heartbeat so for me, having him as Secretary of State is like having another President on the ticket. I'm curious... do you think Powell could be elected president? Put aside the fact that Bush will of course be the nom in 2004 as well as the fact that Powell has been reluctant to run in the past. Just as a hypothetical, do you think Colin Powell could win a presidential election at this point in history?

On the one hand, he's black and that would count against him for many people. On the other hand, he might bring some disaffected swing votes back to the republicans, he seems reasonably popular and seems to be perceived as the least hawkish of Bush's hawks.

Could he win? Or is that a pipe dream?

[AgPete]

I'm not sure how many people would hold Powell's race against him. I've met plenty of people that change their tune behind closed doors (when they're surrounded by whites) so I'm sure he would lose some votes because of it. Powell would probably carry the black vote even if Jesse Jackson and others accuse him of being an 'Uncle Tom.' I think his strongest pull would be a moderate stance that attracts people from all spectrums.

Someone once told me their simple voting practice for U.S. Presidents. He always voted for the moderates. Crazy tree huggers can make fine Congressmen and right-wing nuts can make great Senators but the President needs be middle of the road and open to all sides. :)

I think Powell appeals to that school of thought. Then again, he seems like a man of principle that won't play dirty politics so I doubt he'd appear ultra conservative to gain the Republican Party's nomination and the switch back to the middle of the road for the Presidential Election. I don't think Powell will ever run for President because if he had any ambitions, it was obvious that the last election was his chance.

[Airhog]

I think Quiksand should run, I mean 2/3 is a good anwser to all the problems this country has...

[kcchief19]

This poll shouldn't come as a surprise. Most of the polls of proposed races have shown a narrowing of the gap in recent months and, oddly enough, especially in the last few weeks. Yet like Bee said, when you put a name in there, Bush does better. Still, these are not the numbers that an incumbent wants.

It perplexes me that Bush the Younger learned NO lessons from his father's administration. The polls show the economy is a much larger voting issue than war. That being said, a war with a good outcome will give Bush a boost. Of course, Bush's approval ratings where at their nadir in the upper 40s/low 50s prior to 9/11. They are back there now. I don't know if a war boost would sustain Bush to November 2004.

Of course, the top four Democratic candidates have serious obstacles to overcome: Hillary (woman; high negatives); Lieberman (Jewish; northeast Liberal); Gephardt (blamed for mid-term losses); and Kerry (northeast Liberal, cancer). I give Lieberman the nod now, followed by Gephardt. If Hillary were to jump in, I don't anybody could beat her for the nomination.

Bush will have setbacks, too. Cheney will not be on the ticket in 2004 for two reasons: (1) Cheney's health will not allow it; and (2) the party will not let Bush put a guy on the ticket who cannot win or run in 2008.

You Powell fans are in for disappointment, both now and in the future. Powell is on the outs with the Bush Administration; they still use him as the need to, and he's too loyal to buck the president. I will put my money on him not being Secretary of State in a second Bush cabinet.

[sabotai]

"It perplexes me that Bush the Younger learned NO lessons from his father's administration. The polls show the economy is a much larger voting issue than war."

The difference was that the war was over for awhile for his dad. In this case, he knows you don't fix an economy overnight, so he's trying to make sure either there is a war, or a war that recently ended, when the next election come

"You Powell fans are in for disappointment, both now and in the future. Powell is on the outs with the Bush Administration; they still use him as the need to, and he's too loyal to buck the president. I will put my money on him not being Secretary of State in a second Bush cabinet."

It's a shame too. Powell is one of the few republicans I'd vote for. And the thing is, if Powell wanted to be president, he'd be president at some point in the future (of now if he pursued it). I beleive that. I also beleive that he probably doesn't want to be president.

[GrantDawg]

Powell could possibly win the Presidency, but he would never win a nomination in the Republican Party. :(

[Malificent]

The Republican Party would be fools not to, since he would take 30%+ of the black vote, I would say, and that vote is traditionally democratic. So Powell would have a good chance to hold their own block and a very good chance to steal a large portion of the Democrats block.

[Bee]

Originally posted by Malificent
The Republican Party would be fools not to, since he would take 30%+ of the black vote, I would say, and that vote is traditionally democratic. So Powell would have a good chance to hold their own block and a very good chance to steal a large portion of the Democrats block.

They would also lose a large chunk of conservative republicans because Powell is a moderate black. Powell would make a great Vice President choice for a conservative republican, but sadly at this point in our history he would have no chance of winning the presidency IMO.

[Easy Mac]

Yeah, god forbid the people elect, let alone nominate, a smart, articulate candidate for the presidency. God knows we can't have that in this country.

And I'd vote for Powell too. He sems like he is too qualified, and a great person.

[Bee]

Originally posted by kcchief19

Of course, the top four Democratic candidates have serious obstacles to overcome: Hillary (woman; high negatives); Lieberman (Jewish; northeast Liberal); Gephardt (blamed for mid-term losses); and Kerry (northeast Liberal, cancer). I give Lieberman the nod now, followed by Gephardt. If Hillary were to jump in, I don't anybody could beat her for the nomination.


Other than Hillary, the biggest issue IMO of the people you've listed is that none of them are charismatic. Lieberman may be the best of a poor lot. Hillary has the charisma, but too much baggage. They definitely all have major issues they would have to overcome.