Buckeye State Blog - Suffolk University Comprehensive Poll - Comments

I don't think it's that easy to fix

AmberCat — Mon, 13 Mar 2006 06:42:22 -0800

and i think Brown lacks the will. The way he handled Hackett's withdrawal wasn't fatal in and of itself, but it as as an indicator of Brown's ineffectual modus operandi. Of course, Brown has the support of his rank-and-file (Dem and union activists), always has. From last October to mid-February, I was arguing with such people constantly about why Hackett might be a better candidate and they just thought Brown was unstoppable. The rank-and-file isn't the problem; the problem is the 90% of voters who aren't the Brown true believers. In fact, Sherrod is doing a horrible job introducing himself to the "non-netroots" (where 99% of my time in politics is spent). Most of his meetings seem to be in front of the absolute convicted

easy to fix

bryan — Mon, 13 Mar 2006 04:52:34 -0800

it is an incredibly easy situation to fix. and i'm glad hackett is walking away from the situation for a bit -- probably best for all involved.

what sherrod really needs now is support from HIS rank-and-file. no more bomb throwing or salt-in-the-wound posting on the internets. doesn't win any arguments -- and wins even fewer friends.

in the meantime, sherrod is doing a pretty good job introducing himself to the non-netroots. i think part of the frustration with his all-trade-all-the-time discussion is that we already know him and know those issues. most ohioans don't. from a strategic perspective, i'm not sure it's a bad idea to find one issue and hammer it home for months.

I have always said

Drdemocrat — Mon, 13 Mar 2006 04:41:54 -0800

That if Brown had sent out a press release praising Hackett like Strickland did for Coleman and Fingerhut even if Hackett was upset, a lot of this would have been smoothed out. I think that both sides would have conducted themselves better.

But instead, nothing was said except for lies about why Hackett dropped out (based upon a poll which ain't true), Hackett probably heard the truth about Dan Lucas's whisper campaign and the backroom machinations, and now ill feelings. Luckily, Hackett says he is now laying low until the ill will feelings that are unproductive goes away.

Name ID

Alan Harvard — Sun, 12 Mar 2006 22:24:13 -0800

Amazing that only 9% of those polled don't have a rating for DeWine - that means he has GREAT Name ID.

"Amazing" is not the word . . . "Scary" is the word.

DeWine has the most Cash on Hand right now too.

oh, the polls

bryan — Sun, 12 Mar 2006 18:47:31 -0800

as expected, this poll confirms that favorability rating = voter preference this far out. this doesn't mean that sherrod is out of the race -- far from it -- just that voters are loath to turn out an incumbent they generally like and trust.

anyone can pick any poll apart -- they are not, for all the protests of some pushers, all science and no art. a better course of action is to acknowledge the tough fight ahead and get to work securing the base.

just look at how strickland has handled the coleman and fingerhut withdrawals. he has been, well, genius. sherrod needs this same outcome now.

it sure is a strange way they look at things

staff — Sun, 12 Mar 2006 15:58:43 -0800

I'm curious to know what polling they think Brown is currently doing - if they think the last 2 are fantasy.

dude

staff — Sun, 12 Mar 2006 15:39:12 -0800

calm down - it was emailed to me in advance by one of the pollsters at the U. it aint released officially yet.

I wish

AmberCat — Sun, 12 Mar 2006 14:51:13 -0800

instead of wearing blinders and making a bunch of excuses about why the polls are wrong, that Brown and his supproters would look at what they are doing and why they are maybe not reaching people. They could make some changes to improve their chances but

One more thing

ratdg1 — Sun, 12 Mar 2006 14:50:54 -0800

Where's the poll from? I just checked the Suffolk website, and there's nothing there about a poll released on march 10. The most recent is from February 6, and it deals with the Massachusetts races.

Interestingly, there's no information about this poll from any site but this one, and one Dkos diary that uses this site as a source. No media coverage, nothing on the site it supposedly came from, no other mentions at all.

heh

staff — Sun, 12 Mar 2006 14:39:03 -0800

Funny thing is, I think i would trust the U of Suffolk's judgement more than yours. The weird thing about poll results - those who are down always think they are crap and those that are up think they are great. Anyhow - keep ya blinders on - 2 polls in a row showing Brown getting creamed and another coming out in a week or so will show the same.

Poll is crap.

ratdg1 — Sun, 12 Mar 2006 13:05:21 -0800

This poll is crap. Look at the question order.

They ask about Sherrod Brown in Question 3-right after Taft & Petro. Then they ask about a bunch of other candidates.

Finally, they ask about Mike Dewine in Q.7, immediately followed by the "who would you vote for" question.

Additionally, they use the phrase "Democrat Sherrod Brown," but not "Republican Mike DeWine" which biases the responses you're gonna get.

They also ask about whether you trust Petro, but not Blackwell. They ask how people would grade Bush, then immediately follow with how people grade Congressional Democrats, but never ask about how people grade Congressional Republicans.

All in all, this is a pretty shitty poll.

One line from

tjqhzonff — Sun, 12 Mar 2006 05:22:02 -0800

her article that particularly resonated with me:

"This is not a time for a candidate who will offend no one; it is time for a candidate who takes clear stands and kicks ass."

Sigh.

Molly Ivins

LisaCD — Sat, 11 Mar 2006 15:39:59 -0800

had a good commentary saying much the same thing. You can find it at /www.commondreams.org/views06/0310-20.htm

Speaking of being outraged

AmberCat — Sat, 11 Mar 2006 10:19:43 -0800

Did you read that when Hillary Clinton responded to the Republicans' charge that she's angry by saying that when there's so much stuff to outraged at, you SHOULD be outraged, her ratings went UP? A lot of people are tired of being told they shouldn't be "angry" or "shrill" when they are being ruthlessly battered by the greediest, most power-hungry, most amoral, hypocritical and unprincipled bunch of politicians in this country's history.

If anybody

SusanD — Sat, 11 Mar 2006 09:06:33 -0800

asked me at this point I would say "unaffiliated". I can hardly stand to associate myself with the current weak-kneed Dems. They throw plenty of sharp elbows when they want to be out front. Then they fold their hands and talk "plans". People are looking for somebody who's going to fight for them, not a policy-wonk. When a politician stands around being "nice" and blathering on about what he'll do, it just makes me feel like he's not even aware of the damage inflicted on the people of Ohio. Candidates *should* be outraged, just as we are, and they shouldn't be afraid to show it. When they come out being so mild and their opponents so vicious it doesn't make them look "nicer", it makes them look like weak fools who don't know, or care about, what's happening.

Suffolk University Comprehensive Poll

staff — Fri, 10 Mar 2006 17:20:52 -0800

I received this poll in my inbox from a reader (thanks !) - a poll conducted by the Suffolk University Boston, it's pretty comprehensive. It was taken between March 4th and 7th. What I gleaned from it:

Ted Strickland is in a very strong position (18 ahead of Blackwell, 11 ahead of Petro). His favorables are high and unfavorables very low.
Ken Blackwell is weak and polarizing. Higher negatives than positives.
Petro isn't as damaged by the corruption as I expected, but it's showing.
Brown gets whooped by DeWine 35-51...with only 15% undecided Brown looks like he is toast. DeWine's favorables are above 50 at 51%. Brown needs to start bringing Dewine down or this race is over. where ya at Hackett ?!

Other observations. Number of folks saying they will vote in November is high and it looks like it over sampled Democrats by a few % (unless of course people are reluctant to say they are Republicans given the low performance results they get in this poll, which is possible.

Full poll results in the extended.