December 29, 2007

5 Days Until the Iowa Caucuses

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Giuliani Leads by 2.5%
Giuliani 22.1
Huckabee
 19.6
Romney 14.0
McCain 13.4
Thompson 12.3
Paul 4.4
See All Polls
Clinton Leads by 16.4%
Clinton 43.3
Obama 26.9
Edwards 13.4
See All Polls
STATE PRIMARY LEADERS
(EARLY STATES)
Iowa
Huckabee +7.1%
Clinton +2.4%
New Hampshire
Romney +8.1%
Clinton +4.7%
South Carolina
Huckabee +7.3%
Clinton +1.5%
Michigan
Romney +0.5%
Clinton +31.0% No Delegates
Florida
Giuliani +2.0%
Clinton +23.7%
Nevada
Romney +3.5%
Clinton +17.5%
Clinton 48.5
Giuliani 45.5
Clinton 47.0
Thompson 42.0
Clinton 45.0
McCain 48.5
Clinton 49.8
Romney 44.3
Clinton 51.3
Huckabee 42.0
See All Head-to-Head Polls

Why the Ref's Poll Averages Are Superior

 

The Ref's Calls

Bhutto's Assassination Might Hurt Huckabee and Obama                     

In American politics the events that occur overseas generally only matter if they dominate the news cycle for at least twenty-four hours.  If the story lasts for more than three days because of demand for the story, as opposed to media driven interest, the story will begin to have a major impact for as long as the story lasts. If the story becomes an issue of constant fascination it can change the American political landscape. 

The assassination of Benazir Bhutto, while tragic, will likely not prove to impact the American primaries significantly. The story will probably fade by the time Americans go to work on Tuesday morning. The horserace will take over the news cycle on Tuesday and dominate until the caucuses on Thursday.

One can imagine, however, a different scenario where pockets of voters focus on the Bhutto story more than the rest of us and change their vote because of it.  Voters who have underestimated the significance of terrorism in the newly elected president’s next term may be reminded of it and reevaluate their options.

In the Democratic race one might imagine that some Iowa voters have strayed from Hillary and to Obama because they are uncomfortable with her less than zealous opposition to the Iraq war. Perhaps some voters on the periphery might defect from Obama in favor of Hillary's somewhat more hawkish approach. Hillary is not hawkish except when compared to Obama. They might do this because the Bhutto story reminds them that we live in a dangerous world. 

On the Republican side one might imagine that Huckabee stands to lose the most as a result of the story. He is perceived to be softer on terrorism than Giuliani, McCain and Romney because of his distancing himself from the Bush "bunker mentality." This story reminds Iowa voters that terrorism is a danger we must deal with.

This story might aid Romney is drawing the contrast between his Huckabee's approaches to terrorism. This in conjunction with the attack on Huckabee from conservative talk radio might be enough to swing Iowa to Romney.  The Ref - Dec. 28, 2007

 

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The Ref's Daily Political Brief

Rudy Giuliani Veterans' Co-Chairman: Muslims need to be chased "back to their caves" . . . Resigns

Al Quaeda Hit Team Caught on Tape - Pakistan Willing to Exhume Bhutto's Body to Prove its Claim of Cause of Death

DEMS GET TOUGH - Hillary: Edwards makes demands, Obama just hopes - Obama: Hillary a master of a broken system - Edwards: Hillary defends broken system and Obama just wants talk

Bush to Veto Defense Authorization Bill

Huckabee Points to Pakistani Illegal Immigration Problem - Gets His Facts Wrong

Huckabee on Romney Ads: "If I believed half of that stuff, I wouldn't vote for myself."