Romney in a Word: 'Honest,' 'Businessman,' 'Rich' (Pew Research Center)

[Playinghardball]

His Image Changes, but Remains More Negative than Positive

As the American public has learned more about Mitt Romney over the course of the past year, his image has changed substantially. Last fall, the one word that came to mind most frequently when people were asked to describe Romney was Mormon. The same question this spring elicited the words rich and no more frequently than any other. While Romney’s wealth remains a defining feature, today it is joined by the words honest and businessman, two terms that were offered by relatively few as recently as March.

The new national survey by the Pew Research Center and the Washington Post, conducted August 23-26, 2012 among 1,010 adults nationwide, finds that while many people are now using different words to describe Romney, the words remain on balance more negative than positive. Romney elicits far more positive reactions from Republicans now than in the spring, but both Democrats and independents continue to say more negative than positive things about him.



Overall, 42% of the words volunteered by respondents are clearly negative, most commonly liar, arrogant, crook, out of touch, distrust and fake. Fewer (28%) offer words that are clearly positive in tone, such as honest, good, leadership, and capable. The remaining 30% of words are more descriptive and neutral in their tone, including businessman, rich, conservative, and Republican. As the campaign progresses, fewer Americans are offering neutral descriptions of Romney, but people continue to have more negative than positive things to say about him.

The tone of these responses is in line with the favorability ratings in both Pew Research Center and Washington Post polling. The Pew Research Center for the People & the Press’s most recent measure of Romney’s favorability in late July found more voters expressing an unfavorable than favorable view of Mitt Romney by a 52% to 37% margin. The most recent update of candidate favorability by the Washington Post/ABC News, conducted just this past weekend, also remains in negative territory with no improvement in recent months.



http://www.people-press.org/2012/08/29/romney-in-a-word-honest-businessman-rich/

[Zoeisright]

1. Americans: getting dumber every month.

[reflection]

2. I'm surprised

that neither 'lemon' nor 'wet' made the list, since 'good' was on it.

Seriously though, very interesting analysis. How the hell 'honest' got attached to this guy, I have no idea.

[ProSense]

3. Romney's problem:

28 percent positive, 42 percent negative

Still look at "honest" (32) and "good" (23)

Those are likely Republicans.

Now look at "leadership" (15). That's not too much higher than "liar" (13), "arrogant" (12), "crook/crooked" (10) and "out of touch" (10).

He has a definite image problem.

[hifiguy]

4. Too bad "asshole" wasn't on the list.

Coulda been interesting.

[sadbear]

5. This whole 'honest' thing has to be a concerted effort by the Heritage Foundation

to turn one of Romney's biggest weaknesses into a strength.

[Initech]

6. I'd use the words "greedy", "boring", and "arrogant douchebag".