Tidbits from the latest CBS poll: (Gore only 5 points behind Clinton!)

[Basileus Basileon]

http://www.cbsnews.com/htdocs/pdf/102507_newspoll.pdf

Here are some bits I find interesting:

So right now, it's H/O/E 51/23/13. I'm sure you've already read that, but let's look deeper.

DEMOCRATIC CHOICE FOR THE NOMINATION
(Among Democratic primary voters)
Clinton 37%
Gore 32
Obama 16
Edwards 7

For some reason, Gore has surged. Post-Nobel buzz, perhaps? If he wants to enter the race, this would be a fine time to declare. I've not yet seen a poll in which a non-candidate was within 5 of the "presumptive nominee."

Anyway, on to the next point. I'll say right away where I'm going with this--stop bashing Hillary unless you want her to win. Here, first of all, are the favorability scores for the Big Three.

OPINION OF THE DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES
(Among likely Democratic primary voters)

Clinton: Favorable 72%
Not favorable 15
Undecided/DK 12

Obama: Favorable 56%
Not favorable 13
Undecided/DK 30

Edwards: Favorable 44%
Not favorable 14
Undecided/DK 41

What's the take-home? More Democrats like Hillary than any other candidate. People aren't quite sure what to think of the other two, but they know they like Hillary. Next:

EXPLAINING OR ATTACKING IN THE 2008 CAMPAIGN?
(Among Democratic primary voters)
Hillary Clinton Other Democrats
Explaining 68% 47%
Attacking 18 34

People generally seem to believe that Hillary Clinton is explaining her positions and not running an attack campaign. While they mostly think the same of other Democrats, nearly twice as many people believe that Obama/Edwards are running negative campaigns as they do Hillary. And that does not reflect well on them.

Her favorables among Democrats are very, very high indeed. You will not get them below 50% this race. And given the comparatively low number of people who have not yet formed an opinion on her, a negative campaign is only going to reinforce the opinion that the Obama/Edwards folks are bashers and not supporters. Plus, she's the frontrunner, and she has the advantage of having two opponents. If you make this race a referendum on Hillary--that is, if the primary voter goes into the booth thinking first and foremost about Hillary--well, odds are that voter's going to decide he likes Ms. Clinton, and Hillary is going to walk away with it.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

1. kick cause it's interesting. thanks.

[Basileus Basileon]

2. vanity kick

[AtomicKitten]

3. Holy Sh*t! I had no idea.

Un-effin-believable!!!

WOO-HOO!!!! I hope he's paying attention.

Run, Gore, run.

[Kurovski]

4. Kick. (nt)

[Basileus Basileon]

5. kix

[kster]

6. Corporate America speaks, and you believe them, Al Gore would

blow the corporate selected candidate "Clinton" out of the water.

But if you want to believe CBS....

[Basileus Basileon]

7. This is the highest Al has done in a poll this year.

Lemme guess--back in 2000, you were either too young to be into politics, or you were for Nader, because Gore was the corporate-owned sellout candidate.