Marc Ambinder on the latest desparate attacks on Hillary Clinton:
“In the past 48 hours, two potential Republican rivals of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton found themselves with the chance to take a shot at the presumed Democratic front-runner in 2016. Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) brought up President Clinton’s affair with Monica Lewinsky to show that the so-called “war on women” is a false Democratic attack. And Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) called on Hillary Clinton to be candid about her mismanagement of the deadly violence in Beghazi, Libya. Both attacks have superficial plausibility. But if they’re the best that Republicans have, then Clinton is an even stronger presidential candidate than she appears to be.”
We have a lot a polling goodness for today’s Open Thread. First, a new Pew Research poll shows Americans perceive Republicans as the fringe uncompromising petulant radical party that no one wants to invite to a party for fear they will show up drunk and start a fight. Meanwhile, Democrats are seen an more willing to work with the other party, by a margin of 52% to 27%.
“Democrats also hold a 20-point advantage when it comes to which party ‘is more concerned with the needs of people like me’ and a 10-point edge when it comes to governing in a more ethical and honest way. The GOP, meanwhile, is viewed as much more ‘extreme’ in its issue positions (54% to 35%) and more influenced by lobbyists (47% to 30%).”
The Democratic agenda, as espoused by President Obama in his State of the Union Address, is thoroughly enjoyed and approved of by the American people.
1. Ending the Afghanistan War after 12 long years. Republicans sat on their hands and refused to clap when the President said this. 66% of Americans stood, cheered and clapped with the Democrats.
2. Congress shouldn’t shut down government or threaten the full faith and credit of the United States. Republicans sat on their hands and refused to clap when the President said this. 80% of Americans stood, cheered and clapped with the Democrats.
3. Congress should repeal tax breaks for Big Oil. Republicans sat on their hands and refused to clap when the President said this. 74% of Americans stood, cheered and clapped with the Democrats.
4. Congress should restore unemployment insurance that it let expire at the end of the year. Republicans sat on their hands and refused to clap when the President said this. 58% of Americans stood, cheered and clapped with the Democrats.
5. Women deserve equal pay for equal work. Republicans sat on their hands and refused to clap when the President said this. 90% of Americans stood, cheered and clapped with the Democrats.
6. Nobody who works full time should have to raise a family in poverty, so Congress should raise the minimum wage to $10.10. Republicans sat on their hands and refused to clap when the President said this. 71% of Americans stood, cheered and clapped with the Democrats.
NATIONAL–PRESIDENT–DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY–Washington Post-ABC News: Hillary Clinton 73, Joe Biden 12, Elizabeth Warren 8
NATIONAL–PRESIDENT–REPUBLICAN PRIMARY–Washington Post-ABC News: Paul Ryan 20, Jeb Bush 18, Chris Christie 13, Ted Cruz 12, Rand Paul 11, Marco Rubio 10.
Among strong backers of the tea party — who make up about one-fifth of the Republicans polled — Cruz has a big lead, with 28 percent, followed by Ryan, at 18 percent. But Cruz, an iconoclastic freshman senator who rose to prominence during last fall’s partial government shutdown, registers just 4 percent among those who oppose or have no opinion of the tea party.
Christie is weakest among the strong tea party set, winning 6 percent of that group, but he has the backing of 15 percent of other Republicans. Bush’s base of support comes from self-identified Republicans, while Ryan’s strength comes from white evangelical Protestants, young voters and less conservative wings of the party. Rubio does particularly well among Republicans with college degrees.
NATIONAL–PRESIDENT–Washington Post-ABC News: Hillary Clinton (D) 53, Chris Christie (R) 41
NATIONAL–PRESIDENT–DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY–PPP: Clinton 67, Warren 7, Biden 7, Corey Booker 2, Andrew Cuomo 2
NATIONAL–PRESIDENT–REPUBLICAN PRIMARY–PPP: Mike Huckabee 16, Bush 14, Christie 13, Paul 11, Cruz 8, Rubio 8, Ryan 8, Scott Walker 6, Bobby Jindal 5
NATIONAL–PRESIDENT–PPP: Clinton (D) 45, Christie (R) 43; Clinton 45, Bush 43; Clinton 46, Ryan 44; Clinton 46, Huckabee 43; Clinton 46, Paul 43; Clinton 47, Cruz 41
NEW HAMPSHIRE–PRESIDENT–DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY–WMUR Granite State Poll: Clinton 74, Biden 10, Cuomo 2, Mark Warner 1, all others >1.
NEW HAMPSHIRE–PRESIDENT–REPUBLICAN PRIMARY–WMUR Granite State Poll: Rand Paul 16, Kelly Ayotte 13, Scott Brown(??) 11, Christie 9, Ryan 6, Rubio 6, Donald Trump 4, Bush 3, Cruz 3, Walker 2, Perry 2.
FLORIDA–GOVERNOR–Quinnipiac: Charlie Crist (D) 46, Gov. Rick Scott (R) 38.
WISCONSIN–GOVERNOR–Marquette Law School: Gov. Scott Walker (R) 47, Mary Burke (D), 47% to 41%.
GEORGIA–US SENATE–Public Policy Polling: Michelle Nunn (D) 42, Rep. Paul Broun (R) 41, Nunn, 44, Rep. Jack Kingston (R) 42, Nunn 44, Karen Handel (R) 40, Nunn 45, Rep. Phil Gingrey (R) 41.
KENTUCKY–US SENATE–Public Policy Polling: Sen. Mitch McConnell (R) 45, Alison Lundergran Grimes (D) 44.
McConnell’s approval rate is just 37%, with 51% of voters disapproving.
Looks like the Dems might pick up two GOP seats, which is good since we look to lose our seats in North Dakota and West Virginia.