Friday Open Thread [1.27.12]
The latest NBC/Wall Street Journal poll shows what we all knew: it has destroyed Mitt Romney for the general election. Here is Chuck Todd:
“The primary has done damage to Romney. He cannot afford a long primary. If this thing goes to June, that would be very problematic. He’s already in a bad position. George W. Bush, John McCain, and Bob Dole were all in primary fights and ALL were a net-POSITIVE at this time in the election cycle. In the past 20 years in the poll, no one who went on to be the major party nominee of either party with a net-negative at this point – except John Kerry, and we all know how that turned out. Clearly, Romney is looking like he’s getting his momentum back, but he has fundamental problems for the general. The primary has done him no good.”
The Washington Post-ABC News poll earlier this week showed the same thing: Mitt Romney’s popularity has dropped dramatically with an unfavorable rating at 49% and favorable rating at 31%. Worse, among independents, 51% don’t view him favorably while just 23% do. That is mind-blowingly bad. Sarah Palin bad. Dan Quayle bad. Jack the Ripper bad.
So in the end, it doesn’t matter who is the nominee of the Republican Party anymore. Whether it is Romney or Gingrich, both are going to lose, and probably lose big, to President Obama. More on that this afternoon.
But onto the REPUBLICAN PRIMARY POLLS.
FLORIDA (Sunshine State News Poll): Romney 40%, Gingrich 31, Santorum 12 and Paul 9.
FLORIDA (Quinnipiac): Romney 38, Gingrich 29, Paul 14 and Santorum 12.
NATIONAL (Gallup Tracking): Gingrich 31, Romney 25, Paul 13, Santorum 13
NATIONAL (NBC/Wall Street Journal): Gingrich 37, Romney 28, Santorum 18, Paul 12
FLORIDA (Insider Advantage): Romney 40, Gingrich 32, Paul 9, Santorum 8
FLORIDA (Rasmussen): Romney 39, Gingrich 31, Santorum 12, Paul 9
FLORIDA (Monmouth/SurveyUSA): Romney 39, Gingrich 32, Santorum 11, Paul 8
GENERAL ELECTION
NATIONAL (NBC/Wall Street Journal): Obama d. Romney (49-43); Obama d. Santorum (53-38); Obama d. Gingrich (55-37); Obama d. Romney and Ron Paul (45-32-18)
NATIONAL (Rasmussen Tracking): Obama d. Romney (46-43); Obama d. Gingrich (48-41)
FLORIDA (Quinnipiac): Obama tied with Romney (45-45); Obama d. Paul (47-39); Obama d. Santorum (49-40); Obama d. Gingrich (50-39)
MINNESOTA (PPP): Obama d. Romney (51-41); Obama d. Santorum (52-40); Obama d. Paul (51-38); Obama d. Gingrich (53-38)
GOP Establishment: You stupid teabags are beating up our eventual nominee!!!
GOP Teabag: You stupid establishment types keep forcing this fraud down our throats!!!
Me: Can someone please pass me more popcorn?
BTW – How much am I loving the fact that the eventual GOP nominee voted in a Democratic primary as late as 1992?
Bill sponsored by Sen. Bob Marshall to increase the minimum wage in Delaware passes the Senate.
This is very good news and you’ll want to contact your Reps to voice your support.
The usual suspects are making the usual tired arguments about the minimum wage. But it is still true that a business with customers (demand) hires what they need to service that demand. And remind me that I should never eat at another local IHOP again.
In the Tell Us Something We Didn’t Know category, we have reporting (with a named source! one who worked for Paul!): Ron Paul Knew About the Racist Content of His Newsletters and Signed Off On It.
And while I’m at it, the distinction that Paul didn’t believe what he was approving, but was cynically pushing it for political gain so he isn’t really a racist, is a distinction that is meaningful pretty much only to white people.
And only SOME white people, at that.
That’s true, LG, and I should have said that.
No sweat. I really want to know if he knew what went into the Ron Paul Cookbook.
The minimum wage debate tells us quite a bit about the “job creators.”
The attitude appears to be: “Yes, I’d love to have more people working for me, but you mean I’ve got to pay them too?”
As for Mr. IHOP, I’m willing to bet that his marginal restaurant is one that’s located in an area where unemployment is higher than at his other sites. When the economy comes around, so will his profitability.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ege_RBhh37A
Everybody watch this. I laughed my ass off.
Thank you, V. That made my day!
What about John Edwards bad? His bad is far badder than SP or DQ.
There’s an IHOP here in Rehoboth and they make some poor employee stand outside on the weekend in a giant pancake costume.
Drop the chalupa, Mayor Maturo – http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2012/01/27/413426/group-delivers-hundreds-of-tacos-to-connecticut-mayor-who-insulted-latinos-with-tacos-comment/
aint that the best?? the tacos were later donated to a food pantry
what an ass that mayor is