As American as apple pie! As reliable as your 401(k)! Yes, indeed, boys and girls — it’s time once again for the 10-foot Poll, the nation’s most distinctive look at who did what and why on this historic Election Day just past.
The 10-foot Poll was created to plug some of those glaring gaps in the election coverage offered by the networks, the cable outlets and even the Internet. Our carefully chosen sample of 2,361 randomly invented voters provides the kind of insight you simply won’t find anywhere else.
But enough palaver — let’s crunch those numbers!
Asked to explain their hunger for a new direction, voters said they were:
a) tired of the Bush administration: 8 percent
b) very tired of the Bush administration: 9 percent
c) incredibly tired of the Bush administration: 21 percent
d) “Why don’t they just leave already!”: 62 percent
The public’s opinion of the Bush White House proved a continuing challenge to the Republican standard-bearer, Sen. John McCain, despite his own lengthy record of public service. Voters felt that President Bush’s low approval ratings throughout 2008 were:
a) an albatross for McCain: 34 percent
b) a lead weight for McCain: 29 percent
c) more proof that God has a weird sense of humor: 37 percent
By contrast, Sen. Barack Obama had to try to overcome voter concerns that he was too young and inexperienced at a time of serious problems at home and abroad. In addition, those most strongly opposed to Obama cited frequent allegations that Obama was:
a) an activist: 16 percent
b) a socialist: 29 percent
c) a terrorist: 15 percent
d) a Hawaiian: 40 percent
Many analysts believed that McCain forfeited the “experience” argument against Obama by his selection of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin to be his running mate. While Palin energized the Republican base, she was also a frequent source of controversy. We found that overall, voters felt that Palin emerged from the campaign with:
a) an enhanced reputation: 21 percent
b) a damaged reputation: 23 percent
c) a lot of new clothes: 56 percent
Meanwhile, independent voters who voted for Obama felt that McCain would have been more appealing had he selected as his running mate:
a) Mike Huckabee: 18 percent
b) Mitt Romney: 26 percent
c) Rudy Giuliani: 25 percent
d) someone from the phone book: 31 percent
Negative impressions weren’t the only motivators for voters, of course; our sample found plenty to like about the particular candidate they supported. Obama backers found most compelling:
a) his specific policy positions: 17 percent
b) his life story: 16 percent
c) his speechmaking ability: 18 percent
d) the celestial light that constantly envelops him: 49 percent
While McCain backers cited:
a) his specific policy positions: 20 percent
b) his life story: 46 percent
c) his “straight talk”: 28 percent
d) his comfort with the e-mail: 6 percent
Bill Clinton’s campaigning for Obama was seen as:
a) belated and grudging: 19 percent
b) timely and convincing: 22 percent
c) a great way to meet chicks: 59 percent
And finally, asked to look ahead to 2012, voters said they favored:
a) Barack Obama: 11 percent
b) John McCain: 10 percent
c) Hillary Clinton: 7 percent
d) Sarah Palin: 5 percent
e) another candidate: 3 percent
f) a nice long nap: 64 percent
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Rick Horowitz is a syndicated columnist based in Milwaukee.
