Shaking Hands, Kissing Babies
Add Purell to the list of campaign essentials in Iowa.
A third of likely Democratic caucus-goers said they'd had a conversation with or shaken the hand of one of the Democratic candidates for President according to the latest Washington Post-ABC News Iowa poll.
And the candidate who's had the most face-time? Illinois Senator Barack Obama.
About half of Iowans who report having met a potential Democratic nominee said the candidate they met was Obama, 38 percent said it was former North Carolina senator John Edwards, and 36 percent said they'd greeted Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton.
All told, this means that 17 percent of likely Democratic caucus-goers have met Obama, 13 percent Edwards and 12 percent Clinton.
One in five likely caucus-goers report having met just one candidate, while a lucky 13 percent have met multiple contenders. One percent said they have encountered seven of the eight remaining candidates.
Iowans are famous for rewarding active campaigning in the state with support on caucus night, but how has all the handshaking panned out so far?
Among those Iowans who have come face to face with a Democratic candidate, 32 percent say they support Obama, 23 percent Clinton and 23 percent Edwards.
More information about and full question wording from the Washington Post-ABC News Iowa poll can be found at www.washingtonpost.com/polls.
By Jennifer Agiesta |
November 21, 2007; 10:05 AM ET
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Posted by: Zyskandar A Jaimot | November 21, 2007 1:36 PM
Senator Obama has made a serious tactical error in using an unecessary attack on the nation's space agency as a means to fund American education. How silly and what poor judgment by this presidential candidate. At a time when the Chinese, Japanese, Indians, Russians, British, and even the South Koreans are gearing-up for space exploration technology and going to the Moon, OBAMA sounds the retreat and would HALT Americans going to space during his proposed tenure. This is no way to boost American education by intentionally adopting policy to make Amercican space technology second-rate. It solidified my vote for someone other than Obama.
Posted by: Jack Kennedy | November 22, 2007 12:34 PM
So is this saying that if you're a candidate for the presidential election, the more hands you shake the more popular you will be among voters? Well I can defiantly see where that comes from. People would think that the candidate is all about the people and that because they know the common people (shake their hands) then they know the needs of the people they will lead. It's a pretty good tactic if you really think about it. If someone running for president shook my hand I would probably be swayed a little more in their favor especially if had a kind word to go with it.
Posted by: calicoribbon | November 27, 2007 11:53 PM
I think it is good that the people of America, or at least of Iowa, meet their candidates and shake their hands. This is a polite and friendly gesture that gives a more "regular person" feel to a person of power. It always means more when the person running the country seems able to relate to.
Posted by: lauralion | November 29, 2007 9:00 PM
2008 Presidential Election Weekly Poll
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Posted by: votenic | December 14, 2007 8:53 PM
2008 Presidential Election Weekly Poll
New YouTube Video!
The Only Poll That Matters.
Results Posted Tuesday Evening At Midnight.
Posted by: votenic | December 19, 2007 3:40 PM
The Clinton surprise win shows that people are underestimating the Republicans, as McCain took many of the independents from Obama, letting Clinton take the victory.
Also, it shows that the Iowa caucus style makes for the most popular winner and not necessarily the most likely to win.
Read more at: 2008prezprimary.blogspot.com
Posted by: Kenny Porpora | January 10, 2008 3:28 PM
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Quite the 'mocking-punster' is our HILLARY FEMALE FASCIST not as smart not as witty or articulate nor as good-looking as 'IL DUCE - BENITO MUSSOLINI' but then again "...asbestos pant-suits" hide a lot of 'UGLINESS/CORRUPTION'?! HILLARY 'implores' all the lilliputians to not mud-sling like the REPUBLICANTS - THEN DUMPS A LOAD OF INNUENDO/CRAPPOLA OVER EVERYONE!!! HILLARY the FEMALE FASCIST you can count on to say one thing and do another!!!