Thursday, September 27, 2007
South Carolina Republicans Gaining Among Blacks
Katon Dawson's comments came after New York Democratic U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton's campaign launched a radio ad talking about "invisible" voters in South Carolina. Most pundits say the black vote is the key to the Democratic nomination in South Carolina, but Dawson said Republicans will fight for that vote.
"South Carolina Republicans will not concede any votes in the African-American community to Hillary Clinton or any liberal Democrat candidate," he said.
African-American voters have long been the backbone of the state's Democratic Party, but recent poll numbers show that may be changing.
Continued on Campaigns and Elections
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
New Jersey: Giuliani Leads Hillary in Close Race
UK: Labour Leads by 6
If there were to be a general election tomorrow, which party do you think you would vote for?
| Sept. 20 | Sept. 16 | Aug. 23 | |
| Labour | 39% | 40% | 39% |
| Conservative | 33% | 32% | 35% |
| Liberal Democrat | 19% | 20% | 18% |
| Other | 9% | 8% | 8% |
Source: ICM Research / Sunday Mirror
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,029 British adults, conducted on Sept. 19 and Sept. 20, 2007. No margin of error was provided.
Poll: New Hampshire May Become a Red State
Notice Hillary can't break the 50% mark even against Fred Thompson.
Rudy Giuliani (R) 42% - 43% Hillary Rodham Clinton (D)
Fred Thompson (R) 37% - 48% Hillary Rodham Clinton (D)
John McCain (R) 43% - 43% Hillary Rodham Clinton (D)
Mitt Romney (R) 42% - 42% Hillary Rodham Clinton (D)Source: Rasmussen Reports
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 500 likely voters in New Hampshire, conducted on Sept. 16, 2007. Margin of error is 4.5 per cent.
Most Americans Want Taiwan in UN
What kind of idiot would be against Taiwan joining the United Nations? Well, 27% of Americans are that kind of idiot.
Do you agree or disagree with this statement? - Taiwan should be offered membership in the United Nations (UN)
Agree
55%
Disagree
27%
Not sure
18%
Source: Zogby International
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,205 American adults, conducted from Sept. 6 to Sept. 9, 2007. Margin of error is 2.9 per cent.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
MoveOn.org to Pay $77,000 More for Disgraceful Ad
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
About 1/3 of Americans Approve of Bush Performance
a) Do you approve or disapprove of how George W. Bush is handling his job as president?
| Sept. 12 | Aug. 22 | Jul. 18 | Jun. 27 | |
| Approve | 37% | 33% | 32% | 31% |
| Disapprove | 58% | 56% | 61% | 60% |
Source: Opinion Dynamics / Fox News
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 900 registered American voters, conducted on Sept. 11 and Sept. 12, 2007. Margin of error is 3 per cent.
b) Do you approve or disapprove of George W. Bush’s performance as president?
| Sept. 9 | Aug. 8 | Jun. 24 | May 6 | |
| Approve | 36% | 36% | 32% | 38% |
| Disapprove | 61% | 61% | 66% | 61% |
Source: Opinion Research Corporation / CNN
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,017 American adults, conducted from Sept. 7 to Sept. 9, 2007. Margin of error is 3 per cent.
c) Do you approve or disapprove of George W. Bush’s performance as president?
| Sept. 7 | Jul. 21 | Jun. 1 | Apr. 12 | |
| Approve | 33% | 33% | 35% | 35% |
| Disapprove | 64% | 65% | 62% | 62% |
Source: TNS / Washington Post / ABC News
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,002 American adults, conducted from Sept. 4 to Sept. 7, 2007. Margin of error is 3 per cent.
d) Do you approve or disapprove of how George W. Bush is handling his job as president?
| Sept. 8 | Aug. 16 | Aug. 5 | Jul. 15 | |
| Approve | 33% | 32% | 34% | 31% |
| Disapprove | 62% | 63% | 62% | 63% |
Source: Gallup / USA Today
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,028 American adults, conducted on Sept. 7 and Sept. 8, 2007. Margin of error is 3 per cent.
e) Overall, do you approve, disapprove or have mixed feelings about the way George W. Bush is handling his job as president?
| Sept. 12 | Aug. 8 | Jul. 11 | Jun. 6 | |
| Approve | 33% | 35% | 33% | 32% |
| Disapprove | 64% | 62% | 65% | 66% |
| Mixed feelings | 2% | 2% | 1% | 1% |
Source: Ipsos-Public Affairs / Associated Press
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,000 American adults, conducted from Sept. 10 to Sept. 12, 2007. Margin of error is 3.1 per cent.
f) In general, do you approve or disapprove of the job that George W. Bush is doing as president?
| Sept. 10 | Jul. 30 | Jun. 11 | Apr. 23 | |
| Approve | 33% | 31% | 29% | 35% |
| Disapprove | 61% | 63% | 66% | 60% |
Source: Hart/Newhouse / The Wall Street Journal / NBC News
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,008 American adults, conducted from Sept. 7 to Sept. 10, 2007. Margin of error is 3.1 per cent.
g) Do you approve or disapprove of the way George W. Bush is handling his job as president?
| Sept. 8 | Aug. 29 | Jul. 22 | Jul. 17 | |
| Approve | 30% | 29% | 30% | 29% |
| Disapprove | 64% | 64% | 62% | 64% |
Source: CBS News
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,036 American adults, conducted from Sept. 4 to Sept. 8, 2007. Margin of error is 3 per cent.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Mexico: Obrador Has Few Friends
Former presidential candidate Andrés Manuel López Obrador has called on lawmakers to reject the current government’s proposed fiscal reform and cease all collaboration with the executive branch. Do you agree or disagree with López Obrador’s views?
Agree | 23% |
Disagree | 71% |
Not sure | 6% |
Thompson Has His Own Surge
Republican Presidential Primary Contenders
Sept. 10 | Sept. 5 | Aug. 26 | |
Fred Thompson | 28% | 22% | 23% |
Rudy Giuliani | 21% | 24% | 24% |
Mitt Romney | 12% | 14% | 13% |
John McCain | 12% | 14% | 12% |
Mike Huckabee | 6% | 4% | 5% |
Americans a Little More Optimistic About Surge
a) As you may know U.S. president George W. Bush has sent approximately 28,000 additional U.S. military forces to try to restore civil order in parts of Iraq. Do you think this increase in U.S. forces has made the situation in Iraq better, worse, or hasn’t made much difference?
Sept. 2007 | Jul. 2007 | |
Better | 28% | 22% |
Worse | 12% | 19% |
Not much difference | 58% | 56% |
Unsure | 2% | 3% |
b) Based on what you have heard or read about the recent surge of U.S. troops in Iraq, do you think the increase in the number of U.S. troops in Iraq is making the situation there better, not making much difference, or is it making the situation there worse?
Sept. 8 | Aug. 5 | |
Better | 32% | 31% |
Not making much difference | 44% | 41% |
Worse | 19% | 24% |
No opinion | 5% | 4% |
c) As you may know, the U.S. has sent more than 20,000 additional troops to Iraq. From what you have heard or read, would you say this troop increase is making the situation in Iraq better, making it worse, or is it having no impact on the situation in Iraq so far?
Sept. 2007 | Aug. 2007 | |
Better | 35% | 29% |
Worse | 12% | 15% |
No Impact | 45% | 46% |
Unsure | 8% | 10% |
d) As you may know, this year additional U.S. troops were sent to Iraq. Do you think sending more troops to Iraq has helped stabilize the situation there, or not?
Yes | 36% |
No | 58% |
Not sure | 6% |
Monday, September 10, 2007
Hawaiians Want Special Rights
Should Hawaiians be recognized by the United States as a distinct indigenous group, similar to the recognition given to American Indians and Alaska Natives?
Yes | 70% |
No | 18% |
Should Hawaiians have a right to make decisions about their land, education, health, cultural and traditional practices, and social policies?
Yes | 77% |
No | 22% |
Mexicans Claim Crime is Their Biggest Problem
What is the biggest problem facing Mexico right now?
Crime | 21% |
Corruption | 10% |
Poverty | 9% |
Low wages | 9% |
Drug trafficking | 6% |
What is the main cause of crime in Mexico?
Poverty | 31% |
Inadequate police forces | 25% |
Corruption | 13% |
Bad decisions from the government | 10% |
Chile: Conservative Piñera Looks Strong
Potential run-off scenarios for Chile’s next presidential election
Soledad Alvear 45% - 45% Sebastián Piñera
José Miguel Insulza 42% - 47% Sebastián Piñera
Ricardo Lagos 43% - 47% Sebastián Piñera
Eduardo Frei 32% - 56% Sebastián Piñera
Marcelo Trivelli 22% - 61% Sebastián Piñera
Alejandro Navarro 18% - 61% Sebastián Piñera
Source: La TerceraMethodology: Telephone interviews to 1,000 Chilean adults, conducted from Aug. 28 to Aug. 30, 2007. Margin of error is 3 per cent.Edwards Not Very Popular in General Election
If John Edwards was the Democratic nominee for president, which is closest to the way you think?
I definitely would vote for him | 10% |
I probably would vote for him | 20% |
I probably would not vote for him | 16% |
I definitely would not vote for him | 24% |
I wouldn’t vote at all | 4% |
Not sure | 27% |
Thursday, September 6, 2007
Steve Jobs' Open Letter to Angry iPhone Owners
To all iPhone customers:
I have received hundreds of emails from iPhone customers who are upset about Apple dropping the price of iPhone by $200 two months after it went on sale. After reading every one of these emails, I have some observations and conclusions.
First, I am sure that we are making the correct decision to lower the price of the 8GB iPhone from $599 to $399, and that now is the right time to do it. iPhone is a breakthrough product, and we have the chance to 'go for it' this holiday season. iPhone is so far ahead of the competition, and now it will be affordable by even more customers. It benefits both Apple and every iPhone user to get as many new customers as possible in the iPhone 'tent'. We strongly believe the $399 price will help us do just that this holiday season.
Second, being in technology for 30+ years I can attest to the fact that the technology road is bumpy. There is always change and improvement, and there is always someone who bought a product before a particular cutoff date and misses the new price or the new operating system or the new whatever. This is life in the technology lane. If you always wait for the next price cut or to buy the new improved model, you'll never buy any technology product because there is always something better and less expensive on the horizon. The good news is that if you buy products from companies that support them well, like Apple tries to do, you will receive years of useful and satisfying service from them even as newer models are introduced.
Third, even though we are making the right decision to lower the price of iPhone, and even though the technology road is bumpy, we need to do a better job taking care of our early iPhone customers as we aggressively go after new ones with a lower price. Our early customers trusted us, and we must live up to that trust with our actions in moments like these.
Therefore, we have decided to offer every iPhone customer who purchased an iPhone from either Apple or AT&T, and who is not receiving a rebate or any other consideration, a $100 store credit towards the purchase of any product at an Apple Retail Store or the Apple Online Store. Details are still being worked out and will be posted on Apple's website next week. Stay tuned.
We want to do the right thing for our valued iPhone customers. We apologize for disappointing some of you, and we are doing our best to live up to your high expectations of Apple.
Steve Jobs
Apple CEO
New Jersey Corruption: 10 Democrats, 1 Republican Arrested for Bribery
Assemblymen Alfred Steele and Mims Hackett, Passaic Mayor Sammy Rivera, Passaic City Councilman Marcellus Jackson, former Passaic City Councilman Jonathan Soto, Keith Reid, the Chief of Staff to the Newark City Council President, Louis Mister of Pleasantville, and five current and former members of the Pleasantville Board of Education -- Jayson Adams, City Councilman Maurice "Pete" Callaway, James McCormick, James Pressley and Rafael Velez.
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Michigan: Romney Has Large Lead
Romney 39
Giuliani 13
Thompson 12
McCain 9
Gingrich 7
Huckabee 4
Undecided 13
Source: ARG
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
Monday, September 3, 2007
Germany: Merkel Remains Extremely Popular
If you could vote for the chancellor directly, who would you vote for?
Angela Merkel (CDU) | 57% |
Kurt Beck (SPD) | 15% |
Other / Not sure | 28% |
Australia: ALP Lead Shrinks
What party would you vote for in the next election to the House of Representatives?
Aug. 26 | Aug. 12 | Jul. 29 | |
Australian Labor Party | 46% | 49.5% | 47% |
Coalition (Liberal / National) | 41% | 36.5% | 40.5% |
Australian Greens | 6.5% | 7% | 6.5% |
Family First | 1.5% | 2% | 1.5% |
Australian Democrats | 1% | 1.5% | 1% |
One Nation | 1% | 1% | 0.5% |
Two-Party Preferred Vote
Aug. 26 | Aug. 12 | Jul. 29 | |
Australian Labor Party | 54% | 58.5% | 54.5% |
Coalition (Liberal / National) | 46% | 41.5% | 45.5% |
Source: Roy Morgan InternationalMethodology: Face-to-face interviews with 1,271 Australian voters, conducted on Aug. 18, Aug. 19, Aug. 25 and Aug. 26, 2007. No margin of error was provided.
Americans Expect Democrats to Pick White Male Candidate
How likely is it that the Democrats will nominate a white male for president?
Aug. 2007 | Jul. 2007 | |
Very likely | 24% | 20% |
Somewhat likely | 30% | 26% |
Not very likely | 27% | 31% |
Not at all likely | 7% | 7% |