National (US) Poll * March 6, 2006 * Rudy Giuliani, Barack Obama, J - Quinnipiac University

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March 6, 2006 - Rudy Giuliani, Barack Obama, John McCain Are Hottest, Quinnipiac University National Thermometer Shows; V.P. Cheney Gets Cold Shoulder From Voters

Former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, Illinois Sen. Barack Obama and Arizona Sen. John McCain are the hottest figures in a Quinnipiac University national 'Thermometer' survey, where almost 1,900 voters rate their feelings about national leaders.
The two Republican Presidential front-runners and Sen. Obama, who is not yet on the '08 guess list, are more warmly received than Sen. Hillary Clinton, and other contenders.
The independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University poll asked voters to rate leaders from 0 to 100 on a "feeling thermometer," with the highest numbers reflecting the warmest feelings. The top 10 mean scores are:
(1)..Rudolph Giuliani.........................63.5
(2) Barack Obama.............................59.9
(3) John McCain..............................59.7
(4) Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice......57.1
(5) President Bill Clinton...................56.1
(6) Former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards..50.8
(7) Former Virginia Gov. Mark Warner.........50.7
(8) New York Sen. Hillary Clinton............50.4
(9) Wisconsin Sen. Russ Feingold.............49
(10) Virginia Sen. George Allen...............48.6
President George W. Bush is at 44.1 and Vice President Dick Cheney gets 41.
"This first Thermometer of American Leaders is a cold shower for President Bush, Vice President Cheney - and for Sen. Clinton, who is not as hot as Sen. Obama," said Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.
"But it is important to note that 59 percent of voters don't think they know enough to rate Obama," Brown added.
"Not only do Mayor Giuliani and Sen. McCain get the best ratings, but their numbers are uniform across the country. There is less than a 1 percent difference in their ratings between the red, blue and purple states."
"Interestingly, Giuliani gets a higher rating from self-identified white evangelical voters who either don't know or don't care that he favors abortion and gay rights."
Voters in "purple states," 12 states in which there was a popular vote margin of 5 percentage points or less in the 2004 Presidential election, plus Missouri, considered the most accurate barometer of Presidential voting, give President Bush a 40.2.
Bush gets a 49.4 in red states, where his margin was more than 5 percent in 2004. Blue state voters who backed John Kerry by more than 5 percent give Bush a 41.2.
Distinctive about the numbers for Giuliani and McCain was how little difference there was in the way Americans in the red, blue and purple states felt about them. There were greater regional differences for President Bush and to a lesser degree for Sen. Clinton.
Giuliani had a mean rating of 63.5 out of 100 and only about 13 percent of Americans said they were not able to rate him. McCain's mean was 59.7 and 16 percent were unable to say how they felt about him. Sen. Clinton's mean was 50.4 and only 2 percent could not rate her.
From February 21 - 28, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,892 registered voters nationwide. The survey has a margin of error of +/- 2.3 percentage points.
The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D., conducts public opinion surveys in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Florida and nationwide as a public service and for research.
For additional data -- www.quinnipiac.edu or call (203) 582-5201 I'd like to get your feelings toward some of our political leaders and other people who have been in the news. I'll read the name of a person and I'd like you to rate that person using something called the feeling thermometer. You can choose any number between 0 and 100. The higher the number, the warmer or more favorable you feel toward that person, the lower the number, the colder or less favorable. If we come to a person who you haven't heard enough about to form an opinion, you don't need to rate the person. Just tell me and we'll move on to the next one.
5. How do you feel about George W. Bush?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Red Blue Purple 0-20 37% 7% 58% 41% 35% 39% 31% 40% 42% 21-40 12 5 16 14 12 12 12 13 11 41-60 14 12 14 15 14 14 13 14 14 61-80 17 31 6 18 21 14 20 17 15 81-100 19 45 5 11 18 20 23 16 16 DK - - 1 1 - - - 1 - RF - - - - - 1 - - - <50 50% 12% 76% 56% 48% 52% 44% 53% 55% 50 7 4 8 9 7 8 7 8 7 >50 42 84 15 34 45 39 49 38 37 DK - - 1 1 - - - 1 - RF - - - - - 1 - - - Mean 44.1 74.6 23.9 38.5 45.7 42.7 49.4 41.2 40.2
6. How do you feel about Bill Clinton?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Red Blue Purple 0-20 22% 47% 4% 19% 21% 24% 24% 18% 24% 21-40 11 21 3 11 13 10 13 11 10 41-60 16 13 12 22 17 16 16 18 15 61-80 23 12 32 23 23 23 23 24 22 81-100 26 6 46 24 25 27 23 27 28 DK 1 1 2 1 2 1 1 2 - RF - - - - - - - - - <50 34% 69% 9% 30% 34% 35% 38% 30% 35% 50 9 8 6 13 9 9 9 8 9 >50 56 22 84 55 55 56 52 60 55 DK 1 1 2 1 2 1 1 2 - RF - - - - - - - - - Mean 56.1 31.4 77.2 56.9 56.5 55.9 53.6 58.8 56.2
7. How do you feel about Hillary Clinton?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Red Blue Purple 0-20 29% 58% 5% 27% 32% 26% 31% 28% 27% 21-40 11 20 4 11 13 10 14 11 9 41-60 17 8 19 20 18 15 16 16 17 61-80 20 8 30 21 17 23 16 23 23 81-100 22 5 39 18 17 26 22 20 22 DK 2 - 2 2 2 1 1 2 1 RF - - - - - - - - - <50 41% 80% 10% 39% 46% 37% 46% 40% 38% 50 9 5 10 12 9 8 10 7 9 >50 48 15 78 47 42 54 43 50 52 DK 2 - 2 2 2 1 1 2 1 RF - - - - - - - - - Mean 50.4 24.7 73.1 50.2 46.0 54.3 47.7 51.0 52.6
8. How do you feel about John McCain?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Red Blue Purple 0-20 9% 8% 8% 10% 8% 9% 8% 11% 8% 21-40 9 8 10 10 9 9 11 9 8 41-60 25 27 25 25 25 26 26 24 25 61-80 26 29 25 25 30 24 26 28 25 81-100 14 17 13 15 17 12 14 15 15 DK 16 12 18 15 11 20 15 14 18 RF - - - - - - - - 1 <50 20% 17% 20% 23% 19% 20% 21% 20% 18% 50 14 17 13 12 12 15 14 13 14 >50 51 55 49 51 58 44 50 53 49 DK 16 12 18 15 11 20 15 14 18 RF - - - - - - - - 1 Mean 59.7 61.9 58.7 58.7 61.6 57.7 59.6 59.3 60.1
9. How do you feel about John Kerry?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Red Blue Purple 0-20 25% 45% 7% 24% 28% 22% 27% 24% 22% 21-40 16 23 8 17 16 15 18 16 14 41-60 24 17 29 27 25 23 23 29 21 61-80 21 7 33 20 20 21 17 19 26 81-100 9 3 18 8 6 12 10 7 12 DK 6 5 5 5 5 6 6 5 6 RF - - - - - - - - - <50 43% 71% 17% 43% 47% 39% 47% 43% 38% 50 13 9 16 14 13 13 13 15 12 >50 39 15 62 37 35 42 34 38 44 DK 6 5 5 5 5 6 6 5 6 RF - - - - - - - - - Mean 46.3 28.7 63.1 45.4 43.1 49.2 43.7 45.7 49.8
10. How do you feel about Rudy Giuliani?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Red Blue Purple 0-20 8% 4% 11% 10% 9% 8% 8% 9% 7% 21-40 7 3 10 10 8 7 7 9 7 41-60 22 18 26 21 22 22 24 19 23 61-80 29 34 24 30 31 27 29 30 29 81-100 20 32 16 14 19 21 20 23 18 DK 13 9 13 15 11 14 13 10 15 RF - - - - - - - - 1 <50 17% 8% 22% 21% 17% 17% 16% 19% 16% 50 13 9 16 13 12 14 14 11 13 >50 58 75 48 52 60 56 58 60 55 DK 13 9 13 15 11 14 13 10 15 RF - - - - - - - - 1 Mean 63.5 72.7 58.4 59.5 62.7 64.2 63.5 63.7 63.4
11. How do you feel about George Allen?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Red Blue Purple 0-20 4% 2% 5% 5% 4% 4% 3% 6% 3% 21-40 5 5 5 7 7 4 7 3 5 41-60 9 9 9 10 10 8 10 9 8 61-80 5 6 3 5 7 3 7 4 3 81-100 2 5 1 1 2 2 3 1 1 DK 74 73 77 72 70 78 69 76 78 RF - - 1 - - 1 - 1 1 <50 10% 8% 10% 12% 12% 9% 12% 10% 9% 50 6 5 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 >50 9 13 6 10 12 7 13 8 6 DK 74 73 77 72 70 78 69 76 78 RF - - 1 - - 1 - 1 1 Mean 48.6 57.4 42.9 46.2 49.3 47.7 51.6 44.9 46.6
12. How do you feel about Russ Feingold?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Red Blue Purple 0-20 5% 8% 3% 6% 6% 4% 5% 5% 6% 21-40 6 8 4 6 6 5 5 6 7 41-60 13 13 11 13 16 9 13 13 12 61-80 6 4 8 6 7 5 6 6 7 81-100 2 - 4 2 3 1 1 2 4 DK 67 66 70 67 60 74 70 67 65 RF 1 1 1 - - 1 1 1 - <50 12% 16% 7% 12% 14% 10% 10% 12% 13% 50 8 9 7 8 10 6 7 8 8 >50 13 8 15 13 16 9 12 12 14 DK 67 66 70 67 60 74 70 67 65 RF 1 1 1 - - 1 1 1 - Mean 49.0 41.7 56.9 48.4 50.0 47.6 47.7 47.8 50.7
13. How do you feel about Bill Frist?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Red Blue Purple 0-20 12% 2% 17% 15% 15% 10% 9% 16% 10% 21-40 10 9 11 9 11 8 10 10 9 41-60 15 17 13 17 18 13 16 14 15 61-80 10 16 6 9 12 7 11 11 6 81-100 3 6 1 2 3 3 3 3 3 DK 50 48 52 48 41 58 51 44 56 RF - - 1 - - 1 - 1 1 <50 23% 13% 28% 26% 28% 19% 20% 28% 21% 50 9 9 9 10 10 9 10 9 9 >50 17 29 10 15 20 14 19 17 14 DK 50 48 52 48 41 58 51 44 56 RF - - 1 - - 1 - 1 1 Mean 44.1 58.7 35.4 40.5 43.8 44.6 47.1 41.9 43.1
14. How do you feel about Mark Warner?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Red Blue Purple 0-20 4% 3% 2% 5% 4% 3% 4% 3% 4% 21-40 5 5 5 6 5 5 5 5 5 41-60 11 9 11 12 13 9 12 11 8 61-80 6 6 8 7 8 5 9 7 4 81-100 2 1 2 1 2 1 3 1 1 DK 72 75 71 70 68 76 67 73 77 RF 1 1 1 - 1 - - 1 1 <50 9% 8% 8% 11% 10% 9% 10% 8% 9% 50 7 5 7 8 7 6 7 7 6 >50 12 11 13 11 15 9 16 11 7 DK 72 75 71 70 68 76 67 73 77 RF 1 1 1 - 1 - - 1 1 Mean 50.7 50.1 54.7 47.9 52.1 49.1 53.3 50.5 46.2
15. How do you feel about Barack Obama?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Red Blue Purple 0-20 6% 10% 1% 7% 7% 4% 5% 6% 6% 21-40 5 8 2 4 6 3 5 6 3 41-60 9 12 6 10 12 7 9 12 7 61-80 11 6 16 11 12 11 10 13 10 81-100 10 2 15 10 8 11 9 12 9 DK 59 61 59 57 55 63 62 51 65 RF - - - - - - - 1 - <50 11% 18% 4% 12% 14% 8% 11% 13% 9% 50 5 6 4 5 6 4 4 7 4 >50 25 14 33 25 25 25 23 28 23 DK 59 61 59 57 55 63 62 51 65 RF - - - - - - - 1 - Mean 59.9 44.2 73.8 58.3 56.1 64.1 60.1 59.9 60.4
16. How do you feel about Joe Biden?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Red Blue Purple 0-20 9% 15% 4% 8% 9% 8% 8% 10% 9% 21-40 9 10 8 8 11 7 10 9 7 41-60 17 17 15 20 21 13 17 18 15 61-80 10 7 15 10 13 8 11 11 9 81-100 2 1 4 2 3 2 1 3 3 DK 53 51 53 51 43 61 53 48 56 RF - - 1 - - - - 1 - <50 19% 27% 12% 18% 22% 16% 19% 21% 17% 50 9 9 9 11 11 8 10 8 10 >50 19 13 25 19 23 15 17 22 18 DK 53 51 53 51 43 61 53 48 56 RF - - 1 - - - - 1 - Mean 47.5 38.8 56.2 47.1 48.3 46.5 46.9 47.7 47.3
17. How do you feel about Condoleezza Rice?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Red Blue Purple 0-20 17% 3% 26% 19% 16% 17% 15% 18% 17% 21-40 10 3 15 12 11 10 7 14 11 41-60 19 13 23 19 19 19 18 19 21 61-80 23 32 15 24 25 22 25 23 21 81-100 21 42 9 14 20 22 24 17 19 DK 10 6 11 11 9 10 10 9 9 RF - - 1 1 - 1 - - 1 <50 29% 7% 45% 33% 30% 28% 24% 35% 29% 50 11 7 13 12 10 13 10 11 13 >50 50 80 30 44 52 48 56 45 48 DK 10 6 11 11 9 10 10 9 9 RF - - 1 1 - 1 - - 1 Mean 57.1 76.5 43.2 52.8 56.7 57.4 60.7 53.6 55.7
18. How do you feel about Dick Cheney?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Red Blue Purple 0-20 36% 8% 54% 41% 35% 36% 29% 40% 40% 21-40 14 7 18 16 12 16 15 13 14 41-60 18 21 16 19 19 18 21 16 18 61-80 18 35 7 15 19 18 21 19 14 81-100 11 27 3 6 12 10 13 9 12 DK 3 1 2 3 2 3 2 3 3 RF - - - - - - - - - <50 51% 16% 73% 58% 48% 53% 44% 54% 55% 50 10 11 8 12 10 11 11 11 9 >50 36 72 16 27 39 34 43 32 33 DK 3 1 2 3 2 3 2 3 3 RF - - - - - - - - - Mean 41.0 66.2 25.5 34.5 42.1 40.0 45.5 37.8 38.4
19. How do you feel about John Edwards?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Red Blue Purple 0-20 14% 24% 5% 14% 18% 11% 14% 16% 11% 21-40 12 19 6 12 12 11 12 13 10 41-60 26 25 27 28 27 26 26 26 28 61-80 20 9 30 19 20 20 20 18 21 81-100 7 3 12 7 7 8 8 6 8 DK 20 20 20 20 16 24 19 21 21 RF - - - - - - - - - <50 28% 45% 13% 29% 32% 24% 29% 31% 24% 50 15 16 15 16 16 15 16 14 16 >50 36 19 52 36 36 36 37 33 38 DK 20 20 20 20 16 24 19 21 21 RF - - - - - - - - - Mean 50.8 38.3 63.0 49.8 48.4 53.2 50.9 47.9 53.5
20. How do you feel about Al Gore?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Red Blue Purple 0-20 29% 53% 9% 29% 32% 27% 32% 27% 28% 21-40 17 22 11 19 17 17 17 17 16 41-60 23 13 28 26 24 22 24 23 22 61-80 18 6 31 17 16 21 18 19 19 81-100 9 2 17 7 9 9 7 10 11 DK 3 3 3 3 2 4 2 4 3 RF - - - - - - - - - <50 48% 77% 21% 51% 51% 45% 51% 47% 46% 50 14 8 17 15 15 13 15 14 13 >50 35 12 59 31 32 37 32 36 37 DK 3 3 3 3 2 4 2 4 3 RF - - - - - - - - - Mean 43.2 24.9 60.5 41.9 40.9 45.2 41.0 44.4 44.5
DEFINITIONS OF RED, BLUE AND PURPLE STATES RED: Bush won by more than 5 percentage points in the 2004 Presidential election BLUE:Kerry won by more than 5 percentage points in the 2004 Presidential election PURPLE: There are 13 purple states -- 12 in which there was a margin of five points or less in the 2004 popular vote between Bush and Kerry, plus Missouri, historically considered the nation's most accurate barometer of presidential voting. These states have 153 of the 270 electoral votes needed to capture the presidency.
RED STATES BLUE STATES PURPLE STATES Alabama California Colorado Alaska Connecticut Florida Arizona Delaware Iowa Arkansas Hawaii Michigan Georgia Illinois Minnesota Idaho Maine Missouri Indiana Maryland New Hampshire Kansas Massachusetts New Mexico Kentucky New Jersey Nevada Louisiana New York Ohio Mississippi Rhode Island Oregon Montana Vermont Pennsylvania Nebraska Washington Wisconsin North Carolina North Dakota Oklahoma South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Virginia West Virginia Wyoming