McCain Would Trounce Hillary in ̢۪08 Match-up (Zogby International)
Arizona Senator John McCain would overwhelmingly defeat New York Senator and former First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton in a theoretical 2008 presidential match-up, a new Zogby America poll reveals.
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The survey finds that both senators far outdistance their nearest competition for their parties’ nominations—but in a head-to-head match-up, the Arizona Republican bests the New York Democrat by 19 points, leading her 54% to 35%. McCain would also defeat Massachusetts Senator—and former Democratic presidential candidate—John Kerry by a full 20 points, 55% to 35%.
McCain leads with most demographics, though Clinton would best him narrowly among Hispanic voters (45% to 38%) and would win African Americans by 80% to 19%. But that 19% would be the highest vote tally for a Republican with African Americans in decades. McCain leads Clinton with every age group except voters under 30, where the two are in a dead heat.
While I’m surprised by the margin of McCain’s lead, its existence is to be expected. Hillary Clinton is one of the most polarizing figures in recent American history whereas McCain is a “maverick” and a war hero and the darling of the press corps.
The media love McCain because he grants them lots of access and is willing to go against his fellow Republicans time and again. That makes him a “straight shooter” and a “maverick.” That’s fine when it’s McCain against other Republicans. I guarantee that, if there’s a McCain-Clinton matchup in the 2008 general election, the press will discover that McCain is actually a right wing extremist religious zealot who hates women, the poor, and minorities.
