We hear so much of this fevered narrative about how 'unlikeable' Hillary is. No question, right now her numbers are upside down. But she has been in national public life 30 years and over that time there has been a lot of ebbs and flows.
In Bill's first term, her numbers were not good. But in the second term her numbers got a big boost. To be sure, it's telling that Americans only decided they like her when she was a victim of Bill's infidelities.
The woman who once declared that she is not Tammy Wynette, later was lauded for standing by her man.
Once she got her own Senate career, her approval numbers were good as a NY Senator. During the tough primary with Obama in 2008, her numbers never got under 48 percent-considerably higher than they are now.
Once she became Obama's Secretary of State, she became very popular again-she was at about a 64 percent approval rating.
Even a majority of Republicans approved of her.
Now during the primary her numbers have taken a real hit. The cause is probably multiple.
1. The media went on a six month feeding frenzy last year where they relentlessly hammered her on her private emails all day every day for six straight months-along with perpetual Biden talk and cherrypicking polls showing she was in trouble against Bernie.
2. In addition, we are in a hyperpartisan age. No partisan figure is that well liked by the numbers as the other party's partisans will hate you no matter what. You start out with having the support of the 30 percent that are your partisans and have no support among those who are the partisans for the other side.
Then you have the final third of the public who is 'independent.' They tend to go where the wind blows. If everyone is saying Hillary Clinton is the anti Christ all day, then most independents assume it must be true. These are not the world's most discerning bunch of people.
But their perceptions are subject to change.
Greg Sargent:
"Meanwhile, in today’s poll, Clinton is viewed favorably by 62 percent of Democrats. But in April of 2008, Barack Obama was viewed favorably by only 57 percent of Democrats — again, worse."
https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2016/05/20/stop-freaking-out-democrats-the-party-will-unify-probably/
It's actually interesting when you think about that. After all, Hillary is held to be so 'unlikable'-though the fellow Hillary supporters I speak to on Twitter like her a lot.
Yet, she is better liked right now than Obama-the epitome of a likable politician-was liked back in 2008.
The bottomline is favorability is not a static thing, There are ebbs and flows. That her numbers are low now doesn't mean they will never rise again. History tells us the opposite.
In Bill's first term, her numbers were not good. But in the second term her numbers got a big boost. To be sure, it's telling that Americans only decided they like her when she was a victim of Bill's infidelities.
The woman who once declared that she is not Tammy Wynette, later was lauded for standing by her man.
Once she got her own Senate career, her approval numbers were good as a NY Senator. During the tough primary with Obama in 2008, her numbers never got under 48 percent-considerably higher than they are now.
Once she became Obama's Secretary of State, she became very popular again-she was at about a 64 percent approval rating.
Even a majority of Republicans approved of her.
Now during the primary her numbers have taken a real hit. The cause is probably multiple.
1. The media went on a six month feeding frenzy last year where they relentlessly hammered her on her private emails all day every day for six straight months-along with perpetual Biden talk and cherrypicking polls showing she was in trouble against Bernie.
2. In addition, we are in a hyperpartisan age. No partisan figure is that well liked by the numbers as the other party's partisans will hate you no matter what. You start out with having the support of the 30 percent that are your partisans and have no support among those who are the partisans for the other side.
Then you have the final third of the public who is 'independent.' They tend to go where the wind blows. If everyone is saying Hillary Clinton is the anti Christ all day, then most independents assume it must be true. These are not the world's most discerning bunch of people.
But their perceptions are subject to change.
Greg Sargent:
"Meanwhile, in today’s poll, Clinton is viewed favorably by 62 percent of Democrats. But in April of 2008, Barack Obama was viewed favorably by only 57 percent of Democrats — again, worse."
https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2016/05/20/stop-freaking-out-democrats-the-party-will-unify-probably/
It's actually interesting when you think about that. After all, Hillary is held to be so 'unlikable'-though the fellow Hillary supporters I speak to on Twitter like her a lot.
Yet, she is better liked right now than Obama-the epitome of a likable politician-was liked back in 2008.
The bottomline is favorability is not a static thing, There are ebbs and flows. That her numbers are low now doesn't mean they will never rise again. History tells us the opposite.
No comments:
Post a Comment