Democratic Insiders Poll

by James A. Barnes and Peter Bell

Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2008


Q. What do you expect Hillary Rodham Clinton will focus more on in her convention speech?

(75 votes)
Praising Barack Obama            52 percent
Burnishing the Clintons' image   20 percent
Attacking John McCain            15 percent

Also receiving votes: All of the above, 5 percent; burnishing and praising, 3 percent; don't know, 3 percent; attacking and burnishing, 1 percent; attacking and praising, 1 percent.

Praising Barack Obama

"With every word being carefully examined to see if they are willing to sublimate their own interests to those of the party and Obama, the Clintons will have to go the second mile in praising Obama."

Bloggers PollNational Journal has invited top bloggers to join in its survey of insiders for the Democratic and Republican conventions.

"Sen. Clinton knows that her political future rides on her being a good soldier for Barack Obama. She will concentrate on praising Obama because she wants to create a positive image for herself and Obama. She is also friendly with McCain in the Senate, so she won't spend much time ripping him."

"There is no upside to any other message."

"For the sake of the party, Obama's strength in the fall election, as well as her own political viability, Hillary would be wise to boost his candidacy and qualifications, and leave to others the negative blasts against McCain. Sen. Clinton can be Obama's LBJ-on-the-Hill. And she needs to stake her claim as one of Obama's most significant insider players and one who can be trusted to carry his message both inside the halls of Congress and in the public arena."

"She wants him to win and knows her base is critical for him."

"Hillary loves the Democratic Party and will work hard, as she already has, to elect their nominee."

"She needs to be seen as a team player: Attacking McCain is part of that, but she needs to be seen as supporting Obama."

"Her supporters need to hear electing Obama matters to her -- from her lips, again and again and again over the course of the fall."

"She needs to focus on Barack if she wants a future, particularly if he doesn't get elected this time. She can spend an equal time on going after McCain but should spend little time on the 'Clinton image'!"

Burnishing the Clintons' image

"For her and the country, I hope she uses the convention to get on board the Obama bandwagon -- big time."

"She should praise Obama. But in usual Clinton mode, it will be about her."

"Regrettably and perversely, because it is simply part of the Clinton DNA to first extol themselves."

"She'll do just enough positives of Obama and just enough negatives of McCain to escape huge criticism from the party. But she is and always will be more focused on herself then anything else. She's still got her surrogates whining about her not being vetted for VP and every other slight they can think of."

"She should. She's earned that right."

Attacking John McCain

"Attacking McCain mostly, but that and praising Obama is the way she burnishes her image."

"Sen. Clinton will help her future and Sen. Obama the most by taking on John McCain and the Republicans on the economy -- directly and aggressively. Clinton should not do a self-indulgent valedictory speech."

"She will do Obama's attack work that evening."

"It's the best and most honest thing she can do."

"Attacking McCain is the way to both be a good soldier and demonstrate that she would have been a better nominee."

All of the above

"She is a pro and needs to do it all."

"She's going to attempt to have her cake and eat it too."

We also asked prominent bloggers to answer this question.

Democratic Political Insiders: Karen Ackerman, Jill Alper, David Axelrod, Brad Bannon, Dave Beattie, Andy Bechhoefer, Cornell Belcher, Mitchell W. Berger, Mike Berman, Donna Brazile, Mark Brewer, Ed Bruley, George Bruno, Deb Callahan, Bonnie Campbell, Bill Carrick, Martin J. Chavez, Tony Coelho, Jim Craig, Jerry Crawford, Stephanie Cutter, Jeff Danielson, Peter Daou, Jim Demers, Tad Devine, Debbie Dingell, Monica Dixon, Michael Donilon, Tom Donilon, Anita Dunn, Jeff Eller, Steve Elmendorf, Carter Eskew, Eric Eve, Vic Fazio, Peter Fenn, Scott Ferson, Gordon Fischer, Tina Flournoy, Don Foley, Don Fowler, Gina Glantz, Joe Grandmaison, Anna Greenberg, Stan Greenberg, Pat Griffin, Michael Gronstal, Marcia Hale, Paul Harstad, Laura Hartigan, Mike Henry, Leo Hindery, Jr., Harold Ickes, Marcus Jadotte, John Jameson, Steve Jarding, Jonathon Jones, Jim Jordan, Gale Kaufman, Shar Knutson, Kam Kuwata, Celinda Lake, David Lang, Sylvia Larsen, Jeff Link, Bill Lynch, Steve Marchand, Jim Margolis, Paul Maslin, Terry McAuliffe, Caroline McCarley, Susan McCue, Gerald McEntee, Tom McMahon, Phil McNamara, David Medina, Mark Mellman, John Merrigan, Steve Murphy, Janet Napolitano, David Nassar, Marcia Nichols, John Norris, Tom Ochs, Tom O'Donnell, Scott Parven, Jeffrey Peck, Debora Pignatelli, John Podesta, Tony Podesta, Bruce Reed, Mame Reiley, Steve Ricchetti, Susan Rice, Will Robinson, Steve Rosenthal, David Rudd, John Ryan, Wendy Sherman, Terry Shumaker, Phil Singer, Bob Slagle, Erik Smith, Doug Sosnik, Darry Sragow, Karl Struble, Katrina Swett, Sarah Swisher, Eric Tabor, Jeffrey Trammell, Ed Turlington, Mike Veon, Rick Wiener, Bridgette Williams, JoDee Winterhof and Jim Zogby.

  •  
  •