- Sun. Nov 8, 2009
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Q: What are Barack Obama's two biggest vulnerabilities?
Democrats (84 votes)
Inexperience 61 percent Race 49 percent Perceived elitism 30 percent Past associations 18 percent Liberal voting record 15 percent Shift on policy positions 13 percent Unenthusiastic Clinton supporters 11 percent
Other responses: Arrogance (volunteered) 2 percent
Inexperience
"No matter how he tries to paper it over, it is on people's minds."
"Any gaffe is magnified. And this isn't the primary season, with the media drooling all over Obama."
Race
"It's been used effectively to derail white politicians. It will also hamper Obama in winning over crucial voting blocs."
"This is the hidden issue in some of the key states that could swing the election. McCain can't push it directly; he doesn't have to. It is there."
Perceived elitism
"Budweiser drinkers never vote for Heineken drinkers."
Past associations
"What attracts so many to Barack is his unusual background and upbringing. It's that very background that also scares many voters."
Liberal voting record
"Dismissing Obama on the grounds that he is 'too liberal' is probably the most politically correct, comfortable way for white and Latino Democrats and independents to explain out loud why they voted for McCain."
Shift on policy positions
"When you are the agent of change, [it's] hard to explain acting like a typical politician."
Unenthusiastic Clinton supporters
"Pro-Obama press corps discounts this. Polls and others don't."
Q: What are Barack Obama's two biggest vulnerabilities?
Republicans (87 votes)
Inexperience 69 percent Liberal voting record 56 percent Race 25 percent Perceived elitism 24 percent Past associations 10 percent Shift on policy positions 10 percent Unenthusiastic Clinton supporters 3 percent
Other responses: Gasoline prices, 1 percent.
Inexperience
"McCain can undermine Obama's entire candidacy with just three words uttered daily: 'Just not ready.' "
"People will have a hard time entrusting the world's largest nuclear arsenal to a man who was a lackluster state senator only four years ago."
Liberal voting record
"The 'most liberal senator' line has lost much of its luster, but this really becomes problematic when paired with his 'new politics' fluffery, which makes it appear as if he's either naive or a wolf in sheep's clothing."
Race
"Anyone who says race isn't a factor is living in a naive, politically correct fantasyland."
Perceived elitism
"It is stunning to say this about an African-American candidate, but his campaign reeks of noblesse oblige and a sense of 'We know best.' "
Past associations
"With friends like Pastor [Jeremiah] Wright and others, he doesn't need enemies."
Shift on policy positions
"When people want change, they don't want changes in policies just to get elected."
Unenthusiastic Clinton supporters
"Putting Clinton on the ticket would solve this, but would probably give him another set of problems."
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.
Q: What are John McCain's two biggest vulnerabilities?
Democrats (84 votes)
President Bush's unpopularity 69 percent Economy 57 percent Age 37 percent Support for the Iraq war 15 percent Unenthusiastic conservative base 8 percent Shifts on policy positions 5 percent Fundraising 4 percent
Other responses: His temper, 2 percent
President Bush's unpopularity
"McCain tries to be a maverick, but he votes with Bush 95 percent of the time--when he votes. His domestic policy rollouts are Bush retreads."
"Every time we see the shot of McCain hugging Bush, or Bush on the campaign trail, it is a reminder why this country needs to go in a new direction."
Economy
"Saying he 'doesn't really understand economics,' coupled with not knowing the price of a gallon of gas, must have Republicans longing for Bob Dole again."
"McCain has yet to communicate a message on the economy with any conviction or energy that makes Americans feel any reason to vote for him."
Age
"Every time McCain gets off the airplane, he hikes his pants up like a grandpa. That does not speak to voters' hopes for the future."
Support for the Iraq war
"McCain's steadfast support for the Iraq war garners him well-deserved support for his willingness to go against public opinion, yet it is his unwillingness to acknowledge this foreign-policy blunder that causes many Americans to see him as old and unyielding."
Shifts on policy positions
"Can be exploited to blow up the brand of Mr. Straight Talk."
Fundraising
"Obama will have unlimited money to spend in the core battleground states, and enough to [force] McCain to burn some dough on red turf."
Q: What are John McCain's two biggest vulnerabilities?
Republicans (89 votes)
President Bush's unpopularity 66 percent Economy 42 percent Age 31 percent Unenthusiastic conservative base 26 percent Fundraising 18 percent Support for the Iraq war 8 percent Shifts on policy positions 4 percent
Other responses: Campaign organization (volunteered), 2 percent; Republican label (volunteered), 1 percent.
President Bush's unpopularity
"Bush has become such political poison it is hard to get anyone to listen to a Republican message."
"In the fall, he must completely divorce himself from President Bush."
"The albatross for the Republican Party."
Economy
"On the economy, when it gets this bad people just want change, no matter what form it takes. And Obama is actually proposing stuff."
"It's getting worse. And he doesn't know how to talk about it. On Iraq, he can change some minds; on the economy, he's hopeless."
Age
"Every [time] McCain and Obama are shown next to each other is a reminder that McCain is an old man. Something unique has to be done to reassure voters he is up to the task."
Unenthusiastic conservative base
"McCain has done the perfunctory things, but to get them motivated he will have to do much more."
Fundraising
"It's not spin; Obama's money will force McCain to burn through Benjamins in states he wouldn't normally have to. See Virginia."
Shifts on policy positions
"Which McCain is the real McCain--the candidate who supports making tax cuts permanent, or the senator who voted against them?"
GOP Political Insiders
Dan Allen, Stan Anderson, Gary Andres, Saulius (Saul) Anuzis, Rich Ashooh, Whit Ayres, Brett Bader, Mitch Bainwol, Gary Bauer, David Beckwith, Wayne Berman, Charlie Black, Kirk Blalock, Carmine Boal, Jeff Boeyink, Ron Bonjean, Jeff Buley, Luke Byars, Nick Calio, Danny Carroll, Ron Christie, Jim Cicconi, Cesar Conda, Jake Corman, Greg Crist, Diane Crookham-Johnson, Fergus Cullen, Rick Davis, Mike Dennehy, Ken Duberstein, Steve Duprey, Debi Durham, Frank Fahrenkopf, John Feehery, Don Fierce, Carl Forti, Alex Gage, Sam Geduldig, Benjamin Ginsberg, Bill Greener, Jonathan Grella, Lanny Griffith, Janet Mullins Grissom, Doug Gross, Todd Harris, Steve Hart, Christopher Healy, Ralph Hellmann, Chris Henick, Terry Holt, David Iannelli, Clark Judge, David Keating, David Kensinger, Bruce Keough, Bob Kjellander, Ed Kutler, Chris Lacivita, Jim Lake, Chuck Larson, Steve Lombardo, Kevin Madden, Joel Maiola, Gary Maloney, David Marin, Mary Matalin, Dan Mattoon, Bill McInturff, Mark McKinnon, Kyle McSlarrow, Ken Mehlman, Jim Merrill, Mike Murphy, Phil Musser, Ron Nehring, Terry Nelson, Neil Newhouse, David Norcross, Ziad Ojakli, Jack Oliver, Van B. Poole, Tom Rath, Scott Reed, David Rehr, Steve Roberts, Jason Roe, David Roederer, Ed Rogers, Dan Schnur, Russ Schriefer, Rich Schwarm, Brent Seaborn, Rick Shelby, Andrew Shore, Don Sipple, Robin Smith, Javier Soto, Fred Steeper, Bob Stevenson, Eric Tanenblatt, Heath Thompson, Jay Timmons, Warren Tompkins, Ted Van Der Meid, Dirk van Dongen, Jan van Lohuizen, Dick Wadhams, John Weaver, Tom Wilson, Dave Winston, Ginny Wolfe, and Fred Wszolek.
About Insiders Poll
- A weekly survey of members of Congress or political operatives about topics in the news.