INSIDE WASHINGTON

Political Insiders Poll

Saturday, April 18, 2009


Q: Is it politically smart for President Obama to tackle immigration reform this year?

Democrats (102 votes)

Yes     49%
No      47%
Depends  4%

Yes

"Everyone agrees that our immigration system is a mess. Congress should be able to walk, chew gum, and start to clean up the mess this year."

"Very important, as it will consolidate the new base of the Democratic Party."

"This is a hot potato: Take care of it in an off year, when the posturing is limited and the Democratic majorities are in full swing."

"Now that jobs are scarce, we should tighten up considerably. But neither party has the courage to do so."

"He makes good on a campaign promise with a group that has immense promise for him and his party."

"Obama has the political capital and can get it done on terms favorable for Democrats."

"If not now, when? The calendar doesn't improve as we get closer to midterm elections."

No

"The president has bigger fish to fry -- economy, health care, global warming. Another issue will distract and overwhelm Congress."

"My jaw hurts watching them chew what they've already bit off. This will choke them."

"Good Lord, get other things done first -- like health care."

"Very difficult to push for this in such bad economic times. Would be smart to let it slide until 2011 and get the added benefit of causing rancor in Iowa for the Republicans running in 2012."

"American workers are feeling insecure and might interpret any progressive action as a 'strike' against them."

"Smart? No. Ballsy? Yes!"

Q: Is it politically smart for President Obama to tackle immigration reform this year?

Republicans (104 votes)

Yes   39%
No    61%

Yes

"By delivering on immigration reform, Obama can drive a stake through the heart of the GOP, which is fast becoming a white, regional party with little appeal to Latinos."

"It builds the long-term Democratic majority."

"The issue will divide Republicans and further push the core of the GOP into the political fringe."

"If he doesn't deal with it now, it will be explosive again in 2012."

No

"It's absolutely idiotic. Going into a midterm election where turnout is always lower, he's going to mobilize the core people who oppose reform. They tend to be loud and very well organized."

"It is only smart to start adding issues to the agenda if you can deliver."

"Democrats are eyeing GOP seats in Ohio, Louisiana, New Hampshire, Missouri, North Carolina, and Alaska. Ginning up a debate over immigration won't help Democratic candidates in those states."

"He'll get a pass from the Left for this year. And this lift needs an economy that is looking up."

"This gunfighter is running out of bullets."

"Leadership is about priorities and focus: Obama governs at times like he has [attention deficit disorder]."

"There's no way he can satisfy the Democratic base without driving away the center."

"Owning the amnesty is terrible politics. President Obama and congressional Democrats will wish Bush had been successful in making it a shared responsibility in 2007."

"Talk about biting off more than he can chew. This guy really does believe the clips that he's Superman."

Q: Which statement comes closest to your political views on gay marriage?

Democrats (102 votes)

My party should support it      59%
My party should oppose it        2%
My party should avoid the issue 32%

Also receiving votes: Leave it to the states, 2 percent; rather not answer, 2 percent; need more options, 1 percent; personally support, 1 percent; and party should support and avoid, 1 percent.

My party should support it

"If Iowa can do it, the world can do it. The truth is, you don't put freedom back in the bottle."

"The old conventional politics would say avoid it, but the new politics would say be true to ourselves and support it, because it is after all where most of us know we should be."

"Americans will get more and more comfortable with the idea as more states adopt the idea and as the Millennial voters, who supported Obama and favor gay marriage, become a bigger part of the electorate."

"The Democratic Party must support gay marriage or risk fracturing their coalition. It does not mean it should be their top priority."

"The train is fast leaving the station. In 10 years, we will wonder what all the fuss was about."

"But not make it a litmus test for candidates."

"We shouldn't mince words. I don't think that voters who oppose us on gay marriage will alter their views if we support civil unions."

"Enough already with this issue: No Republican or Democratic state legislator who has voted in favor of marriage equality has been defeated because of it."

My party should oppose it

"Party should aggressively pursue equal legal rights and leave the issue of 'marriage' to individuals, their churches, and their gods."

My party should avoid the issue

"Support civil unions and all constitutional rights and privileges as any American would get, but don't fall on the marriage sword."

"Avoid it federally for five more years, and it will be a moot point as Gen X, Gen Y begin to make up the political majority and are not divided as much by race and sexuality."

"Why take the pain when state courts are deciding this?"

"Let the issue play out in the states, build from the ground up, and get to the right place that will ultimately come: recognition of gay marriage."

Q: Which statement comes closest to your political views on gay marriage?

Republicans (104 votes)

My party should support it       8%
My party should oppose it       50%
My party should avoid the issue 37%

Also receiving votes: Leave it to the states, 2 percent; party should "accept" it, 1 percent; leave it to candidates, 1 percent; party should oppose "but not make a federal case out of it," 1 percent; and "party shouldn't care," 1 percent.

My party should support it

"Perception of complete hostility to all gay rights is killing the GOP among voters under 29. Evolve or perish, Republicans."

"If Republicans are ever going to grow the base, they need to take a considerably more libertarian view.... There are so many gay Republicans, I get a bit hacked off that my party is so freaking mean."

My party should oppose it

"Our party's defense of traditional marriage is one of those issues that distinctly define us. But we have to argue for traditional marriage, as opposed to just railing against gay marriage."

"The media and the Democrats like to think that cultural issues are a thing of the past. And they are wrong."

"But support civil unions and equal benefits."

"The trend toward gay marriage is unstoppable. Democrats would be smart to soft-pedal their support, and the GOP would be wise to downplay its opposition."

"Social conservatives have an obligation to push back on cultural condescension that has deemed their legitimate, heartfelt beliefs 'mean-spirited' and rendered us defensive."

"The party needs to be against gay marriage without being against gays. This will be tough."

"Homosexuality should not be encouraged, period."

My party should avoid the issue

"Alienating those outside our party on marginal issues like this is foolish."

"It's going to happen in this country, regardless of what the Republicans do. The Republicans should retain their commitment to 'pro-life,' but gay marriage isn't hurting anyone that I can see."

"Among younger voters this has become a threshold issue about tolerance. And opposition is now hurting Republicans with swing voters more than it helps them with their base."

"Time for the libertarian strain [in the GOP] to stand tall."

National Journal Insiders

Democratic Political Insiders Jill Alper, Brad Bannon, Dave Beattie, Andy Bechhoefer, Cornell Belcher, Mitchell W. Berger, Mike Berman, Paul Brathwaite, Donna Brazile, Mark Brewer, Ed Bruley, George Bruno, Deb Callahan, Bonnie Campbell, Bill Carrick, Martin J. Chavez, Tony Coelho, Jerry Crawford, Jeff Danielson, Peter Daou, Jim Demers, Tad Devine, David Di Martino, Debbie Dingell, Monica Dixon, Patrick Dorton, Anita Dunn, Jeff Eller, Steve Elmendorf, Carter Eskew, Eric Eve, Vic Fazio, Peter Fenn, Scott Ferson, Jim Fleischmann, Tina Flournoy, Don Foley, Don Fowler, Vincent Frillici, Gina Glantz, Niles Godes, John Michael Gonzalez, Joe Grandmaison, Anna Greenberg, Stan Greenberg, Pat Griffin, Larry Grisolano, Michael Gronstal, Lisa Grove, Marcia Hale, Dick Harpootlian, Paul Harstad, Laura Hartigan, Mike Henry, Karen Hicks, Leo Hindery, Jr., Harold Ickes, Marcus Jadotte, John Jameson, Steve Jarding, Jonathon Jones, Jim Jordan, Gale Kaufman, Kam Kuwata, Celinda Lake, David Lang, Penny Lee, Chris Lehane, Jeff Link, Bill Lynch, Bob Maloney, Steve Marchand, Jim Margolis, Paul Maslin, Keith Mason, 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, Tony Podesta, Larry Rasky, Bruce Reed, Mame Reiley, Steve Ricchetti, Will Robinson, Steve Rosenthal, David Rudd, John Ryan, Wendy Sherman, Terry Shumaker, Kevin Shuvalov, Sean Sinclair Phil Singer, Erik Smith, Doug Sosnik, Darry Sragow, Katrina Swett, Sarah Swisher, Jeffrey Trammell, Ed Turlington, Mike Veon, Rick Wiener, Bridgette Williams, JoDee Winterhof, and Jim Zogby.

GOP Political Insiders Dan Allen, Stan Anderson, Gary Andres, Saulius (Saul) Anuzis, Rich Ashooh, Whit Ayres, Brett Bader, Mitch Bainwol, Gary Bauer, David Beckwith, Clark Benson, Wayne Berman, Brian Bieron, 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, Charlie Crist, Greg Crist, Diane Crookham-Johnson, Fergus Cullen, Mike Dennehy, Ken Duberstein, Steve Duprey, Debi Durham, Frank Fahrenkopf, John Feehery, Don Fierce, Carl Forti, Alex Gage, Sam Geduldig, Adam Geller, 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, George LeMieux, Steve Lombardo, Kevin Madden, Joel Maiola, Gary Maloney, David Marin, Mary Matalin, Dan Mattoon, Brian McCormack, Mark McKinnon, Kyle McSlarrow, Ken Mehlman, Jim Merrill, Tim Morrison, Mike Murphy, Phil Musser, Ron Nehring, Terry Nelson, Neil Newhouse, David Norcross, Ziad Ojakli, Jack Oliver, Todd Olsen, Van B. Poole, Tom Rath, Scott Reed, David Rehr, Steve Roberts, Jason Roe, David Roederer, Dan Schnur, Russ Schriefer, Rich Schwarm, Brent Seaborn, Rick Shelby, Andrew Shore, Kevin Shuvalov, Don Sipple, Robin Smith, Javier Soto, Fred Steeper, Bob Stevenson, Eric Tanenblatt, Richard Temple, Heath Thompson, Jay Timmons, Warren Tompkins, Ted Van Der Meid, Dirk van Dongen, Jan van Lohuizen, Stewart Verdery, Dick Wadhams, John Weaver, Tom Wilson, Dave Winston, Ginny Wolfe, and Fred Wszolek.

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