Giuliani feels Huckabee closing in

According to the Washington Post/ABC poll out this evening, Mike Huckabee is closing in on Rudy Giuliani.  Which would make it, according to the same poll, a Huckabee-Clinton race for the presidency.  Are you grasping that? Hillary Clinton vs. Mike Huckabee.

The new poll found that the issues driving voters are shifting rapidly. Concerns about the economy are on the rise, and assessments of current conditions in Iraq have eased slightly, propelling the nation's economic picture and jobs to the top of people's concerns. Although the range of issues could further destabilize the nomination battles, most of the uncertainty stems from more basic questions about the candidates.

The Oprah magic isn't quite as magical as in other polls.

There has been some softening among both Clinton and Obama supporters since last month: 49 percent of Clinton's supporters back her "strongly," down from 57 percent last month and under 50 percent for the first time in the campaign. Forty-one percent of Obama voters now back him "strongly," down from 50 percent last month.

Clinton is stronger.

Clinton's standing on attributes and issues remains strong. She holds a 3 to 1 edge in being perceived as the strongest leader in the field and a nearly 6 to 1 advantage as the candidate with the best experience to be president. On the issues, she holds 2 to 1 or greater leads on four top issues: the economy, Iraq, health care and terrorism, advantages that have remained steady since late September.

But this is being determined by a people a majority of whom (analysts said today) don't give much of a damn about the torture issue.  Rove and Cheney knew the value of  "the war on terrorism."  Is this an America we feel allegiance to?

Comments

[Jim W]

The "America we feel allegiance to" has nothing to do with either the democratic or republican party. Hillary Clinton and Huckabee are merely flip sides of the same organizational coin. Which is to say, they're worthless tender.

What was it Jefferson said about fertilizing the "tree of liberty" every once in a while?

[Americaneocon]

This is my favorite:

"Asked which candidate best reflects the core values of the Republican Party, 18 percent said McCain, Giuliani and Huckabee were each cited by 16 percent, 14 percent picked Romney, and 13 percent named Thompson. As if to punctuate the confusion, 16 percent said they had no opinion."

The race is still tight, but one can hope for McCain surge coming out of Iowa and New Hampshire.