Hillary Clinton's ratings haven't been this strong in years.
by Mark Silva
How about these Clintons?
How about Hillary Clinton, in particular?
And what is it about these "comeback kids?''
The senator from New York and former first lady, long perceived as one of the most polarizing figures in American politics - people love her or hate her, we've long been told - is riding at a recent high in public approval, as she appears before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee as President-elect Barack Obama's nominee for secretary of state.
A new Gallup Poll finds that 65 percent of Americans surveyed have a favorable opinion of Hillary Clinton - her highest rating in nearly 10 years.
Clinton's "faves'' in the Gallup have not climbed above 60 percent since 1999, Gallup's Jeffrey Jones notes, "after having been consistently above that level during the Monica Lewinsky scandal that led to the impeachment but ultimate acquittal of husband Bill Clinton. That included Hillary Clinton's all-time high 67 percent favorable rating immediately after the House of Representatives voted to impeach the president in December 1998.''
For much of the last 10 years, hers favorable ratings have hovered around 50 percent, ranging from a low of 44 percent in March 2001 to a high of 58 percent in February 2007 - when she was widely perceived as the Democratic Party's front-running candidate for president.
In Gallup's previous last measure this year, taken just before the Democratic National Convention in August, she was running at 54 percent. Clinton is running strong among women, as might be expected - 71 percent favorable - but also among men, 58 percent favorable. And she has made similar gains among Republicans since August, up 12 points, as among Democrats, up 13.
The newest ratings come from a survey of 1,031 adult conducted Jan. 9-11, the possible margin of error plus or minus 3 percentage points.
Comments
Put me on the hater side. She lost me when she went along with Bush's War in Iraq. Too bad she didn't have the courage of many of her Democratic Senate collegues to vote a resounding NO to that disaster. I simply can't forgive her for being an un-apologetic accomplice in that crime against humanity. A share of the blood of the hundreds of thousands who have died in Iraq since then is on her hands.
Posted by: Mary | January 13, 2009 1:06 PM
Mary - Exactly who are the "many of her Democratic Senate colleagues who voted No". I can't seem to come up with any. Please fill me in.
Posted by: Randy | January 13, 2009 1:32 PM
Still triangulatin' after all these years.
Posted by: ornery | January 13, 2009 1:33 PM
So what's the point of this story?
If B.J. goes out and stains another dress then Hillary's popularity jumps into the 70% range?
Paulo
Posted by: Paulo | January 13, 2009 1:44 PM
Don't think she last too long in the job- Too many CHANGES
in the future Obama adm.
Posted by: Inky | January 13, 2009 1:46 PM
The ultimate yard stick in defining how screwed up the Bush years were. So bad that the one whom the right-wingers like to blame everything on (911, economy) now has a Clinton at a top-level position in this administration.
Bush - so incompetent that he makes Clinton a hero again.
Awesome!!!
Posted by: gus | January 13, 2009 1:59 PM
Hillary Clinton should resign. She shouldn't be so selfish, so conceded as to put her constituents at a disadvantage in the Senate. By allowing Burris to be seated before her replacement, she gives him seniority over NY's junior senator.
Either she knew this, and was greedy and selfish, or she doesn't know how the US Senate works.
Shame on her. HRC should resign.
Posted by: CC | January 13, 2009 2:29 PM
As one who has always exhibited a strong Pro-Israel bias and annually appeared before AIPAC to get her "marching orders" Clinton(like Nixon opening up China because he had strong anti-communism credentials) is in a position, along with Obama, to talk some "tough love" to Israel. Their template should be International Law compliance by all parties in the M/East. This may not please Israel, whose consistent violations of those principles have long been recognized and deplored worldwide. However, if it really want peace and favorable approval from the remainder of the world it must accept the rules which every other nation is expected to honor. Obviously, the Palestinians can not be given a free ride but the reality is that they have only one thing to bring to the negotiating table and that is to cease resisting the occupation and oppression with which they have been saddled for some 60 years.
Posted by: FER | January 13, 2009 2:40 PM
The only explanation for this appointment is a political bargain struck at the convention, and Obama wasn't about to let qualifications or ethical considerations get in the way of such a win-win deal.
If you expected Barack Obama to put the country's interests before his own political security, then you really haven't taken a serious look at how he got this far in the first place.
Hillary Clinton has not one iota of foreign policy experience. She lacks basic diplomatic skills and has serious character flaws, like her legendary temper, use of foul language when angry, and berating those unfortunate enough to be in the room when she "loses it". In a pitiful attempt to embellish her foreign policy resume, Clinton was caught lying with claims of coming under-fire at Sarajevo in 1996- what happened to honesty and integrity as selection criteria?
Other presidents lacking diplomantic experience have brought someone who has such a background to the State Department- but Obama doesn't feel the need for this, for some reason.
Any chance of Obama controlling this loose cannon Hillary? LOL, of course not, the Clintons can't even control each-other.
Yet, perhaps the most unsettling concern is that Hillary's judgement is warped by her blinding ambition to gain power and control- causing her to be manipulative and Machiavellian in her dealings with others.
Is this the kind of person who should represent the United States with foreign governments?
http://reaganiterepublicanresistance.blogspot.com/
Posted by: Reaganite Republican | January 13, 2009 2:45 PM
Mary - Exactly who are the "many of her Democratic Senate colleagues who voted No". I can't seem to come up with any. Please fill me in.
Posted by: Randy | January 13, 2009 1:32 PM
Well, let me cure your ignorance.
21 Senate Democrats voted against the Authorization to Use Military Force in 2002. They were Senators Akaka (D-HI), Bingaman (D-NM), Boxer (D-CA), Byrd (D-WV), Conrad (D-ND), Corzine (D-NJ), Dayton (D-MN), Durbin (D-IL), Feingold (D-WI), Graham (D-FL), Inouye (D-HI), Kennedy (D-MA), Leahy (D-VT), Levin (D-MI), Mikulski (D-MD), Murray (D-WA), Reed (D-RI), Sarbanes (D-MD), Stabenow (D-MI), Wellstone (D-MN), Wyden (D-OR). (Additionally 1 Republian,, Lincoln Chaffee and 1 independant Jim Jeffords voted NO as well)
It's pathetic that you seem to believe that the vote for war was unanimous.It's even more pathetic that you were incapable of looking up such basic facts for yourself. Try doing a bit more reading in the future.
Posted by: Mary | January 13, 2009 2:45 PM
Randy, there were about 21 of them; since you have access to a computer, why not look it up?
Posted by: Flo | January 13, 2009 3:10 PM
With the self-serving comments by Kerry, Dodd, and Schumer at the glorified photo shoot, Hillary spoke eloquently and glowed with the corona of angelic light. Andrew's story was DOA.
Posted by: Bubba Porter | January 13, 2009 3:53 PM
Here is why Hillary is popular
ALL AMERICAN LADY
Hillary was a Lay Minister in her Methodist Church.
Hillary has always been a regular attendee at church. Unlike you know who.
Hillary loves her Bible.
Hillary has always prayed to God for Guidance. With her family.
In private as directed by Jesus not on street corners as the hypocrites.
Hillary cares for the less fortunate as Jesus.
Hillary loves Peace On Earth not Wars
Hillary is against killing via executions.
I disagree with her on Gay marriage and permissive abortions..
Her husband had it correct and shut out opponents with his--
Safe-Legal-Rare--Rape-Incest-mom's life
Opponents are "mommies killers" let mom die to save itsy bitsy sperm and egg.
They will eventually want to outlaw Masturbation--Menstrual Period--Wet Dreams.
They destroy eggs and sperm which prevents life.
Hillary loves her family. She suffered to keep her marriage intact.
She stuck by Bill's adultery due to her strong love for him as a total person not just one bad virtue amongst many good ones.
She knew her husband was 99% pure .
Hillary earned $23,000 one year as First Lady of Arkansas when her fellow lawyers made hundreds of thousands.
She spent a year and visited every school district working to improve schools.
Hillary is no Smearer.
Hillary does not Lie(intent to deceive)
Hillary respects others even when they disagree.
Hillary invited to the White House one of most evil smearers. Richard Melon Scaife.
Hillary has a brilliant mind. Not alcohol scorched one.
Hillary will hire experts in each area to manage our government. Bill did same.
One of major reason for Clinton's success was the experts he hired in the government.
cswinney2@triad.rr.com
Posted by: CLARENCE SWINNEY | May 15, 2009 12:08 PM