Rasmussen has released the results of its July 2006 Poll on the PA Senate race, but only to Premium Members. I'll wait for a leak or the public release . . . .
But in another Poll released today, Rasmussen reports that 78% of potential voters consider the immigration issue as "important". Senator Santorum has been turning over the stones looking for an issue that will stick, and he thinks he's found it in immigration. As usual, he grossly distorts the proposals out there for dealing with the problem and offers no substance on what he would do with the 11-million or so undocumented aliens working in the United States today. Over the last month, he managed to win back a majority of his uber-conservative base by pounding away at the imaginary amnesty being offered in the bi-partisan proposal on the table now.
Similarly as usual, the Casey campaign seems unable or unsure how to handle the Santorum spin. But if the latest Rasmussen poll on the issue does anything, it shows Casey two things.
First, that three-quarters of voters think it is an important issue -- 47% said it was "Very Important" and 31% "Somewhat Important". This really isn't "new" news. Anyone paying attention has seen that develop over the last three months. But, the Casey campaign is all but ignoring the issue. Although a top or near top priority for such a huge percent of the voters, the issue gets no heading in Bob Casey campaign site page on the "Issues". I would have done a search of the site, but the Casey Campaign hasn't provided a search mechanism for its website.
The Casey Campaign's blinders on immigration isn't a great surprise, though. The other top-of-the list issue for everyone is --- all together, please -- that's right, "IRAQ". But, click on "Issues" on the Casey front page and you can see that Iraq isn't even on the drop-down menu. If you guess that it might be under "National Security", you'll find three paragraphs on Iraq -- below the fold. (And they don't say anything.) But this post isn't about Iraq.
On immigration, Casey needs to recognize the passions which the Republicans and Santorum have inflamed. He needs to address the issue head-on and say which of the pending proposals he supports and why. Clearly and up front. If he keeps assuming a win in this election, he'll give a better and smarter campaigner the opportunity he is looking for to close the gap.
I said there were two lessons from this poll and there are. The second lesson is that Santorum and his Republican buddies may have fooled many into thinking that the undocumented workers have been offered amnesty, and therefore generated significant opposition to the plan. Rasmussen says that 39% favor the plan put forward by Republicans Hutchinson and Pence, while 49% oppose it.
BUT, support soars to 55% when respondents are told that
I'm not really expecting the Campaign to change their ostrich strategy. I just hope that their seeming arrogance and refusal to give the voters substance (including a few debates in heavily-populated areas) doesn't result in us getting stuck with Santorum for another six.
But in another Poll released today, Rasmussen reports that 78% of potential voters consider the immigration issue as "important". Senator Santorum has been turning over the stones looking for an issue that will stick, and he thinks he's found it in immigration. As usual, he grossly distorts the proposals out there for dealing with the problem and offers no substance on what he would do with the 11-million or so undocumented aliens working in the United States today. Over the last month, he managed to win back a majority of his uber-conservative base by pounding away at the imaginary amnesty being offered in the bi-partisan proposal on the table now.
Similarly as usual, the Casey campaign seems unable or unsure how to handle the Santorum spin. But if the latest Rasmussen poll on the issue does anything, it shows Casey two things.
First, that three-quarters of voters think it is an important issue -- 47% said it was "Very Important" and 31% "Somewhat Important". This really isn't "new" news. Anyone paying attention has seen that develop over the last three months. But, the Casey campaign is all but ignoring the issue. Although a top or near top priority for such a huge percent of the voters, the issue gets no heading in Bob Casey campaign site page on the "Issues". I would have done a search of the site, but the Casey Campaign hasn't provided a search mechanism for its website.
The Casey Campaign's blinders on immigration isn't a great surprise, though. The other top-of-the list issue for everyone is --- all together, please -- that's right, "IRAQ". But, click on "Issues" on the Casey front page and you can see that Iraq isn't even on the drop-down menu. If you guess that it might be under "National Security", you'll find three paragraphs on Iraq -- below the fold. (And they don't say anything.) But this post isn't about Iraq.
On immigration, Casey needs to recognize the passions which the Republicans and Santorum have inflamed. He needs to address the issue head-on and say which of the pending proposals he supports and why. Clearly and up front. If he keeps assuming a win in this election, he'll give a better and smarter campaigner the opportunity he is looking for to close the gap.
I said there were two lessons from this poll and there are. The second lesson is that Santorum and his Republican buddies may have fooled many into thinking that the undocumented workers have been offered amnesty, and therefore generated significant opposition to the plan. Rasmussen says that 39% favor the plan put forward by Republicans Hutchinson and Pence, while 49% oppose it.
BUT, support soars to 55% when respondents are told that
as part of the proposal, illegal immigrants would have to leave the U.S. and apply for re-entry. Providing that they have a job awaiting them, these workers could then return to the U.S. legally. After working legally for a period of 17 years, these individuals would then be able to apply for citizenship.I know, it's a lot to ask. Casey has got to figure out a way to string together the information in two sentences as effectively as the republicans chant "no amnesty". But most people aren't complete idiots and they can be made to understand that Santorum is flat-out lying to them about the extant proposals.
I'm not really expecting the Campaign to change their ostrich strategy. I just hope that their seeming arrogance and refusal to give the voters substance (including a few debates in heavily-populated areas) doesn't result in us getting stuck with Santorum for another six.
No comments:
Post a Comment