# How Afraid are All the Democrats. . . **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [March 13, 2012, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-afraid-are-all-the-democrats/615671 "2012-03-13T18:24:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2012, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-afraid-are-all-the-democrats/615671/21 "2012-03-13T21:01:17Z")
> [@C3](#): > > Since the OP doesn’t seem familiar with the etiquette around here (surprising, considering his join date), here’s what he’s talking about: [Latest polls show a drop in Obama’s approval rating](http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/americas/united-states/120313/obamas-approval-ratings-drop-video), with most respondents specifically citing high gas prices as their bugaboo. Because we all know the President sets the price of gas. In fact, he rides around on a magic sleigh every night, physically changing the numbers on the signs of every gas station in America. Just like Santa Claus, but more satanic and Hitler-y. God, people are stupid. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2012, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-afraid-are-all-the-democrats/615671/22 "2012-03-13T22:01:36Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > If people weren’t stupid, this wouldn’t be an election issue. > [@Rigamarole](#): > > God, people are stupid. Although it often seems that way, America does not have a monopoly on stupidity. Some years ago, several Thais I interviewed cited a drought as their reason for opposing the incumbent party. The great floods of 2011 are a different matter: it appears clear that the ruling party diverted floodwater from its provinces to Bangkok (which supports the opposition). OTOH, there are rumors that dam officials supporting the opposition allowed reservoirs to fill early on, hoping for floods that would discredit the government. :dubious: Never a dull moment in Thai politics (though not approaching the asininity of U.S. politics). ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2012, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-afraid-are-all-the-democrats/615671/23 "2012-03-13T23:29:48Z")
> [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](#): > > I saw a brilliant clip recently of the likes of Bill O’Reilly and other Fox talking heads mocking the concept that the POTUS has any influence whatsoever over oil prices, and that people pretending that he does are partisan fools–all dated 2006 or so, of course, but running such clips should be sufficient to defuse the “gas-prices” strategy, at least among voters above a 90 IQ. Obama might not even go that low to win–perhaps he can focus on the 95+ voters for his victory. [Another log to toss on the fire](http://www.cato.org/publications/commentary/its-not-obamas-fault-crude-oil-prices-have-increased). ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2012, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-afraid-are-all-the-democrats/615671/24 "2012-03-13T23:44:31Z")
> [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](#): > > [Another log to toss on the fire](http://www.cato.org/publications/commentary/its-not-obamas-fault-crude-oil-prices-have-increased). Yeah, but what do you expect from those lefties at the Cato Institute? ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2012, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-afraid-are-all-the-democrats/615671/25 "2012-03-13T23:45:46Z")
> [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](#): > > Yeah, but what do you expect from those lefties at the Cato Institute? One wonders why the Koch brothers are trying to get control back over the Cato Institute, too. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2012, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-afraid-are-all-the-democrats/615671/26 "2012-03-13T23:50:22Z")
I tend to use this [RealClearPolitics - RealClearPolitics Poll Averages](http://www.realclearpolitics.com/polls/) & \*\*[RealClearPolitics - Election 2012 - General Election: Romney vs. Obama](http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/us/general_election_romney_vs_obama-1171.html) \*\*as it gives me a bunch of recent polls at once. I am not a Democrat though I am planning to vote for Obama again baring some completely unexpected Republican grabbing the nomination. It looks like a small recent dip after a good growth over the last few months. People will probably get used to the sticker shock at the pump and we’ll see where the polls are in another 2 weeks. He is still beating Romney after a hit for gas prices and he is crushing the other 2 idiot candidates. ---
**Author:** ![Oldeb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ea666f/32.png) [@Oldeb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oldeb)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2012, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-afraid-are-all-the-democrats/615671/27 "2012-03-13T23:53:45Z")
Newest poll shows Obama’s approval rating growing again. [More Americans approve of the job Obama’s doing than disapprove.](http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/03/13/us-usa-campaign-obama-idUSBRE82C1AN20120313) ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2012, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-afraid-are-all-the-democrats/615671/28 "2012-03-14T14:03:41Z")
How Afraid are Republicans of Obama’s Growing Approval Rating? ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2012, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-afraid-are-all-the-democrats/615671/29 "2012-03-14T14:53:10Z")
It’s not just Democrats who want Obama to win - it’s the rest of the World. (President Santorum?! Really?) ---
**Author:** ![Terraplane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@Terraplane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terraplane)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2012, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-afraid-are-all-the-democrats/615671/30 "2012-03-14T14:57:36Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > But I will point out that the personal approval rating of Mitt Romney seems to be stuck at the sub-30% mark – [cite](http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/i/MSNBC/Sections/A_Politics/_Today_Stories_Teases/12202_March_NBC_WSJ.pdf). The rest of the Republican field is even worse. Really want to see the OP respond to this. Here’s a summary from that link. The first number is the approval rating, the second disapproval. > [@](#): > > Barack Obama … 49 37 > Ron Paul … 26 31 > Mitt Romney … 28 39 > Rick Santorum … 24 39 > Newt Gingrich … 19 53 Come on **tullsterx** , how afraid are you of the _entire Republican field’s_ dismal poll numbers? How are _you_ rationalizing this? But yeah, it’s the democrats who are in denial here. Sure. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2012, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-afraid-are-all-the-democrats/615671/31 "2012-03-14T15:41:53Z")
I still don’t get why anyone would care whether the opposition is scared or not. Being scared doesn’t make that side lose. In fact, it may spur action that causes their side to organize and win, or it may not. The whole premise of the OP seems to be that as long as the Dems are running scared, the Reps have done their job, or something. Seriously, wouldn’t you want the Dems to be in denial and feel safe? That will mean less of us to come out to vote for Obama. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2012, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-afraid-are-all-the-democrats/615671/32 "2012-03-14T15:59:08Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > the current run up in prices appear to be due to people stockpiling Other than not pumping oil out of the ground in the first place, is there really enough offline\* storage capacity for petroleum or petroleum products (such as gasoline) to make that much difference in prices? \*By ‘offline,’ I mean capacity that isn’t being used on a regular basis as part of the distribution system. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2012, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-afraid-are-all-the-democrats/615671/33 "2012-03-14T16:18:13Z")
> [@Terraplane](#): > > Come on **tullsterx** , how afraid are you of the _entire Republican field’s_ dismal poll numbers? How are _you_ rationalizing this? I would rationalize that none of those dudes is really The Candidate yet, and that once the general-election campaign begins in earnest after August and Obama and the Pub are really out there presenting themselves, their poll numbers will draw closer together as November approaches – that always happens in an incumbent-challenger matchup, the incumbent always starts with a massive lead and loses it (though he might still win on e-day). ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2012, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-afraid-are-all-the-democrats/615671/34 "2012-03-14T18:16:00Z")
I know I’m quaking about Obama’s mere 12-point lead over Romney in the latest Pew poll: [Romney Leads GOP Contest, Trails in Matchup with Obama | Pew Research Center](http://www.people-press.org/2012/03/14/romney-leads-gop-contest-trails-in-matchup-with-obama/) ---
**Author:** ![Terraplane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@Terraplane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terraplane)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2012, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-afraid-are-all-the-democrats/615671/35 "2012-03-14T18:29:38Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > I would rationalize that none of those dudes is really The Candidate yet, and that once the general-election campaign begins in earnest after August and Obama and the Pub are really out there presenting themselves, their poll numbers will draw closer together as November approaches – that always happens in an incumbent-challenger matchup, **the incumbent always starts with a massive lead and loses it** (though he might still win on e-day). Bush didn’t. In February of 2004, when nobody was the candidate yet (though to be fair I believe Kerry was the obvious favorite) Kerry and Edwards both beat Bush in a hypothetical matchup. [Link](http://www.gallup.com/poll/10687/kerry-edwards-lead-bush-double-digits-among-likely-voters.aspx) In early March of 2004, after Edwards dropped out, Kerry was still leading Bush. [Link](http://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/nation/polls/usatodaypolls.htm) Also, during this getting to know you stage where Romney ought to be increasing his favorability rating, it remains mostly flat where it’s always been while his _unfavorable_ rating [climbs](http://elections.huffingtonpost.com/pollster/mitt-romney-favorability#!selected=Favorable,Unfavorable,Neutral). The idea is supposed to be that the more people learn about you, the more they like you. Mr. “Cheesy grits, y’all” is managing to do just the opposite. I do agree that the polls will get closer once the Santorum and Gingrich voters go to Romney but if I were a Republican I would be very, very worried right now. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2012, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-afraid-are-all-the-democrats/615671/36 "2012-03-14T19:26:37Z")
It would not be accurate to characterize my state of mind as “afraid,” in any real sense. I will confess to a bit of frustration with the incessant attention being paid to the race for the Republican nomination. It takes the focus off the fact that it is vitally important that the United States NEVER AGAIN elect a Republican to the Presidency. I expect that focus to return once the Republican nominee is actually decided. In the meantime, anything that gets Republicans to spend millions of dollars for ZERO return, must on balance, be considered a good thing. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2012, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-afraid-are-all-the-democrats/615671/37 "2012-03-14T19:42:27Z")
> [@Terraplane](#): > > Also, during this getting to know you stage where Romney ought to be increasing his favorability rating, it remains mostly flat where it’s always been while his _unfavorable_ rating [climbs](http://elections.huffingtonpost.com/pollster/mitt-romney-favorability#!selected=Favorable,Unfavorable,Neutral). The idea is supposed to be that the more people learn about you, the more they like you. Mr. “Cheesy grits, y’all” is managing to do just the opposite. I do agree that the polls will get closer once the Santorum and Gingrich voters go to Romney but if I were a Republican I would be very, very worried right now. Even better, no one has attacked Romney from the left (with the slight exception of Gingrich’s ads about Bain, which were effective.) Romney would have to radically change course to appeal to independents, which is going to be tough to do since he already has a reputation as a flip-flopper. And no Republican candidate has run an ad about how he drive to Canada with his dog on top of the family car. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2012, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-afraid-are-all-the-democrats/615671/38 "2012-03-14T22:05:01Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > Romney would have to radically change course to appeal to independents, which is going to be tough to do since he already has a reputation as a flip-flopper. On the other hand, to a casual observer, there isn’t much difference between a “flip-flopper” and a “moderate”. So it may be pretty easy for him to convince a large percentage of independents that he’s a moderate. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2012, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-afraid-are-all-the-democrats/615671/39 "2012-03-14T22:08:44Z")
> [@scr4](#): > > On the other hand, to a casual observer, there isn’t much difference between a “flip-flopper” and a “moderate”. That’s somewhat true, because this is an issue the Obama campaign has been trying to figure out how to deal with, and they’ll be treading carefully around it. still, flip-flopper and moderate don’t really mean the same thing. Being a moderate doesn’t imply a lack of values or morals, and being a flip-flopper does. John Kerry was bashed for being a flip-flopper and it didn’t make people think he was a moderate. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2012, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-afraid-are-all-the-democrats/615671/40 "2012-03-14T23:08:17Z")
> [@scr4](#): > > On the other hand, to a casual observer, there isn’t much difference between a “flip-flopper” and a “moderate”. So it may be pretty easy for him to convince a large percentage of independents that he’s a moderate. Save for the fact that he’s spent the last six months publicly and repeatedly disavowing his earlier, moderate views on issues such as abortion and health care, in order to secure the nomination. If he tempers those sorts of views once he gets the nomination, he’ll alienate the conservative base, while probably not impressing the independents very much. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-afraid-are-all-the-democrats/615671.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-afraid-are-all-the-democrats/615671.md?page=3)