# Take the test to see which candidate you REALLY want! **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 20, 2011, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-the-test-to-see-which-candidate-you-really-want/606818 "2011-12-20T04:48:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-the-test-to-see-which-candidate-you-really-want/606818/81 "2011-12-21T18:23:57Z")
> [@Sweets](#): > > From a Canadian point of view - Ron Paul is the only one who tells it like it is. I’ve come to the conclusion that the further you travel down North America the more stupid people become.-- Your Gov system is a pile of shit – this could not happen in a parliamentry system of Govt, your founding fathers must have been real dillies to come up with the primaries etc. Umm…don’t Canadian political parties select their leadership with primary elections? ---
**Author:** ![Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimmy_Gibbler)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-the-test-to-see-which-candidate-you-really-want/606818/82 "2011-12-21T18:31:12Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > This test is obviously stacked in favor of Obama, since he’ll get the entirety of the left-leaning, or anything that’s less than nuts right leaning votes, whereas all of the other votes will be split amongst all of the other candidates. > > So for instance, a question that says: > > Regarding taxes on the rich, we should > A) Raise modestly > B) Lower 2% > C) Lower 5% > D) Lower 10% > E) Eliminate entirely > > All of the sentiment towards raising them goes to A, but all of the sentiment towards lowering them gets split over B to E. > > This test is pretty much worthless, but I have seen tests in the past that were more balanced and nuanced that did give some idea of who you matched up with. I wonder if ABC News thought that people taking a “Which candidate do you match best” test would be displeased if the results came back with someone _who is not actually a candidate in the 2012 Presidential election_. “The candidate you match best is … Dick Durbin! Too bad he isn’t running though! Better luck next time! … Say, maybe as an alternative you might want to consider Dr. Congressman Ron Paul…” ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-the-test-to-see-which-candidate-you-really-want/606818/83 "2011-12-21T18:45:18Z")
Obama, Paul, and Bachmann for some reason ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-the-test-to-see-which-candidate-you-really-want/606818/84 "2011-12-21T20:22:45Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > I made it to the gay marriage question, then quit. There was no option for someone who simply supports gay marriage. Funny that that choice was left out. Yes, there were quite a few questions where none of the answers accurately described how I feel. It definitely bothered me to see the question, “Should gay marriage be legal across the country?” with four answers, _and none of the answers are “yes.”_ It would have been interesting to see some kind of statistical analysis on the results. Instead of saying, “Your top candidate match is XXX, with YYY and ZZZ and runner-ups,” I’d have preferred “You had a 78% alignment with XXX, 53% with YYY, and 49% with ZZZ” – with detailed breakdowns by question available. ---
**Author:** ![Becky2844](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Becky2844](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Becky2844)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-the-test-to-see-which-candidate-you-really-want/606818/85 "2011-12-21T20:33:52Z")
> [@SnakesCatLady](#): > > !st - Obama > 2nd - Paul > 3rd - Gingrich - not a chance in hell. Mine, too. And agree with the sentiment. ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-the-test-to-see-which-candidate-you-really-want/606818/86 "2011-12-21T20:38:42Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > This test is obviously stacked in favor of Obama, since he’ll get the entirety of the left-leaning, or anything that’s less than nuts right leaning votes, whereas all of the other votes will be split amongst all of the other candidates. > > So for instance, a question that says: > > Regarding taxes on the rich, we should > A) Raise modestly > B) Lower 2% > C) Lower 5% > D) Lower 10% > E) Eliminate entirely > > All of the sentiment towards raising them goes to A, but all of the sentiment towards lowering them gets split over B to E. > > This test is pretty much worthless, but I have seen tests in the past that were more balanced and nuanced that did give some idea of who you matched up with. He IS the only Democratic candidate, right? ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-the-test-to-see-which-candidate-you-really-want/606818/87 "2011-12-21T20:44:11Z")
> [@](#): > > Your top candidate match is Newt Gingrich! > Ron Paul and Michele Bachmann were runner-ups. I already knew that. ---
**Author:** ![SCSimmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e495f1/32.png) [@SCSimmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCSimmons)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-the-test-to-see-which-candidate-you-really-want/606818/88 "2011-12-21T21:01:07Z")
I think I broke it. It’s been stuck on ‘Calculating’ for about ten minutes. Oh well. Since ABC News doesn’t want to tell me who to vote for, I’ll just stick with Sarah Palin. (She _is_ running, right?) ---
**Author:** ![SCSimmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e495f1/32.png) [@SCSimmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCSimmons)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-the-test-to-see-which-candidate-you-really-want/606818/89 "2011-12-21T21:05:54Z")
OK, I took it again & it gave me Obama at #1, Huntsman at #2, and Paul at #3. Oddly this is almost exactly how I would have ranked the current candidates for my vote, with everyone else coming in tied at #you can’t possibly be serious, so this little tool did nothing but validate my existing choices. They should sell it to Fox News. ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-the-test-to-see-which-candidate-you-really-want/606818/90 "2011-12-21T21:17:48Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > Obama-Huntsman-Romney. Not surprising. > > Also, you’d think ABC could afford a better characature artist. Obama (6) -Huntsman (2) -Romney (2) here for me as well. I feel a lot better about myself getting the 3 least-insane people for my choices. I feel sorry for you guys who got Paul or Bachmann or Perry on your lists… ☹ ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-the-test-to-see-which-candidate-you-really-want/606818/91 "2011-12-21T21:29:23Z")
Just out of curiosity, has ANYONE managed to get Santorum on their list? If so… what responses matched up with him? ---
**Author:** ![Katriona](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/katriona/32/113_2.png) [@Katriona](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Katriona)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-the-test-to-see-which-candidate-you-really-want/606818/92 "2011-12-21T21:42:26Z")
I got Obama for my #1 pick; hardly a surprise. #2 was Romney, which seems reasonable, I guess. #3 was Bachmann, which I can’t for the life of me figure out. And I find appalling. I thought it’d come out as Obama, Romney, Huntsman or Obama, Huntsman, Romney. ---
**Author:** ![Fuzzy\_Dunlop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/848f3c/32.png) [@Fuzzy\_Dunlop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuzzy_Dunlop)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-the-test-to-see-which-candidate-you-really-want/606818/93 "2011-12-21T21:48:59Z")
[quote=“Gary “Wombat” Robson, post:84, topic:606818”] Yes, there were quite a few questions where none of the answers accurately described how I feel. It definitely bothered me to see the question, “Should gay marriage be legal across the country?” with four answers, _and none of the answers are “yes.”_ [/QUOTE] Every answer to each question corresponds to a stated viewpoint of one of the candidates. In about half the cases I can recognize the answer as being something said by a specific candidate or their campaign. I’m sure the rest are basically direct quotes as well, except that I can’t recall them specifically. So it’s sad that not one candidate for president supports equal rights for gays, but that’s America’s fault not the test’s fault for accurately reporting it. [quote=“Gary “Wombat” Robson, post:84, topic:606818”] It would have been interesting to see some kind of statistical analysis on the results. Instead of saying, “Your top candidate match is XXX, with YYY and ZZZ and runner-ups,” I’d have preferred “You had a 78% alignment with XXX, 53% with YYY, and 49% with ZZZ” – with detailed breakdowns by question available. [/QUOTE] You can see which of your questions correspond to which of your top 3 candidates. That’s not a full reporting but it gives you a pretty good idea. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-the-test-to-see-which-candidate-you-really-want/606818/94 "2011-12-21T22:22:16Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > This test is obviously stacked in favor of Obama, since he’ll get the entirety of the left-leaning, or anything that’s less than nuts right leaning votes, whereas all of the other votes will be split amongst all of the other candidates. The _election_ is stacked in favor of Obama. He is guaranteed to be the Dem nominee, all the other candidates have to fight for the GOP spot. Thats not really ABCs fault. ---
**Author:** ![mlees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-the-test-to-see-which-candidate-you-really-want/606818/95 "2011-12-21T22:42:44Z")
Obama (6), Huntsman (3), Gingrich (2) I was surprised. I figured fence sitters like me would be more Romney (the moderate Republican) than Obama (who I see as a “big government” type). ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-the-test-to-see-which-candidate-you-really-want/606818/96 "2011-12-21T22:52:27Z")
Obama, Newt, Huntsman. Newt got in there because of how I answered the “how to handle an ailing spouse” question. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-the-test-to-see-which-candidate-you-really-want/606818/97 "2011-12-21T23:59:01Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > Obama, Newt, Huntsman. > > Newt got in there because of how I answered the “how to handle an ailing spouse” question. Hey! I didn’t get that one! I did the quiz again and did it right this time. Obama, Romney, Paul. ---
**Author:** ![SCSimmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e495f1/32.png) [@SCSimmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCSimmons)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2011, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-the-test-to-see-which-candidate-you-really-want/606818/98 "2011-12-22T02:19:06Z")
Cast around the net a bit for something more comprehensive, and found [SelectSmart](http://www.selectsmart.com/president). For me, it actually gave virtually the same results among the active, declared candidates–it put Paul ahead of Huntsman, probably because the range of agreement/disagreement available on policy positions was too limited, as the things I disagree with Paul on I disagree with most wholeheartedly … I was interested to see NYC mayor Michael Bloomberg on the list ahead of either of them; this page includes people who have been discussed as potential candidates but not declared. There’s apparently still a possibility that Bloomberg will run as an independent. I really hope he does–he’d make a good protest vote (and since whoever the Republicans nominate will win my state anyway …) ---
**Author:** ![ProbablyProcrastinating](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/57b2e6/32.png) [@ProbablyProcrastinating](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ProbablyProcrastinating)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2011, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-the-test-to-see-which-candidate-you-really-want/606818/99 "2011-12-22T02:25:30Z")
Obama-Bachmann-Santorum. Santorum? Seriously? That must have been the few questions I didn’t even want to answer and had to read between the lines on. What were questions three and five? ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2011, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-the-test-to-see-which-candidate-you-really-want/606818/100 "2011-12-22T03:02:44Z")
> [@SCSimmons](#): > > Cast around the net a bit for something more comprehensive, and found [SelectSmart](http://www.selectsmart.com/president). My SelectSmart results of candidates actually running for president are: 1. Obama - 93% 2. Paul - 40% 3. Johnson - 35% 4. Huntsman - 34% 5. Roemer - 32% 6. Perry - 21% 7. Romney - 20% 8. Gingrich - 17% 9. Bachman - 15% 10. Santorum - 15% [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-the-test-to-see-which-candidate-you-really-want/606818.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-the-test-to-see-which-candidate-you-really-want/606818.md?page=6)