# Which GOP POTUS contenders are likeable, honorable, & competent? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [August 26, 2015, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-gop-potus-contenders-are-likeable-honorable-competent/728914 "2015-08-26T03:42:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2015, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-gop-potus-contenders-are-likeable-honorable-competent/728914/41 "2015-08-26T19:57:27Z")
> [@WillFarnaby](#): > > The bare fact is he is well-liked. He is liked more than Hillary. I’ll bet you $1,000 that I can prove this false. Want to take my bet? ---
**Author:** ![WillFarnaby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/willfarnaby/32/514_2.png) [@WillFarnaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WillFarnaby)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2015, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-gop-potus-contenders-are-likeable-honorable-competent/728914/42 "2015-08-26T19:57:28Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > Gallup has polled Trump’s favorability ratings seven times since 1999. Would you like to guess how those polls turned out? No, but I’d like to see the numbers. ---
**Author:** ![WillFarnaby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/willfarnaby/32/514_2.png) [@WillFarnaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WillFarnaby)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2015, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-gop-potus-contenders-are-likeable-honorable-competent/728914/43 "2015-08-26T19:58:47Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > I’ll bet you $1,000 that I can prove this false. Want to take my bet? Do you have numbers on the intensity of likability. If not, you can’t. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2015, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-gop-potus-contenders-are-likeable-honorable-competent/728914/44 "2015-08-26T20:03:15Z")
> [@WillFarnaby](#): > > Do you have numbers on the intensity of likability. If not, you can’t. Well bowl me over with a feather. You won’t take the bet unless you get to define “likable” in a way that nobody else does. I am shocked. Gobsmacked. How did I never see that coming? ETA: do you believe that [Benny Hinn](https://www.bennyhinn.org/) qualifies as a likable person? ---
**Author:** ![Airbeck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/airbeck/32/6574_2.png) [@Airbeck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airbeck)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2015, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-gop-potus-contenders-are-likeable-honorable-competent/728914/45 "2015-08-26T20:08:18Z")
> [@WillFarnaby](#): > > Do you have numbers on the intensity of likability. If not, you can’t. “intensity of likability” Dafuq? So if nobody has numbers on a made up statistic, then you get to win the point? Likability is something that is polled and that there is data to support. Gee I wonder why that metric isn’t good enough for you … ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2015, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-gop-potus-contenders-are-likeable-honorable-competent/728914/46 "2015-08-26T20:17:57Z")
> [@WillFarnaby](#): > > No, but I’d like to see the numbers. [Cite.](http://www.gallup.com/poll/1618/favorability-people-news.aspx) For readability purposes, I’m just going to post the deltas (positives are favorable, negatives unfavorable). For good measure, I’m throwing in HRC’s numbers for comparative purposes. Ah, hell, I’ll throw in Geoerge W. Bush’s, too, as best as I can. July 2015: Trump -26, HRC -3, Bush -1 April 2011: Trump -17, HRC N/A, Bush N/A March 2011: Trump -4, HRC +35, Bush N/A Jan 2007: Trump -7, HRC +18, Bush -8 June 2005: Trump +12 (atta boy!), HRC +16 (sorry Donald), Bush -2 October 1999: Trump -25 (the pattern returns), HRC +16, Bush +45 September 1999: Trump -6, HRC +15, Bush +49 The lesson here, of course, is that George W. Bush is better liked than Trump, and Clinton is more liked than Bush. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2015, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-gop-potus-contenders-are-likeable-honorable-competent/728914/47 "2015-08-26T20:31:32Z")
> [@WillFarnaby](#): > > He is well liked by a plurality of Republican voters, A plurality? That isn’t very good for a nominee. Who do you suppose the people who don’t like him will vote for? > [@](#): > > and has the potential of appropriating some traditionally Democratic voters. He will lose far more Republicans and Independents than he will pick up from Democrats. > [@](#): > > The bare fact is he is well-liked. He is liked more than Hillary. Just keep telling yourself that. > [@](#): > > Trump is likely to last much much longer than you and establishment pundits think. Wanna bet? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2015, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-gop-potus-contenders-are-likeable-honorable-competent/728914/48 "2015-08-26T20:41:24Z")
I find myself wondering if the volatility and confusion over polling numbers might be best explained by the “Who gives a fuck? Its all more than a year away” factor. Perhaps the only people actually answering questions are those in the minority of citizens who give a fuck. How does anyone track the opinions of people who cannot be bothered to have one? This would amplify the importance of Bernie as it would amplify the importance of The Donald. Problem being obvious, that the machinery produces a candidate who survives, but arouses an almost universal reaction of “Who? Him? You gotta be kidding, who’s dumb-ass idea was _that_!”. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2015, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-gop-potus-contenders-are-likeable-honorable-competent/728914/49 "2015-08-26T20:44:54Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > I find myself wondering if the volatility and confusion over polling numbers might be best explained by the “Who gives a fuck? Its all more than a year away” factor. That’s very charitable of you. I think the poll results are best explained by the growing popularity of heroin and methamphetamine. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2015, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-gop-potus-contenders-are-likeable-honorable-competent/728914/50 "2015-08-26T20:57:04Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > Likeable: Maybe Kasich. He’s the grandfather who has a little too much scotch at Thanksgiving and sits in the easy chair telling dirty jokes. The others- no. Trump is very much unlikeable. Fiorina is the boss who fired your mom the day before she got vested in her retirement plan. Paul is the little dweeb who cheats on his chemistry test but tattles to the teacher when you sneak in after the bell. Huckabee is the preacher from the horror movie later revealed to be the serial killer. Cruz is the cop on the vice squad who seizes all the porn for his personal collection. > > Honorable: Not a one. Bush got the legislature to grant him custody of a brain-dead woman so he could refuse her family’s request to let her die with dignity. Christie turned the Port Authority into his own political sleaze fund. Walker has an obsession with destroying public schools and crippling state universities. > > Competent: Don’t see any. Jindal and Perry aren’t exactly models of great governors. Trump had many business failures. Fiorina was dumped by HP. Cruz thinks it’s fun to shut down the government over long-lost social issues. Rubio has yet to come up with the alternative to Obamacare. > > What a sad pathetic lot this is. Agree completely, and very nicely said, thank you. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2015, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-gop-potus-contenders-are-likeable-honorable-competent/728914/51 "2015-08-26T21:59:48Z")
> [@WillFarnaby](#): > > I will share a telling anecdote on the Trump candidacy. In my work break room, for morning break there is _Maury_ on at one end of the room facing South, while CNN is at the other end facing North. On any given day, Maury enjoys a 90% (of 40-60 folks) viewer share against CNN, including on days with “big” political news. On the day of the Trump announcement, every person was tuned into Trump. Every single person. I work in a manufacturing facility in a severely blighted neighborhood of Baltimore City with a very diverse group of folks. Lately CNN has been usurped by “World’s Dumbest” programs, so I haven’t been able to judge the staying power of Trump. People are equally drawn to Kim Kardashian ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2015, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-gop-potus-contenders-are-likeable-honorable-competent/728914/52 "2015-08-26T22:06:03Z")
I don’t understand why Carson would be considered competent or likeable. He is very competent in his personal and professional life. A very talented surgeon and all. But his opinions on gay marriage, or his view that the ACA is the worst thing since slavery, or his comparisons of the US to Nazi germany make him seem pretty clueless and histrionic. I don’t know about the other candidates, but maybe Walker or Rubio would be considered competent, likeable and honorable. Cruz is a weasel and I think a lot of people see that, so he is out. Christie isn’t liked by the GOP base or NJ. Not sure about the others. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2015, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-gop-potus-contenders-are-likeable-honorable-competent/728914/53 "2015-08-26T22:19:26Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > I’ll wager Pataki is competent and probably honorable, I don’t recall any scandals coming out of his administration. I don’t recall having ever seen him make a policy speech or talking in the news at all though, so I’m not sure if he’s likeable. I keep forgetting he’s running. OK. I know nothing about him, but that’s probably a hopeful sign. It means he hasn’t been stinking up SRIOTD. So, who thinks George Pataki will win the nomination? ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2015, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-gop-potus-contenders-are-likeable-honorable-competent/728914/54 "2015-08-26T23:23:28Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > People are equally drawn to Kim Kardashian In fact, it’s probably almost exactly the same low-information reality-show-addled demographic! ---
**Author:** ![WillFarnaby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/willfarnaby/32/514_2.png) [@WillFarnaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WillFarnaby)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2015, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-gop-potus-contenders-are-likeable-honorable-competent/728914/55 "2015-08-27T00:19:54Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > Wanna bet? 😉 If you clearly state the conditions of the wager, I will consider it. ---
**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:** [August 27, 2015, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-gop-potus-contenders-are-likeable-honorable-competent/728914/56 "2015-08-27T02:32:51Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > Likeable: Maybe Kasich. He’s the grandfather who has a little too much scotch at Thanksgiving and sits in the easy chair telling dirty jokes. The others- no. Trump is very much unlikeable. Fiorina is the boss who fired your mom the day before she got vested in her retirement plan. Paul is the little dweeb who cheats on his chemistry test but tattles to the teacher when you sneak in after the bell. Huckabee is the preacher from the horror movie later revealed to be the serial killer. Cruz is the cop on the vice squad who seizes all the porn for his personal collection. > > Honorable: Not a one. Bush got the legislature to grant him custody of a brain-dead woman so he could refuse her family’s request to let her die with dignity. Christie turned the Port Authority into his own political sleaze fund. Walker has an obsession with destroying public schools and crippling state universities. > > Competent: Don’t see any. Jindal and Perry aren’t exactly models of great governors. Trump had many business failures. Fiorina was dumped by HP. Cruz thinks it’s fun to shut down the government over long-lost social issues. Rubio has yet to come up with the alternative to Obamacare. > > What a sad pathetic lot this is. QFT. > [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > maybe Walker … would be considered competent, likeable and honorable. I’ve been told I need to add smiley-faces when I’m being sarcastic. Did you forget a smiley ehre? ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2015, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-gop-potus-contenders-are-likeable-honorable-competent/728914/57 "2015-08-27T02:37:15Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > I’ll wager Pataki is competent and probably honorable, I don’t recall any scandals coming out of his administration. I don’t recall having ever seen him make a policy speech or talking in the news at all though, so I’m not sure if he’s likeable. I remember Pataki from when he was governor. He’s an intelligent and competent man. No major scandals were connected to him. But he has major liabilities. First is he has a very bland personality. Second is he’s been out of politics for nine years and has no base. And third is that he’s a moderate in a party that’s been taken over by conservatives. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-gop-potus-contenders-are-likeable-honorable-competent/728914.md?page=2)