Clinton, Giuliani Neck And Neck In New Jersey Pres Race, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; More See Giuliani As More Principled Than Democrat

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New York Sen. Hillary Clinton and former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, the Republican front-runner, are locked in a tight 2008 presidential matchup in New Jersey, with 45 percent for Mayor Giuliani and 44 percent for Sen. Clinton, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today. This compares to a 47 - 44 percent Giuliani lead July 5.

New Jersey voters say 56 - 27 percent that Giuliani makes decisions based on his principles rather than on what the voters think is best. Voters say 42 - 41 percent that Clinton votes based on voter opinion rather than her principles, the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh- pe-ack) University poll finds.

In a Democratic primary matchup, Clinton has opened up at 46 - 15 percent lead over Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, with 11 percent for former Vice President Al Gore and 7 percent for former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards.

Among Republicans, Giuliani leads with 45 percent, followed by 12 percent for former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson, 8 percent for Arizona Sen. John McCain and 6 percent for former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.

"New Jersey voters say Sen. Hillary Clinton is more 'political,' while Mayor Rudolph Giuliani is more 'principled.' But Sen. Clinton has been gaining steadily on the Republican front- runner," said Clay F. Richards, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.

"She also has increased her primary lead over Sen. Barack Obama to more than 30 points.

"Giuliani is also up about 30 points in the race for the GOP nomination and it's going to be hard for any other candidates to beat the two New Yorkers in the Garden State."

"Just as important for Sen. Clinton, her positives among all voters are slowly inching up while her negatives are inching down, a shift that could prove important in the general election," Richards added.

In other presidential matchups:
  • Clinton tops McCain 46 - 41 percent, Thompson 48 - 36 percent and Romney 52 - 33 percent;
  • Giuliani beats Obama 49 - 40 percent and Edwards 50 - 39 percent;
  • Obama tops McCain 44 - 41 percent, Thompson 49 - 34 percent and Romney 51 - 31 percent;
  • Edwards beats McCain 44 - 40 percent, Thompson 48 - 34 percent and Romney 51 - 30 percent.
New Jersey voters give Clinton a 51 - 41 percent favorability rating. Favorability ratings for other contenders are:
  • 61 - 29 percent for Giuliani;
  • 47 - 28 percent for McCain;
  • 47 - 41 percent for Gore;
  • 50 - 23 percent for Obama;
  • 47 - 27 percent for Edwards;
  • Negative 22 - 27 percent for Romney;
  • 26 - 20 percent for Thompson.
Bush Approval

New Jersey voters disapprove 68 - 27 percent of the job President George W. Bush is doing, compared to an all-time low 74 - 21 percent disapproval July 5.

From September 18 - 23, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,230 New Jersey voters with a margin of error of +/- 2.8 percentage points. The survey includes 408 Republicans, with a margin of error of +/- 4.8 percentage points, and 406 Democrats with a margin of error of +/- 4.9 percentage points.

The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D., conducts public opinion surveys in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Florida, Ohio and nationally as a public service and for research. For more data -- http://www.quinnipiac.edu/x271.xml, or call (203) 582-5201.

1. (If registered Democrat) If the 2008 Democratic primary for President were being held today, and the candidates were Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton, Chris Dodd, John Edwards, Al Gore, Mike Gravel, Dennis Kucinich, Barack Obama and Bill Richardson for whom would you vote? 

                        Tot     Men     Wom



Biden                    3%      5%      1%
Clinton                 46      35      53
Dodd                     -       1       -
Edwards                  7      10       5
Gore                    11      12       9
Gravel                   -       -       -
Kucinich                 1       1       -
Obama                   15      17      13
Richardson               1       2       1
SMONE ELSE(VOL)          1       1       1
WLDN'T VOTE(VOL)         3       3       2
DK/NA                   12      12      12
TREND: (If registered Democrat) If the 2008 Democratic primary for President were being held today and the candidates were Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton, Chris Dodd, John Edwards, Al Gore, Mike Gravel, Dennis Kucinich, Barack Obama, and Bill Richardson, for whom would you vote? (na = not asked) 

                        REGISTERED DEMOCRATS..................
                        Sep 26  Jul 5   Apr 19  Mar 1   Jan 25
                        2007    2007    2007    2007    2007



Biden                    3       2       3       3       6
Clark                   na      na       1       1       2
Clinton                 46      37      38      41      30
Dodd                     -       1       -       -       -
Edwards                  7       6       9       5       8
Gore                    11      18      12      10      11
Gravel                   -       -       -      na      na
Kucinich                 1       -       -       1       -
Obama                   15      15      16      19      16
Richardson               1       4       2       1       1
SMONE ELSE(VOL)          1       2       2       2       2
WLDN'T VOTE(VOL)         3       2       -       2       1
DK/NA                   12      13      16      15      17
2. (If registered Republican) If the 2008 Republican primary for President were being held today, and the candidates were Sam Brownback, Newt Gingrich, Rudy Giuliani, Mike Huckabee, Duncan Hunter, John McCain, Ron Paul, Mitt Romney, Tom Tancredo and Fred Thompson for whom would you vote? 

                        Tot    Men     Wom



Brownback                -      -       - 
Gingrich                 4%     7%      2%
Giuliani                45     45      46
Huckabee                 2      2       3
Hunter                   -      -       0
McCain                   8      6      10
Paul                     3      5       -
Romney                   6      7       5
Tancredo                 -      -       -
Thompson, F.            12     14      10
SMONE ELSE(VOL)          2      2       2
WLDN'T VOTE(VOL)         3      3       2
DK/NA                   14      9      20
TREND: (If registered Republican) If the 2008 Republican primary for President were being held today and the candidates were Sam Brownback, Newt Gingrich, Rudy Giuliani, Mike Huckabee, Duncan Hunter, John McCain, Ron Paul, Mitt Romney, Tom Tancredo, and Fred Thompson, for whom would you vote? (na = not asked) 

                        REGISTERED REPUBLICANS................
                        Sep 26  Jul 5   Apr 19  Mar 1   Jan 25
                        2007    2007    2007    2007    2007



Brownback                -       1       1       -       1
Gilmore                 na       -       -       1       1
Gingrich                 4       6       4       5      11
Giuliani                45      46      49      58      39
Hagel                   na      na       -       1       1
Huckabee                 2       1       -       -       1
Hunter                   -       -       -       -       1
McCain                   8      11      18      15      21
Pataki                  na      na       2       1       3
Paul                     3       1       -       -      na
Romney                   6       7       5       2       5
Tancredo                 -       -       1       1      na
Thompson, F.            12       9       6      na      na
Thompson, T.            na       1       1       -       -
SMONE ELSE(VOL)          2       1       2       2       1
WLDN'T VOTE(VOL)         3       4       1       2       3
DK/NA                   14      12      10      10      13
3. If the 2008 election for President were being held today, and the candidates were Hillary Clinton the Democrat and Rudy Giuliani the Republican, for whom would you vote? 
                        Tot     Rep     Dem     Ind     Men     Wom



Clinton                 44%      7%     84%     37%     38%     50%
Giuliani                45      88      12      47      50      41
SMONE ELSE(VOL)          1       -       -       2       2       1
WLDN'T VOTE(VOL)         2       -       1       4       3       2
DK/NA                    7       4       3       9       6       7
TREND: If the 2008 election for President were being held today and the candidates were Hillary Clinton the Democrat and Rudy Giuliani the Republican, for whom would you vote? 

                        Sep 26  Jul 5   Apr 19  Mar 1   Jan 25
                        2007    2007    2007    2007    2007



Clinton                 44      44      40      41      41
Giuliani                45      47      49      50      48
SMONE ELSE(VOL)          1       1       1       1       1
WLDN'T VOTE(VOL)         2       2       2       2       2
DK/NA                    7       6       8       6       8
4. If the 2008 election for President were being held today, and the candidates were Barack Obama the Democrat and Rudy Giuliani the Republican, for whom would you vote? 
                        Tot     Rep     Dem     Ind     Men     Wom



Obama                   40%      6%     73%     36%     36%     44%
Giuliani                49      88      20      49      54      45
SMONE ELSE(VOL)          1       -       1       1       1       1
WLDN'T VOTE(VOL)         4       1       3       6       4       3
DK/NA                    7       5       4       8       6       8
TREND: If the 2008 election for President were being held today and the candidates were Barack Obama the Democrat and Rudy Giuliani the Republican, for whom would you vote? 

                        Sep 26  Jul 5   Apr 19  Mar 1
                        2007    2007    2007    2007



Obama                   40      40      38      39
Giuliani                49      48      48      50
SMONE ELSE(VOL)          1       2       1       1
WLDN'T VOTE(VOL)         4       2       2       2
DK/NA                    7       7      10       9
5. If the 2008 election for President were being held today, and the candidates were John Edwards the Democrat and Rudy Giuliani the Republican, for whom would you vote? 
                        Tot     Rep     Dem     Ind     Men     Wom



Edwards                 39%      5%     71%     38%     35%     42%
Giuliani                50      90      20      47      55      44
SMONE ELSE(VOL)          1       -       -       1       1       1
WLDN'T VOTE(VOL)         3       1       4       4       3       3
DK/NA                    7       4       4       9       5       9
6. If the 2008 election for President were being held today, and the candidates were Hillary Clinton the Democrat and John McCain the Republican, for whom would you vote? 
                        Tot     Rep     Dem     Ind     Men     Wom



Clinton                 46%     10%     84%     40%     38%     53%
McCain                  41      83       8      42      47      35
SMONE ELSE(VOL)          2       1       1       2       2       1
WLDN'T VOTE(VOL)         4       2       3       8       6       3
DK/NA                    7       4       3       9       6       7
TREND: If the 2008 election for President were being held today and the candidates were Hillary Clinton the Democrat and John McCain the Republican, for whom would you vote? 

                        Sep 26  Jul 5   Apr 19  Mar 1 Jan 25
                        2007    2007    2007    2007    2007



Clinton                 46      47      45      45      43
McCain                  41      41      41      45      44
SMONE ELSE(VOL)          2       2       2       2       1
WLDN'T VOTE(VOL)         4       3       2       2       2
DK/NA                    7       7       9       6      10
7. If the 2008 election for President were being held today, and the candidates were Barack Obama the Democrat and John McCain the Republican, for whom would you vote? 
                        Tot     Rep     Dem     Ind     Men     Wom



Obama                   44%      9%     79%     38%     40%     47%
McCain                  41      81      12      41      46      37
SMONE ELSE(VOL)          1       -       1       2       1       2
WLDN'T VOTE(VOL)         5       4       3       8       6       4
DK/NA                    9       6       5      12       7      10
TREND: If the 2008 election for President were being held today and the candidates were Barack Obama the Democrat and John McCain the Republican, for whom would you vote? 

                        Sep 26  Jul 5   Apr 19  Mar 1   Jan 25
                        2007    2007    2007    2007    2007



Obama                   44      44      43      45      39
McCain                  41      40      41      41      42
SMONE ELSE(VOL)          1       2       2       2       2
WLDN'T VOTE(VOL)         5       4       3       2       2
DK/NA                    9       9      11      10      15
8. If the 2008 election for President were being held today, and the candidates were John Edwards the Democrat and John McCain the Republican, for whom would you vote? 
                        Tot     Rep     Dem     Ind     Men     Wom



Edwards                 44%      9%     79%     41%     39%     49%
McCain                  40      80      10      40      47      34
SMONE ELSE(VOL)          2       2       1       2       2       2
WLDN'T VOTE(VOL)         5       3       5       7       6       5
DK/NA                    9       5       5      11       7      10
TREND: If the 2008 election for President were being held today and the candidates were John Edwards the Democrat and John McCain the Republican, for whom would you vote? 

                        Sep 26  Apr 19  Jan 25
                        2007    2007    2007



Edwards                 44      42      39
McCain                  40      41      45
SMONE ELSE(VOL)          2       3       2
WLDN'T VOTE(VOL)         5       3       2
DK/NA                    9      11      12
9. If the 2008 election for President were being held today, and the candidates were Hillary Clinton the Democrat and Fred Thompson the Republican, for whom would you vote? 
                        Tot     Rep     Dem     Ind     Men     Wom



Clinton                 48%     11%     88%     42%     40%     57%
Thompson                36      79       4      35      42      30
SMONE ELSE(VOL)          3       1       3       5       5       2
WLDN'T VOTE(VOL)         4       2       3       7       6       3
DK/NA                    8       8       3      11       8       9
TREND: If the 2008 election for President were being held today, and the candidates were Hillary Clinton the Democrat and Fred Thompson the Republican, for whom would you vote? 

                        Sep 26  Jul 5
                        2007    2007



Clinton                 48      50
Thompson                36      37
SMONE ELSE(VOL)          3       3
WLDN'T VOTE(VOL)         4       3
DK/NA                    8       9
10. If the 2008 election for President were being held today, and the candidates were Barack Obama the Democrat and Fred Thompson the Republican, for whom would you vote? 
                        Tot     Rep     Dem     Ind     Men     Wom



Obama                   49%     12%     83%     46%     44%     53%
Thompson                34      75       6      29      40      28
SMONE ELSE(VOL)          2       1       2       2       2       2
WLDN'T VOTE(VOL)         5       3       3       8       5       5
DK/NA                   11       9       6      15       9      13
TREND: If the 2008 election for President were being held today, and the candidates were Barack Obama the Democrat and Fred Thompson the Republican, for whom would you vote? 

                        Sep 26  Jul 5
                        2007    2007



Obama                   49      49
Thompson                34      32
SMONE ELSE(VOL)          2       3
WLDN'T VOTE(VOL)         5       4
DK/NA                   11      13
11. If the 2008 election for President were being held today, and the candidates were John Edwards the Democrat and Fred Thompson the Republican, for whom would you vote? 
                        Tot     Rep     Dem     Ind     Men     Wom



Edwards                 48%     15%     78%     46%     40%     55%
Thompson                34      72       8      31      43      26
SMONE ELSE(VOL)          3       2       3       2       3       2
WLDN'T VOTE(VOL)         5       3       4       8       5       5
DK/NA                   11       9       7      13       9      13
12. If the 2008 election for President were being held today, and the candidates were Hillary Clinton the Democrat and Mitt Romney the Republican, for whom would you vote? 
                        Tot     Rep     Dem     Ind     Men     Wom



Clinton                 52%     14%     89%     47%     45%     58%
Romney                  33      75       3      32      39      27
SMONE ELSE(VOL)          3       2       2       5       4       3
WLDN'T VOTE(VOL)         5       2       3       8       6       4
DK/NA                    7       7       3       9       6       9
TREND: If the 2008 election for President were being held today and the candidates were Hillary Clinton the Democrat and Mitt Romney the Republican, for whom would you vote? 

                        Sep 26  Apr 19  Jan 25
                        2007    2007    2007



Clinton                 52      50      53
Romney                  33      31      29
SMONE ELSE(VOL)          3       3       2
WLDN'T VOTE(VOL)         5       3       3
DK/NA                    7      12      13
13. If the 2008 election for President were being held today, and the candidates were Barack Obama the Democrat and Mitt Romney the Republican, for whom would you vote? 
                        Tot     Rep     Dem     Ind     Men     Wom



Obama                   51%     16%     82%     50%     48%     54%
Romney                  31      71       4      27      37      26
SMONE ELSE(VOL)          2       1       2       3       2       2
WLDN'T VOTE(VOL)         5       3       2       8       5       5
DK/NA                   11       9       9      13       8      14
TREND: If the 2008 election for President were being held today, and the candidates were Barack Obama the Democrat and Mitt Romney the Republican, for whom would you vote? 

                        Sep 26  Apr 19
                        2007    2007



Obama                   51      50
Romney                  31      26
SMONE ELSE(VOL)          2       3
WLDN'T VOTE(VOL)         5       4
DK/NA                   11      17
14. If the 2008 election for President were being held today, and the candidates were John Edwards the Democrat and Mitt Romney the Republican, for whom would you vote? 
                        Tot     Rep     Dem     Ind     Men     Wom



Edwards                 51%     15%     84%     51%     46%     56%
Romney                  30      70       4      25      36      23
SMONE ELSE(VOL)          2       1       -       4       2       2
WLDN'T VOTE(VOL)         6       3       5       9       7       5
DK/NA                   11      11       7      11      10      13
TREND: If the 2008 election for President were being held today, and the candidates were John Edwards the Democrat and Mitt Romney the Republican, for whom would you vote? 

                        Sep 26  Apr 19
                        2007    2007



Edwards                 51      51
Romney                  30      26
SMONE ELSE(VOL)          2       3
WLDN'T VOTE(VOL)         6       3
DK/NA                   11      17
TREND: Is your opinion of -- favorable, unfavorable or haven't you heard enough about him/her? na = not asked

Score = %Favorable (%Haven't Heard Enough) 

                        Sep 26  Jul 5   Apr 19  Mar 1   Jan 25
                        2007    2007    2007    2007    2007



Clinton, Hillary        51( 6)  50( 6)  49( 5)  47( 8)  53( 6)
Edwards, John           47(23)  39(28)  53(21)  na      44(30)
Giuliani, Rudy          61( 9)  61( 8)  62( 9)  66(12)  63(12)
Gore, Al                47( 9)  55( 9)  na      na      na
McCain, John            47(23)  46(21)  52(20)  48(25)  52(21)
Obama, Barack           50(25)  49(29)  48(34)  42(45)  41(49)
Romney, Mitt            22(49)  16(63)  16(65)  na      11(76)
Thompson, Fred          26(52)  27(55)  18(71)  na      na
15. Is your opinion of -- Hillary Clinton favorable, unfavorable or haven't you heard enough about her? 
                        Tot     Rep     Dem     Ind     Men     Wom



Favorable               51%     15%     85%     46%     43%     59%
Unfavorable             41      79       7      46      47      35
Hvn't hrd enough         6       5       6       6       7       4
REFUSED                  2       1       2       1       2       2
TREND: Is your opinion of Hillary Clinton favorable, unfavorable or haven't you heard enough about her? 

                        Sep 26  Jul 5   Apr 19  Mar 1   Jan 25
                        2007    2007    2007    2007    2007



Favorable               51      50      49      47      53
Unfavorable             41      42      43      43      38
Hvn't hrd enough         6       6       5       8       6
REFUSED                  2       2       3       2       2
16. Is your opinion of -- John Edwards favorable, unfavorable or haven't you heard enough about him? 
                        Tot     Rep     Dem     Ind     Men     Wom



Favorable               47%     24%     66%     49%     44%     50%
Unfavorable             27      51       7      29      34      21
Hvn't hrd enough        23      22      26      20      20      27
REFUSED                  2       3       1       1       2       2
TREND: Is your opinion of John Edwards favorable, unfavorable or haven't you heard enough about him? 

                        Sep 26  Jul 5   Apr 19  Jan 25
                        2007    2007    2007    2007



Favorable               47      39      53      44
Unfavorable             27      30      22      23
Hvn't hrd enough        23      28      21      30
REFUSED                  2       2       3       2
17. Is your opinion of -- Rudy Giuliani favorable, unfavorable or haven't you heard enough about him? 
                        Tot     Rep     Dem     Ind     Men     Wom



Favorable               61%     89%     38%     61%     63%     58%
Unfavorable             29       5      50      28      29      29
Hvn't hrd enough         9       5      11       9       6      11
REFUSED                  2       1       1       1       1       2
TREND: Is your opinion of Rudy Giuliani favorable, unfavorable or haven't you heard enough about him? 

                        Sep 26  Jul 5   Apr 19  Mar 1   Jan 25
                        2007    2007    2007    2007    2007



Favorable               61      61      62      66      63
Unfavorable             29      29      27      20      24
Hvn't hrd enough         9       8       9      12      12
REFUSED                  2       2       3       2       1
18. Is your opinion of -- Al Gore favorable, unfavorable or haven't you heard enough about him? 
                        Tot     Rep     Dem     Ind     Men     Wom



Favorable               47%     18%     72%     49%     44%     49%
Unfavorable             41      71      18      39      47      36
Hvn't hrd enough         9       9       8       8       6      12
REFUSED                  3       2       2       4       3       3
TREND: Is your opinion of -- Al Gore favorable, unfavorable or haven't you heard enough about him? 
                        Sep 26  Jul 5
                        2007    2007



Favorable               47      55
Unfavorable             41      35
Hvn't hrd enough         9       9
REFUSED                  3       2
19. Is your opinion of -- John McCain favorable, unfavorable or haven't you heard enough about him? 
                        Tot     Rep     Dem     Ind     Men     Wom



Favorable               47%     66%     30%     51%     55%     39%
Unfavorable             28      17      37      27      28      28
Hvn't hrd enough        23      14      32      18      14      31
REFUSED                  3       2       2       3       3       3
TREND: Is your opinion of John McCain favorable, unfavorable or haven't you heard enough about him? 

                        Sep 26  Jul 5   Apr 19  Mar 1   Jan 25
                        2007    2007    2007    2007    2007



Favorable               47      46      52      48      52
Unfavorable             28      30      24      24      24
Hvn't hrd enough        23      21      20      25      21
REFUSED                  3       3       4       4       2
20. Is your opinion of -- Barack Obama favorable, unfavorable or haven't you heard enough about him? 
                        Tot     Rep     Dem     Ind     Men     Wom



Favorable               50%     31%     66%     50%     45%     54%
Unfavorable             23      41       7      24      30      16
Hvn't hrd enough        25      27      25      24      22      28
REFUSED                  2       2       2       2       3       2
TREND: Is your opinion of Barack Obama favorable, unfavorable or haven't you heard enough about him? 

                        Sep 26  Jul 5   Apr 19  Mar 1   Jan 25
                        2007    2007    2007    2007    2007



Favorable               50      49      48      42      41
Unfavorable             23      21      15      11       9
Hvn't hrd enough        25      29      34      45      49
REFUSED                  2       1       2       2       1
21. Is your opinion of -- Mitt Romney favorable, unfavorable or haven't you heard enough about him? 
                        Tot     Rep     Dem     Ind     Men     Wom



Favorable               22%     46%      5%     22%     28%     17%
Unfavorable             27      11      37      31      32      23
Hvn't hrd enough        49      41      57      47      39      59
REFUSED                  2       2       1       -       2       2
TREND: Is your opinion of Mitt Romney favorable, unfavorable or haven't you heard enough about him? 

                        Sep 26  Jul 5   Apr 19  Jan 25
                        2007    2007    2007    2007



Favorable               22      16      16      11
Unfavorable             27      20      16      12
Hvn't hrd enough        49      63      65      76
REFUSED                  2       2       3       1
22. Is your opinion of -- Fred Thompson favorable, unfavorable or haven't you heard enough about him? 
                        Tot     Rep     Dem     Ind     Men     Wom



Favorable               26%     46%     12%     24%     31%     21%
Unfavorable             20       7      31      22      22      19
Hvn't hrd enough        52      46      57      52      44      60
REFUSED                  2       1       -       1       2       1
TREND: Is your opinion of Fred Thompson favorable, unfavorable or haven't you heard enough about him? 

                        Sep 26  Jul 5   Apr 19
                        2007    2007    2007



Favorable               26      27      18
Unfavorable             20      16       8
Hvn't hrd enough        52      55      71
REFUSED                  2       2       3
23. Sometimes government officials and the voters disagree. When this happens do you think most government officials make decisions based on their principles, or do most government officials do what the voters think is best? 

                        Tot     Rep     Dem     Ind     Men     Wom



Their principles        58%     57%     60%     57%     51%     64%
What vtrs think best    25      28      23      24      27      23
DK/NA                   17      15      17      19      22      13
24. In such situations, does Rudy Giuliani make decisions based on his principles, or does he do what the voters think is best? 

                        Tot     Rep     Dem     Ind     Men     Wom



His principles          56%     66%     50%     57%     58%     54%
What vtrs think best    27      24      30      27      26      27
DK/NA                   18      10      20      16      16      19
25. In such situations, does Hillary Clinton make decisions based on her principles, or does she do what the voters think is best? 

                        Tot     Rep     Dem     Ind     Men     Wom



Her principles          41%     37%     45%     44%     40%     42%
What vtrs think best    42      48      41      39      42      41
DK/NA                   17      15      14      18      18      16
26. In such situations, does Fred Thompson make decisions based on his principles, or does he do what the voters think is best? 

                        Tot     Rep     Dem     Ind     Men     Wom



His principles          30%     38%     29%     27%     34%     26%
What vtrs think best    15      16      14      15      18      11
DK/NA                   56      47      58      58      48      63
27. In such situations, does John McCain make decisions based on his principles, or does he do what the voters think is best? 

                        Tot     Rep     Dem     Ind     Men     Wom



His principles          57%     63%     49%     63%     61%     53%
What vtrs think best    16      15      16      17      17      14
DK/NA                   28      22      35      20      21      33
28. In such situations, does Mitt Romney make decisions based on his principles, or does he do what the voters think is best? 

                        Tot     Rep     Dem     Ind     Men     Wom



His principles          32%     38%     28%     33%     33%     31%
What vtrs think best    18      17      17      22      23      14
DK/NA                   50      45      55      46      44      55
29. In such situations, does Barack Obama make decisions based on his principles, or does he do what the voters think is best? 

                        Tot     Rep     Dem     Ind     Men     Wom



His principles          40%     35%     45%     44%     38%     42%
What vtrs think best    27      29      29      25      30      25
DK/NA                   32      36      26      31      32      33
30. In such situations, does John Edwards make decisions based on his principles, or does he do what the voters think is best? 

                        Tot     Rep     Dem     Ind     Men     Wom



His principles          37%     33%     41%     39%     36%     38%
What vtrs think best    35      39      35      35      36      33
DK/NA                   29      29      24      26      28      29
31. When a government official makes a decision based on principle, rather than what the voters think is best, do you regard that as leadership or arrogance? 

                        Tot     Rep     Dem     Ind     Men     Wom



Leadership              50%     63%     42%     51%     52%     49%
Arrogance               36      25      45      36      36      36
DK/NA                   14      12      13      13      13      15
37. Do you approve or disapprove of the way George W. Bush is handling his job as President? 
                        Tot     Rep     Dem     Ind     Men     Wom



Approve                 27%     66%      5%     20%     30%     24%
Disapprove              68      27      93      76      65      72
DK/NA                    5       7       2       4       5       4
TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way George W. Bush is handling his job as President? 
                                                                Highest Lowest
                                                                Approve Approve
                        Sep 26  Jul 5   Apr 19  Mar 1   Jan 25  Oct 18  Jul 5
                        2007    2007    2007    2007    2007    2001    2007



Approve                 27      21      25      26      26      90      21
Disapprove              68      74      70      70      69       7      74
DK/NA                    5       4       5       5       5       3       4

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