For Republicans, A New Pessimism Spells Trouble
By JACKIE CALMES
Wall Street Journal
RICHMOND, Va. -- It's almost un-American to believe that your children's generation won't be better off than your own. Yet that is just what a dozen Virginia Republicans unanimously agreed to when they gathered here Thursday night for a political focus group.
That break with what has traditionally been the bedrock belief of an optimistic America was bad enough, from a Republican's standpoint. It captured how demoralized the party is these days, what with an unpopular Republican president waging an increasingly unpopular war amid rising gas prices. But what was worse: These Republicans didn't see a savior in the big field of candidates vying for their party's nomination to succeed George W. Bush.
Several other impressions stood out. The newest Republican candidate, actor and former Sen. Fred Thompson of Tennessee, remains a viable contender despite one of the least impressive launches in presidential campaign history. Republican front-runner Rudy Giuliani has wide appeal for his leadership as New York City mayor after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, but his social liberalism and two divorces are a show-stopper for many. So is the Mormon faith of former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.
But if either Messrs. Giuliani or Romney were to be the Republican nominee, all but one of their critics in this Virginia group said they'd vote for the men over any Democrat, especially if the nominee is New York Sen. Hillary Clinton.
The Richmond-area Republican voters were chosen for a two-hour roundtable sponsored by the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania, as part of its continuing series for the 2008 elections. Questioning them was Democratic pollster Peter Hart, who also conducts polls with Republican Neil Newhouse for The Wall Street Journal and NBC News. Several reporters watched from behind a glass, unseen by the voters.
(Continued here.)
Wall Street Journal
RICHMOND, Va. -- It's almost un-American to believe that your children's generation won't be better off than your own. Yet that is just what a dozen Virginia Republicans unanimously agreed to when they gathered here Thursday night for a political focus group.
That break with what has traditionally been the bedrock belief of an optimistic America was bad enough, from a Republican's standpoint. It captured how demoralized the party is these days, what with an unpopular Republican president waging an increasingly unpopular war amid rising gas prices. But what was worse: These Republicans didn't see a savior in the big field of candidates vying for their party's nomination to succeed George W. Bush.
Several other impressions stood out. The newest Republican candidate, actor and former Sen. Fred Thompson of Tennessee, remains a viable contender despite one of the least impressive launches in presidential campaign history. Republican front-runner Rudy Giuliani has wide appeal for his leadership as New York City mayor after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, but his social liberalism and two divorces are a show-stopper for many. So is the Mormon faith of former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.
But if either Messrs. Giuliani or Romney were to be the Republican nominee, all but one of their critics in this Virginia group said they'd vote for the men over any Democrat, especially if the nominee is New York Sen. Hillary Clinton.
The Richmond-area Republican voters were chosen for a two-hour roundtable sponsored by the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania, as part of its continuing series for the 2008 elections. Questioning them was Democratic pollster Peter Hart, who also conducts polls with Republican Neil Newhouse for The Wall Street Journal and NBC News. Several reporters watched from behind a glass, unseen by the voters.
(Continued here.)
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