The percentage of respondents who correctly identified Obama as a Christian increased from 18% to 37%. But those identifying him as a Muslim also increased five points (from 8% to 13%). Fifty-eight percent said globalization has been bad for the country; just 25% said it has been good. Congress’ approval rating is at 19%. And just 14% view Nader in a positive light; 37% have a negative impression of him. The poll was conducted March 7-10 among 1,012 registered voters, and it has a 3.1% margin of error.
My favorite part is his assessment of Malachi Martin:
When I started the research for this paper, I intended to compare and contrast the Jesuits through the eyes of Douglas Letson, and Michael W. Higgins and their book The Jesuit Mystique, and Malachi Martin's book, The Jesuits: The Society of Jesus and the Betrayal of the Roman Catholic Church. But in talking with Michael Higgins and in starting to read the latter, I agree with Michaels assessment of Martin, namely: "He's Nuts". He is an ex-Jesuit who is bitter and filled with anger.
What about Barney Frank? He weathered a scandal involving a male prostitute.
Really, it's very simple. If you have a high approval rating, you can survive a sex scandal. Spitzer has poor approval ratings. So did McGreevey. Vitter had a strong approval rating of his constituents. Bill Clinton and Barney Frank likewise.
If Spitzer was the most popular governor in the country, I bet he wouldn't resign. If the Monica Lewinsky thing had happened in 1994, Bill Clinton might have.
Commenter texas dem backs me up by saying that Senate Democrats would have turned on Clinton in 1998 if his poll numbers hadn't held up.
Over at the Mojo blog, Johnathan Stein asks about Spitzer vs. Larry Craig and David Vitter:
So what's the double standard? Governors vs. Senators? Jews vs. Gentiles? Democrats vs. Republicans? Or people with self-respect vs. people without?
I'm not going to link to everyone's blogs, just friends and acquaintances who at least occasionally post on the subject matter of this blog or comment here.
