Home  News Local News South Floridians prefer Clinton & Romney
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South Floridians prefer Clinton & Romney |
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Written by Dr. Garth A. Rose
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Friday, 11 July 2008 |
South Floridians by overwhelming majority are in favor of Senator Hillary Clinton for presumptive Democratic nominee, Barack Obama’s running mate, and there is a close decision for former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney to be Republican John McCain’s choice over Florida Governor Charlie Crist.
In a survey conducted by the National Weekly between June 19 and 25 among 452 residents in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties, 52% offered Hillary Clinton when asked their preference for vice presidential candidate to Obama. This preference was far in excess of the 21 percent who preferred Delaware Senator Joe Biden, 15 percent for Senator John Edwards and 7 percent who wanted New Mexico Governor, Bill Richardson. The remaining 5 percent of those surveyed either did not know or did not express a choice.
Referring to McCain’s running mate, 44 percent preferred former presidential candidate Romney over 40 percent for Charlie Crist. Eight percent picked Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, and a surprising inclusion was former secretary of state Colin Powell, picked by 5 percent, while 3 percent was unsure.
Among those who favored Clinton to be Obama’s vice president choice, over 71 percent was think she would significantly strengthen Obama’s chance to be elected president in November, Several respondents expressed the opinion that an Obama/Clinton ticket would be insurmountable.
Others like Ryan Bullock of Sunrise doesn’t believe that having Clinton as VP would provide problems for Obama as president. “Obama is no push over. He did not fold to the Clinton’s pressure during the primaries, and wouldn’t be intimidated by her if she is his vice president. America needs a very strong and capable vice president to support the president especial in the current economic and foreign affairs mess, and Hillary, I think, will be a great help to the president.”
Sixty-two percentage of those who strongly favor a Clinton vice-presidency are women, of which 41 percent are Caribbean women and 38 percent African-American. “She never made it as presidential candidate, but she can be given a break as vice-president,” opined Shelly LeBlanc of Miramar.
Republicans who preferred Crist believes that he would deliver Florida to the Republicans, but others felt that McCain needs a younger and more dynamic running mate like Romney. “Romney has a strong and forceful personality, which would serve to counter Obama’s personality,” stated Gloria Wright of Perrine.
Preference for both Rice and Powell was largely due to race, with over 80 percent of those who preferred these two individuals believing that an African American running mate would serve McCain well in his contest with the African American Obama.
Attempts were made to weigh the survey equally between Democrats and Republicans. Over 40 percent of respondents who said they are Republicans also supported Clinton to be Obama’s running mate, not because of any love lost for Clinton, but according to Mervin Allison of Miami, “An Obama/Clinton ticket” provides a better target for McCain, and who ever his running mate is, to attack. Obama and Clinton carry a lot of baggage that McCain can exploit.”
Only 33 percent of Democrats offered a response for a McCain running mate, with 55 percent preferring Romney over Crist.
To date, there is no word from either the Obama or McCain campaigns of the selection of respective running mates. However, speculation is still rife that Clinton will be selected by Obama, heightened by the recent appearance of both senators together on the campaign trail. Biden, Georgia Senator Sam Nunn and Governor Bill Richardson are also being touted.
Despite these polls there is widespread speculation among Floridians of Crist being selected as McCain’s running-mate. This began when Crist’s endorsement of McCain helped him win Florida’s Republican primary in January. It escalated when Crist was among few potential VP candidates invited to McCain’s ranch last Memorial Day. Crist also supported McCain’s recently announced plan to drill for oil off the coast of Florida as a means of easing the nation’s oil crisis. Speculation also surrounds the selection of Romney and Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal. Rice has stated that she is not interested in remaining in government and the name of Powell has not surfaced as a possible selection by McCain.
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