REPUBLICANS INSIST AMERICA STILL ‘GREATEST NATION ON EARTH’
Those annoyed with repeated claims that America’s best days are in the past can take comfort in the fact that 61 percent of Republicans still maintain that the U.S. remains the greatest nation on earth — compared to 34 percent of Democrats. For all Americans, the number is 40 percent. So says a new YouGov poll, which reveals that the positive sentiments among unapologetic GOP stalwarts is the highest across 21 other demographics included in the survey.
And should the U.S. ever become more like socialist-friendly Sweden or Denmark? Sixteen percent of Republicans agreed, along with 52 percent of Democrats, and 37 percent of Americans overall.
THE MEDIA CAN’T HURT CARSON
Ben Carson’s confrontation with a hostile media horde persists — as do record campaign contributions from those who continue to believe in the Republican hopeful.
“Hovering over the feeding frenzy is the absurd media spectacle of mainstream reporters claiming they’re merely ‘doing their job’ by diving into 50-year-old details of Ben Carson’s childhood. The same reporters who were not just incurious about the details of Barack Obama’s background in 2008 but actively hostile to those who asked reasonable questions about his relationship with admitted domestic terrorist Bill Ayers and his years of religious instruction from Jeremiah ‘God Damn America’ Wright,” writes David French of National Review.
“At the end of the day, what are we left with? An admirable though imperfect man who rose from abject poverty to the pinnacle of one of the most challenging professions in the nation — all while never forgetting his roots, maintaining grace and humility even as he earned riches and honors. In fact, his life story — and his character — would make him one of the most inspiring Americans ever to occupy the Oval Office. But he’s a direct threat not just to leftist narratives regarding race and class but also to the leftist stranglehold on the black vote,” Mr. French continues.
“If recent history is any guide, the Left’s attempt to strike down Carson will only make him stronger. The media can launch its attacks, but it cannot change the fundamental facts: Ben Carson is a good and decent man, an American hero.”
VOTING VETS
Analysts quibble over whether military veterans vote primarily Republican. The unembellished numbers suggest that they do. According to National Election Pool final exit polls, 59 percent of veterans voted Republican in both the 2014 congressional elections and the 2012 presidential election, compared to the 39 percent who voted Democratic in both elections.
In 2008, 54 percent voted for Sen. John McCain and Sarah Palin, 44 percent supported then-Sens. Barack Obama and Joe Biden. In 2004, 57 percent voted for President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney, 41 percent for Sens. John Kerry and John Edwards.
Last but certainly not least, the voting veterans appear to be a fairly motivated group. Out of the total U.S. veteran population of 19.3 million, 14.7 voted in 2012, and 11.5 million in 2014, according to the Census Bureau.
VOTING GAMERS
Attention, political strategists: Video gamers are now a voting bloc, and ready to show up at the polls in droves. So says a first-of-its-kind survey, which finds that 80 percent of gamers say they plan to vote.
“One hundred million gamers will vote next year. Gamers are engaged, informed and hold strong opinions on critical issues,” insists Michael D. Gallagher, president of the Entertainment Software Association, the trade group which conducted the poll of 4,100 gamers.
Almost half of the gamer voters — 48 percent — are conservatives, and 38 percent are liberals; by party breakdown, 38 percent said they are Republicans or tea partyers, 38 percent are Democrats, while 24 percent are independents. “They’re smart, concerned, and they vote,” declared Michael Steele, former chairman of the Republican National Committee.
DREAM JOB FOR BERNIE SANDERS
At last we know what job Sen. Bernard Sanders pines for beyond the realm of lawmaker and presidential candidate.
“President of CNN,” Mr. Sanders told MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow during a recent forum broadcast by the network. “If I was president of CNN, trust me, the way media deals with politics would radically change.”
SEND O’REILLY TO A GOP DEBATE
The fourth Republican debate has come and gone, and at last a pollster has asked GOP voters whom they really want on the podium as moderator. Given a choice of seven primarily conservative or right-leaning broadcasters, a new Vox Populi survey reveals all: Fox News prime-time host Bill O’Reilly was in first place with 25 percent of the vote, followed by Sean Hannity with 16 percent, talk radio veterans Rush Limbaugh (14 percent) and Mark Levin (11 percent), NBC “Today” host Matt Lauer (7 percent) and talk radio regulars Laura Ingraham (6 percent) and Hugh Hewitt (3 percent). Nineteen percent of the respondents were “unsure” who they want as moderator.
That doesn’t mean they are uninterested, however. The poll also found that 88 percent of the respondents plan to watch the presidential debates while 93 percent definitely plan to vote in the primaries or caucuses next year. The survey of 768 likely Republican primary votes was conducted Nov. 5.
ONE FOR THE SEALS
A retired Secret Service agent seeks to do good. Tom Sloan — who put in much time at the White House and later as a corporate security executive and point man for an international financial crimes task force — has penned a thriller titled “Bratva’s Rose Tattoo,” just published, and already selling on Amazon. All profits — yes, that’s all profits — go to the Navy SEAL Foundation and Children’s Specialized Hospital, a comprehensive pediatric rehabilitation facility in New Jersey.
And the plot here? According to Mr. Sloan: “An Air Force transport plane ferrying the president’s limousine and scores of Secret Service, Marine and Air Force personnel has been hijacked by Bratva — the Russian mob — which seeks the release of a brilliant and dangerous cyberhacker named Max.”
Principal characters include a female special agent and her husband, a Coast Guard commander. More at Donning.com/Bratva
POLL DU JOUR
60 percent of U.S. voters say Ben Carson is honest and trustworthy; 82 percent of Republicans and 43 percent of Democrats agree.
45 percent of voters overall say Sen. Bernard Sanders is honest and trustworthy; 27 percent of Republicans and 64 percent of Democrats agree.
43 percent overall say Jeb Bush is honest and trustworthy; 59 percent of Republicans and 33 percent of Democrats agree.
38 percent overall say Donald Trump is honest and trustworthy; 58 percent of Republicans and 18 percent of Democrats agree.
35 percent overall say Hillary Rodham Clinton is honest and trustworthy; 8 percent of Republicans and 68 percent of Democrats agree.
Source: A Fox News poll of 1,250 registered U.S. voters conducted Nov. 1-3.
Follow Jennifer Harper on Twitter @HarperBulletin
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