New Poll: Americans Say Sen. Hillary Clinton Frightens Them

by Jim Kouri, CPP

A recent poll reveals that out of the group of politicians who are
regarded as contenders for nomination as presidential candidates, more
Americans fear Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) than any other
contender -- Democrat or Republican.


According to a just-released Fox News/Opinion Dynamics poll, when asked
which candidate frightens you the most, 36% told pollsters Sen. Hillary
Clinton. The closest to Clinton's 36% number was former New York City
mayor Rudy Guiliani with 17% of Americans saying he frightens them.


Lower on the list with single digits were former Vice President and
loser 2000 presidential candidate Al Gore with 8% and Senator John McCain
(R-AZ) with 4%.


Clinton had the highest "fright" rating among Republicans, at 58%.
Independents also feared Clinton 2-1 over Giuliani, 25% to 12%. Among
Democrats, Clinton came in as the second most feared candidate, trailing
former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani by just 7 points. The poll was conducted
with a sample of 900 Americans made up of 42 percent Democrats, 34
percent Republicans and 19 percent Independents. The poll has a plus or minus
3 point accuracy.


And apparently it isn't conservatives alone who are fearful of Sen.
Clinton. During her appearances for organizations representing the
Democrat Party's base -- the anti-war, hard-left -- Clinton is being booed and
shouted down by her one time soulmates. Her attempt to appeal to
center-right voters has created disdain among those who actually believe
she's not a socialist in disguise.

While the Clinton camp dismisses the Fox/Opinions Dynamic poll as
"right-wing," she's been polling poorly this year in matchups with
Republican candidates. In a Zogby poll, Clinton loses to Sen. McCain 54% - 39%,
and to Rudy Guiliani 52% - 39%. The only candidate she beat in that
poll was Florida Governor Jeb Bush, who is an unlikely candidate unless
his brother the president experiences a surge in his poll numbers.


While the news media -- Hillary's pro-bono public relations firm --
will continue to support her, among the Democrat base she's nowhere near
Sen. Russ Feingold in popularity. And conservatives and some moderates
know she's a bigger flip-flopper than her friend Sen. John Kerry (D-MA).