rraley said:
Vrai, I don't see how an incumbent with a 40% approval rating can win a landslide election.
I think people get too caught up with polls and approval ratings. I'm a Zogby poller and there were many weeks during his first term that I gave George Bush a no-joy. But I still voted for him in the election because he wasn't perfect, but he was better than John Kerry.
Arnold is unbeatable. He has name recognition, which is what 99% of the citizenry votes on - EVERYONE knows who Arnold Schwarzenegger is. He has a famous wife. He has great personal charisma.
Raley, you give your fellow Americans WAY too much credit. It would behoove you to step outside your paradigm and actually talk to average voters. They're stupid. They have no idea who they're voting for, past the R or D after their name.
You are an aware, policy-oriented person, therefore you think everyone is. It doesn't help that you wander these forums, talking to other aware, policy-oriented people. You need to talk to average dumbells - the ones that REALLY affect elections.
Why do you think incumbents always have a significant edge when it comes election time? It's not because they've done such a great job - it's because that's the only name your average voter recognizes on the ballot. Tom Daschle had to work HARD to get tossed. KKT was almost our Governor and she wasn't qualified to be so much as the gal that asks if you want fries with that.
Name recognition. Arnold's got it. They might as well not even hold an election, unless they get Brad Pitt to run against him.