Month: October 2005

Kilgore By 2

But still in the margin of error:

Republican Jerry W. Kilgore and Democrat Timothy M. Kaine remain about even in the latest Times-Dispatch Poll, although Kilgore leads by a statistically insignificant 2 percentage points.

Kilgore is pulling 44 percent to 42 percent for Kaine.

Because Kilgore’s advantage is within the margin of the error — 4 percentage points in either direction — the contest with Kaine is close.

Sorry, that last line makes me laugh. As if being up by only 2 percentage points didn’t say the race was close to begin with.

Chad over at VAConservative points out:

There is some very good news for Kilgore in this poll. First of all, Tim Kaine’s negative ratings have doubled, which is an indication that the death penalty ads have worked. Another key point is this: Kaine got no bounce whatsoever from having Mark Warner on TV and by his side. None. It’s an indication that people aren’t associating Kaine with Warner because Kaine is so much more liberal than Mark Warner.

So while the death penalty issue may have increased Kaine’s negative numbers, have they equated to any sort of bounce for Kilgore? Doesn’t look that way, especially considering the previous MD poll had Kilgore 41/Kaine 40, Kilgore pulling 3 more points to Kaine’s 2. Is it a gain? Sure.

Norm focuses on an interesting point in the article:

In a sign that Kilgore may face an anti-GOP headwind, The Times-Dispatch Poll — the third of four this campaign — indicates that Republicans aren’t as excited about him as Democrats are about Kaine.

Among Democrats, 84 percent are supporting Kaine. Of voters identifying themselves as Republicans, 79 percent favor Kilgore.

Kilgore, who presses law-and-order themes that resonate with GOP voters, may have decided to run the disputed death-penalty spots in hopes of bringing home Republicans.

But is that really working? How many Republicans are going to turn out because of the death penalty, as opposed to how many Democrats are getting riled up over what they feel is either a non-issue or just wrong?

Kilgore must have something in house saying the death penalty is working because it looks like he’s going to ride this to the end. Too bad about those other issues.

Oh, Russ Potts pulled 5%.

And The Point Is…?

CNN.com has decided to run a poll asking whether Catholic priests should be allowed to marry. 86% say sure, why not. Grumble…

I’ve just never been a big fan of internet “polling” like this. It breaks an issue down so much that it becomes almost as meaningless as its results.

The poll is the result of a CNN article yesterday about Catholic bishops reaffirming the Church’s stance on celibate priests:

The proposals, meant for the pope to consider in a future document on the Eucharist, also dealt with whether Communion should be denied to Catholic politicians who support laws that contradict church teaching, such as the right to abortion, as well as the plight of Catholics who divorce and remarry without getting an annulment.

The estimated 250 bishops who gathered for the three-week Synod of Bishops voted behind closed doors on the recommendations, which disappointed some church reform groups by hewing closely to church teaching. The synod, which began October 2, formally ends Sunday with a Mass celebrated by Benedict.

Oh, I’m sorry, you’re upset because the Catholic Church decided to side with teaching? The faith does not exist to be dictated by the flock, people.

Says the bad Catholic.