Spitzer and Weiner Lead in New Poll Because Scandal Brought Name Recognition

Started by garbon, July 16, 2013, 10:21:47 AM

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garbon

http://news.yahoo.com/spitzer-weiner-lead-poll-because-scandal-brought-name-210148440.html

QuoteA little scandal never hurt anyone, especially in New York City, where the scandal-plagued comeback kids in the civic elections are leading over their more straitlaced opponents. The latest numbers have Anthony Weiner and Eliot Spitzer both sitting pretty--which is to say, they're on top.

In the latest Quinnipiac poll, former congressman Weiner is ahead of New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, his biggest competition, by 25 to 22 percent in the race for mayor. And former governor Eliot Spitzer is beating Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer by 48 percent to 33 percent in the race for city comptroller. The fallen golden boys don't look quite so tainted now.

What Spitzer and Weiner have in common over their opponents is an early and aggressive marketing campaign via sex scandal. Being bad is good in New York, for better or for worse. People may know Weiner because of his sexually explicit-sexting scandal or Spitzer because of his dalliances with ladies of the night, but it's working for the two candidates. Other than those two, polled citizens were practically indifferent to every other choice. When pollsters were asked to pass a favorable or unfavorable opinion about the candidates, Weiner and Spitzer are the only two whose "haven't heard enough" scores came in under 20 percent. No one knows who the other guys are.

If you don't believe us, look at the data. Below, we've plotted two things: the percentage of people who've heard of a candidate (blue line, calculated by subtracting those who "haven't heard enough" from 100 percent) and the percentage of support each candidate gets in his or her race. In fact, the race itself really doesn't matter, comptroller or mayor; there is a strong correlation between awareness and voter support either way.
Politics is derided as being a popularity contest. That's only partly right.

Ugh. Hopefully this doesn't end up the case.
"I've never been quite sure what the point of a eunuch is, if truth be told. It seems to me they're only men with the useful bits cut off."
I drank because I wanted to drown my sorrows, but now the damned things have learned to swim.

CountDeMoney


fhdz

and the horse you rode in on

garbon

"I've never been quite sure what the point of a eunuch is, if truth be told. It seems to me they're only men with the useful bits cut off."
I drank because I wanted to drown my sorrows, but now the damned things have learned to swim.

alfred russel

Spitzer was governor...it seems a leap to say that his name recognition in the state is primarily the result of a sex scandal.
They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.

There's a fine line between salvation and drinking poison in the jungle.

I'm embarrassed. I've been making the mistake of associating with you. It won't happen again. :)
-garbon, February 23, 2014

Syt

I am, somehow, less interested in the weight and convolutions of Einstein's brain than in the near certainty that people of equal talent have lived and died in cotton fields and sweatshops.
—Stephen Jay Gould

Proud owner of 42 Zoupa Points.

garbon

Quote from: alfred russel on July 16, 2013, 11:44:51 AM
Spitzer was governor...it seems a leap to say that his name recognition in the state is primarily the result of a sex scandal.

I don't know though that it is that big of a leap to say among people in NYC. After all many people won't have even lived in New York when he was gov. I certainly didn't.
"I've never been quite sure what the point of a eunuch is, if truth be told. It seems to me they're only men with the useful bits cut off."
I drank because I wanted to drown my sorrows, but now the damned things have learned to swim.

The Brain

How many people can name their governor? Unless he's Arnold? Or whatshername?
Women want me. Men want to be with me.

Richard Hakluyt

It is becoming impossible for mere humans not to have skeletons in their closet in the internet age. So maybe this is an inflection point in political mores. Perhaps statements like "I DID have sex with that woman (and the cute skinny one as well)" and "of course I inhaled you dork!" will become increasingly common  :hmm:

garbon

Quote from: Richard Hakluyt on July 16, 2013, 12:44:17 PM
It is becoming impossible for mere humans not to have skeletons in their closet in the internet age. So maybe this is an inflection point in political mores. Perhaps statements like "I DID have sex with that woman (and the cute skinny one as well)" and "of course I inhaled you dork!" will become increasingly common  :hmm:


I think it is pretty easy as a married man not to be caught sending sexy photos of yourself to people not your wife and/or sleeping with people not your wife. ;)
"I've never been quite sure what the point of a eunuch is, if truth be told. It seems to me they're only men with the useful bits cut off."
I drank because I wanted to drown my sorrows, but now the damned things have learned to swim.

11B4V

Quote from: Richard Hakluyt on July 16, 2013, 12:44:17 PM
It is becoming impossible for mere humans not to have skeletons in their closet in the internet age. So maybe this is an inflection point in political mores. Perhaps statements like "I DID have sex with that woman (and the cute skinny one as well)" and "of course I inhaled you dork!" will become increasingly common  :hmm:

Weiner's was small, Spritzer's not so much.
"there's a long tradition of insulting people we disagree with here, and I'll be damned if I listen to your entreaties otherwise."-OVB

"Obviously not a Berkut-commanded armored column.  They're not all brewing."- CdM

"We've reached one of our phase lines after the firefight and it smells bad—meaning it's a little bit suspicious... Could be an amb—".

derspiess

Silly New Yorkers.  We in Cincy would never have a dirtbag like those guys as mayor.
"If you can play a guitar and harmonica at the same time, like Bob Dylan or Neil Young, you're a genius. But make that extra bit of effort and strap some cymbals to your knees, suddenly people want to get the hell away from you."  --Rich Hall

Ed Anger

Stay Alive...Let the Man Drive

DGuller

Quote from: garbon on July 16, 2013, 12:47:14 PM
Quote from: Richard Hakluyt on July 16, 2013, 12:44:17 PM
It is becoming impossible for mere humans not to have skeletons in their closet in the internet age. So maybe this is an inflection point in political mores. Perhaps statements like "I DID have sex with that woman (and the cute skinny one as well)" and "of course I inhaled you dork!" will become increasingly common  :hmm:


I think it is pretty easy as a married man not to be caught sending sexy photos of yourself to people not your wife and/or sleeping with people not your wife. ;)
Not everyone has the same foibles.  Some people send sexy photos, while others kidnap and devour little children.  No one's perfect.

Sheilbh

Quote from: garbon on July 16, 2013, 12:47:14 PM
I think it is pretty easy as a married man not to be caught sending sexy photos of yourself to people not your wife and/or sleeping with people not your wife. ;)
But still, apart from the wife, who cares? :mellow:
Let's bomb Russia!