repubgazette4-10-07thompsonsexliesmanchinpoll

The poll showed Giuliani at 26 percent, McCain at 16 percent, Thompson at 14 percent, Gingrich at 11 percent, and Romney at 8 percent.

The bad news for Giuliani, McCain and Romney is that neither Thompson nor Gingrich are announced candidates.

Thompson's showing is a couple of points better than a similar showing two weeks ago in a USA Today/Gallup poll, which had Thompson at 12 percent and came after Thompson said on a Sunday news program that he is considering a run for the presidency.

Several West Virginia Republicans with whom I have spoken are echoing similar sentiments. Many who are currently supporting Giuliani say their minds could be changed by a Thompson candidacy. In fact, I spoke today with a registered Democrat who said he would switch his registration to the GOP to support Thompson.

One high-placed Washington Republican I spoke with recently indicated his belief Thompson is serious about entering the race, noting that the "Draft Fred Thompson" committee that has been formed is made up of close friends of the former Senator -- a sign the committee believes it has good reason to expend its efforts to build support for the notion of a Thompson run.

Many Republicans, especially conservatives, are not excited by the field of announced candidates. The announced candidates they do prefer are barely registering in the polls, and are unlikely to raise the funds needed to make up the difference.

Giuliani's recent interview on CNN reaffirming his belief in using public funding for abortion is probably a deal breaker in the Republican primary. McCain's star seems to be on the descent. Romney is simply not catching on.

Thompson, if he actually enters the race, has work to do clarifying his own position on several social and economic issues, and right now is skating by with answers that support "states' rights" on many subjects. Eventually, he will have to get more specific.

Gingrich, of course, has a long record of specifics. But even many Republicans enamored of Newt concede that in a General Election, Thompson would probably fare better than Gingrich.

As quickly as the 2008 presidential race seems to be already taking shape, the fact remains that at least on the GOP side the party is still a long way from a consensus.

Sex, lies

and politics

As you might imagine, I receive a lot of emails and phone calls alerting me to rumors or actions regarding politicians in West Virginia, both Democrat and Republican.

Most rumors about Republicans I ignore, because, after all, this is another of West Virginia's most biased publications. With the Dems, I at least look into tips with some degree of effort, but the ones guaranteed to fall right off my radar screen are those having to do with rumors of marital infidelity or divorces.

Recently, there were news stories and blog comments about the very public display by the wife of a prominent Democrat regarding their obviously acrimonious divorce.

Not interested here.

Similarly, I am frequently encouraged to speak out about individuals on the GOP side whose personal lives have been less than perfect. Again, fat chance.

I've never been part of a campaign that attacked an opponent over his or her marital problems or rumors of affairs, and I've distanced myself from efforts to do so by anyone I was associated with.

Do I not think a politician's personal life is pertinent to his public service? Sure it is. And I don't blame news outlets, most of the time, who choose to report such things, as long as they are fair and balanced about it.

I'm just not personally comfortable engaging in that kind of writing or reporting. I love politics and issues. I don't like seeing families destroyed. Too many divorces, for example, involve innocent children who ultimately pay a price greater than any political office held by one of their parents. Jumping on that bandwagon does not appeal to me, even if it is to criticize the one who appears to be the obviously guilty party.

I did write a couple of times about the Sen. Randy White affair, but only to recount what WCHS-TV had reported. I felt, and still feel, the White story was different, and legitimate, because of the fact that an elected official was possibly being subjected to extortion as a result of his actions. People do have a right to know if an elected official's private behavior is compromising his public service to the degree that he is possibly being blackmailed.

But no one -- no one -- looking in from the outside can fairly judge someone else's marriage, no matter what might be indicated by those actions that do become public. Divorce is tragic and personal, and it won't be fodder for headlines on this website.

Is Mojo still the king of the polls?

Through November of last year, Gov. Joe Manchin was a consistent contender for the world's most popular governor, at least according to Survey USA.

Through last November, Survey USA was doing monthly tracking polls which consistently awarded Mojo numbers in the mid-70s in regard to his approval rating.

But Survey USA hasn't published a West Virginia poll since then, and many pundits, politicos and reporters are wondering whether any of the events of the past four months or so have affected the gov one way or another.

I've heard of a rumored recent poll that put Manchin's numbers down in the 60 percent range (still an excellent rating, but not superhuman), but I've been unable to verify it.

A new poll would be interesting. Since last November, the Legislature held its regular session, and Manchin signed some controversial bills, the most high-profile of which was the table games legislation. He also OK'd establishing prison nurseries, and became embroiled in the issue of pay raises for teachers and other public employees.

There is no danger that the gov has fallen into negative territory in the ratings game, but whether any issues -- or simply the passage of time and the dimming of the aura brought on by sheer familiarity -- has made a dent would be interesting information to have.

Further, witnessing some chink in the Mojo armor would help establish whether the GOP is going to field a formidabe candidate against Manchin in 2008, or whether he will coast to reelection against token opposition.

The Survey USA polling in West Virginia was actually being paid for by one D.C. and two Ohio television stations, and apparently the end of the 2006 campaign ended the stations' interest in polling West Virginia any further.

Perhaps an accommodating Charleston TV station could pick up the slack. Survey USA's contact info is here.