TODAY'S NEWS HEADLINES for INDEPENDENT VOTERS

INDEPENDENT VOTERS

• Primary elections should allow more choices between candidates (Cincinnati Enquirer LETTER)
• Superdelegates: Whiners or Deciders? (By Bob Beckel, RealClearPolitics) Beckel thinks independent voters who have been with Obama in the primaries will likely go to McCain, given Clinton's high negatives, should Clinton win the Dem nomination
• Hagel says America needs new direction (Bellevue Leader NE)

OBAMA
CBS Poll: Pastor's Remarks Hurt Obama-While Most Are Unaffected By Controversy, A Third Of Those Who Have Heard About It View Obama Less Favorably (CBS) Independent support for Obama remains the same


WASHINGTON TOP-TWO PRIMARY DECISION
The US Supreme Court ruled yesterday in favor of voters in the state of Washington. In 2004, voters created an open primary where voters can participate regardless of party registration or "allegiance" and where the top two vote-getters would participate in a run-off election to determine the winner. The Republican Party had tried to stop the ballot initiative, saying it violated their right of association.

• Washington voters win a huge victory (Tri City Herald)
• Top-two system will change face of local politics (The Olympian)
• A surprise resurrection of the Top Two primary (THE NEWS TRIBUNE)
• Top two primary OK with justices (News Tribune)
• Voters’ will rules in decision keeping 'top two' primary (Yakima Herald-Republic)
• Victory for voters (Seattle Times)
• Push for top-2 primary gets lift (The Oregonian)
• In Our View: People over parties (The Columbian)
• Discussion Topic: Supremes and the Top 2 (Spokesman Review blog)
• Supreme Court Rejects Washington State Primary Challenge (CQ Politics)
• Sam Reed: Washington victory in Supreme Court ruling on primary (Seattle Post Intelligencer)

TODAY'S NEWS HEADLINES for INDEPENDENT VOTERS

• How to appeal to independents -- Indianola steak fry talk (IowaPolitics.com)
• Voters don't sway with celebrity endorsements (The Caucus)
• McCain lost New Hampshire independents, touring in a refurbished bus (US News & World Report)
• Chuck Hagel's retirement--a centrist vacuum in Nebraska? (Seattle Post Intelligencer)
• Bloomberg's nonpartisan and nonprofit foundations (Associated Press from Google)
• Following Frohnmayer, Novick to call for impeachment look (The Oregonian)
• Lieberman registers to vote as a Democrat, wife and daughter unaffiliated (The Stamford Times)

TODAY'S NEWS HEADLINES for INDEPENDENT VOTERS

• Sen. Chuck Hagel's retirement will leave opening in Nebraska, and possibly in national independent politics (Politico)
• Schwarzenegger to Repubs: Open primaries to independent voters or die (Daily Breeze) * State GOP needs independents, says Schwarzenegger-Governor cites falling voter rolls (San Diego Union Tribune) * Schwarzenegger Asks California Republican Party to Let Independents Vote in Presidential Primary (Ballot Access News)
• Obama draws 4,000 fans, $200,000 in campaign funds on Portland visit (The Oregonian)
• Oregon: Frohnmayer to Run for Senate as an Independent (Blue Oregon )
• Louisiana: Georges signs up as independent candidate for Gov (Leesville Daily Leader)
• Tennessee: Sproles eyes running as Independent (Knoxville News Sentinel)

Hankster Poll: Independent Voter Preferences, July 2007

Thanks to everyone who voted on The Hankster Poll! Here are the results. Watch for the NEW Hankster Poll -- everyone wants to know....

As an independent voter, I would like to see:

• Barack Obama reach out to independents as a partner to change American politics - 15%
• Chuck Hagel run as an independent - 8%
• Michael Bloomberg run as an independent - 13%
• An independent ticket with prominent candidates willing to take on the failure of US domestic and foreign policy - 13%
• Rudy Giuliani recognize independent voters as an agent for change - 7%
  Independents talking to independents - 16%
• More philosophical dialogue about America's role in international politics - 9%
• All of the above. Independents can have an impact everywhere - 15%
• None of the above--it's hopeless - 1%
• What can I do? - 2%

(This poll has a margin of error of 1%)
Methodology: Systematically publish a poll of Hankster viewers. (Everyone's a Pollster these days, Madison.)

TODAY'S NEWS HEADLINES for INDEPENDENT VOTERS

• Latest Poll on Impeachment of the President Bush and Vice President Cheney-indies significant (Associated Content - CO)
• Begging your pardon in advance-Independents knew best about pardons and hypocricy (The Columbian - WA)
• Chuck Hagel not running - or is he? Here on UPI, and Baltimore Sun, Boston Globe, and New York Sun
• Top Dems threaten Scooter investigation - Sunday talk show round up - Hagel, Gravel, Paul (Politico)
• Paul pulls even with McCain financially (Kentucky.com)

Hagel, Bloomberg, Hagel-Bloomberg, what is the question....

Whether 'tis nobler to suffer the slings and arrows.... Hagel as Hamlet -- or the Third Man? in the Washington Post

The Hankster Poll

Have you checked out? Check in on The Hankster Poll--it's not just an opinion... It's a voice for independent voters!

Go to the sidebar, and here are the early results:

As an independent voter, I would like to see:

Barack Obama reach out to independents as a partner to change American politics
2 votes
Chuck Hagel run as an independent.
2 votes
Michael Bloomberg run as an independent.
2 votes
An independent ticket with prominent candidates willing to take on the failure of US domestic and foreign policy.
3 votes
Rudy Giuliani recognize independent voters as an agent for change.
1 vote
Independents talking to independents.
1 vote
More philosophical dialogue about America's role in international politics.
1 vote
All of the above. Independents can have an impact everywhere.
3 votes
None of the above--it's hopeless.
0 votes
What can I do?
0 votes

New Hanskster Poll

Here's the New Hankster Poll:

As an independent voter, I would like to see: Obama, Hagel, Bloomberg, none of the above?

Where are independents headed? Who are we?

Not so easy to define.

Go to the side bar.

Say something....

Obama? Hagel-Bloomberg? Hmmm......

"....If you believe that the 2008 election is above all about change and that voters fed up with the tone of American politics are hungry for something new, Obama, 45, is the ideal candidate. Hillary Clinton sure doesn't look like a fresh face to bridge the partisan divide.... (The easy case for President Obama, by Adam C. Smith in the St. Petersburg Times)

In "Hagel-Bloomberg In '08? You Never Know" by CBS News says: a New York boy and a Nebraska boy to be teamed up leading this nation." But prospects for a third-party victory don't appear to be strong.

It's the most interesting presidential election in recent memory! Where do independents count?

Hankster Poll

Here are the final stats for: Of the candidates currently running or thinking about it, who is the best candidate for independent voters at this point?

Barack Obama and Chuck Hagel were the "top choices" by far. Thanks to everyone for your participation!

Joe Biden - 3 votes
Sam Brownback - 0 votes
Hillary Clinton - 8 votes
John Edwards - 6 votes
Newt Gingrich - 1 vote
Rudy Giuliani - 5 votes
Chuck Hagel - 24 votes
Dennis Kucinich - 6 votes
John McCain - 1 vote
Barack Obama - 37 votes
Bill Richardson - 7 votes
Mitt Romney - 0 votes

Please let us know what you thought of the South Carolina debate last Thursday in the new poll on the sidebar!

The Hankster Poll

The current Hankster Poll, which asks your opinion on which Presidential candidate you feel would be best for independents, has evolved into a grassroots contest between Chuck Hagel and Barack Obama. Obama at the moment has taken the lead over Hagel.

Tell me more!

Email The Hankster. Let me know WHY you're pulling for one or the other.

Hankster Poll

In one of the most interesting Hankster Polls to date, it looks like a grassroots contest is shaping up between Chuck Hagel and Barack Obama!

Here's the question on the sidebar:

Of the candidates currently running or thinking about it, who is the best candidate for independent voters at this point?

Chuck Hagel is the front-runner with 18 votes and Barack Obama is a close second with 14 votes. Bill Richardson gets 5, Dennis Kucinich has 3, Hillary and Rudy have 2 each and Joe Biden and John McCain hold 1 vote each.

If you haven't yet, vote today!

Hankster Poll

Interesting early results from the Hankster Poll on the sidebar:
Chuck Hagel: 8 votes
Dennis Kucinich: 1 vote
Barack Obama: 4 votes
Bill Richardson: 1 vote

Register your opinion in this very early partisan game!

Chuck Hagel: "a political reorientation"

Hagel was onto something when he spoke of the country "experiencing a political reorientation, a redefining and moving toward a new political center of gravity" and of our problems "overtaking the ideological debates of the last three decades." And he hinted that he might seek the White House as an independent. "This movement is bigger than both parties," he said, tantalizingly.... (San Francisco Chronicle from March 13)

Whether Chuck Hagel runs or not, he just might well be onto something...

2008: Hagel is....

Damp-squid declaration by Hagel sums up Republican woes (UK Times)