On CBS’ Face The Nation, a focus group of Florida voters led by pollster Frank Luntz gave a rather devastating critique of Hillary Clinton when they were asked to give their observations last week; one participant said that the former first lady is the “worst liar” she’s ever seen.
Yet, they also were not fans of Donald Trump, with many lifelong Republicans hoping for a brokered convention, and a more serious candidate (who is principled) to emerge when the GOP descends into Cleveland, Ohio in July. There were voters who had voted Republican in the last three to four decades who could not support Donald Trump if he were to win the nomination. On the flip side, you had one man say it’s a sad commentary that it’s become a choice between the lesser of two evils, and that in the most powerful country on earth; a country that’s looked up to for leadership in the world–it’s down to two mediocre choices.
Luntz told "Face the Nation" host John Dickerson that he estimates that 15 percent of the electorate is in the “none of the above” camp.
“It’s never been this high, this early in the campaign,” he said. He also said he’s never seen so many Republicans reject Trump, who so far is the most likely candidate to become the nominee, and so many Democrats who say they cannot vote for Clinton.
For those of us who like to see policy being talked about on the campaign trail, don’t hold your breath. It will be about who the candidates are personality-wise from here going forward. Luntz also added that the protest scuffles at Trump rallies help him because the GOP circles the wagons around him to protect him for the left; he also has a large contingent of voters who don’t identify as Republicans voting for him because they feel he gets their anger and frustration. For Hillary, Luntz said that Sanders’ personality comes off as straightforward and authentic. It’s hard given that a lot of voters view her as the diametric opposites of such characteristics.
The unfavorables/favorables with these two candidates are abysmal, which could mean that theoretically two of the most hated people in America could be vying for the presidency. Additionally, it shows how the email fiasco, which Hillary could have easily avoided, has damaged her image in a way that not even her campaign thought was possible this late in the game. Maybe that’s why it’s been a long time since we’ve had a press conference from the former secretary of state. She knows that this issue isn’t going away, and it shouldn’t.
Full clip:
Join the conversation as a VIP Member