Little ideological difference among top candidates, Dems say in poll

[Adelante]

Unlike the Republicans, Democrats see little ideological difference among their leading Presidential candidates. A Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 30% of Democratic voters see Hillary Clinton as politically liberal. Thirty-one percent (31%) say the same about John Edwards and 35% view Barack Obama as politically liberal. (See crosstabs)

Fifty percent (50%) of Democrats say Obama is politically moderate or conservative, 52% say the same about Edwards, and 62% see Clinton in that light.

These figures are little changed from a month ago, although Edwards is seen as a bit more liberal than in November.

While Democrats see little difference ideologically, Republicans do. Eighty-two percent (82%) of Republicans view Clinton as politically liberal. Just 65% of GOP voters see either Obama or Edwards as politically liberal.

Among all voters, Clinton is seen as politically liberal by 54%. Obama is seen as liberal by 47% of all voters and Edwards by 42%.

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/democratic_ideology

[Jackpine Radical]

1. The notion that Hillary is liberal--particularly among such large numbers

of Republicans--has to be the direct result of 16 years of right-wing propaganda. One of their most effective techniques for moving the center of the spectrum to the right was to label the Clintons as left-wingers.

The public's political compass is so far out of contact with the magnetic fields of reality that nobody knows which way is up anymore. The mixing of information, disinformation, misinformation and garden-variety lies has been a Republican tactic since the Grant Administration, and it has only picked up speed in the intervening years.

[Armstead]

2. She's an economic conservative and a social liberal

I wish they'd clarify the definition of "liberal" and "conservative" in these things.

Hillary is considered liberal on the social issues like guns and choice. However, economically, she is a neo-liberal, which is basically the same as a free market conservative.

[LoZoccolo]

3. Nope.

That is not true.

[Armstead]

4. 'tis true

Clinton is -- at best -- a moderate on issues of money and power.

The notion that she is an economic liberal is part of the wider tendency by the GOP and the Political Elite and the MSM to move the definition of "liberal" much further to the right.

[LoZoccolo]

6. Nope.

He wasn't.

[Hieronymus]

7. Yes .. no way that woman is the most Liberal.

[sniffa]

5. i really hate the meme that, "there's no difference"

all 8 candidates have their own platforms, their own qualities, and so on.