Click Player to listen to interview now

Mark Obenshain clarifies miscarriage act on the John Fredericks Show.

The John Fredericks Show is the Voice of Virginia and Common Sense for the Commonwealth.

The John Fredericks Show is Virginia’s fastest growing Political News/Talk morning show focused on issues that impact the daily lives of Virginians.

Voice your opinion by calling into the John Fredericks Show at Monday through Fridays 6-9AM ET at 1-888-480-JOHN (5646)

Tuesday night’s 2013 statewide Virginia Primary election is now in the books. Along the way it produced some clear-cut winners and losers. This is my assessment.

Winners

State Senator Ralph Northam…the new Frank Sinatra of Virginia politics. Not only did he win a convincing victory over lieutenant governor Democratic nomination rival Aneesh Chopra — although being outspent by nearly three to one — he did it his way. Northam ran a positive, upbeat campaign; he was true to himself and the voters rewarded him for it. Here’s proof politics doesn’t always have to be nasty. Integrity and character still matter, and Northam’s sweeping victory defied the odds and the pundits (except me, of course). His new campaign theme song: “I’ll do it my way…”

NOVA…voters in Northern Virginia went for Northam over geographical prodigal son Chopra. The Eastern Shore native carried Fairfax County – and the city of Alexandria.

State Sen. Dick Saslaw…the sage and savvy veteran Democratic dean of his caucus came out early and often for his two candidates and Senate colleagues: Northam and State Sen. Mark Herring for Attorney General. Both won, and Saslaw put his money where his mouth is, to the tune of seventeen large. He also predicted last week on my radio show that Northam would carry Fairfax County. We chuckled then, but the wily senator had the last laugh Tuesday night when his bold forecast bore out. Saslaw cobbled together a coalition where 18 of his 20 senators backed his candidates, and he adroitly leveraged their field forces. It’s like Saslaw strolled into a Vegas casino, plunked down his stake and left the place with a boatload of Ben Franklins, courtesy of the house. He ran the table.

State Sen. Mark Herring…the silver fox held on to defeat upstart candidate Justin Fairfax. To his credit, Herring staved off the surprisingly stiff challenger without going overtly negative, and in so doing avoided a rift with Fairfax’s enthusiasts. He’ll need them on the ground in the general election to do battle against Republican AG candidate, State Senator Mark Obenshain. Herring softened his legendary take no prisoners style without altering his core principles, which will bode well for him as the long summer wears on.

Justin Fairfax…the 34-year old former federal prosecutor won by losing. Written off by me (mea culpa) a few months ago as nothing more than road kill, the youthful and vibrant self-made Columbia educated young gun caught lightening in a bottle in the closing weeks of the campaign. Outspent and outmanned with no political base, he gave the silver fox a coyote style scare in the closing days of the contest. He’ll be back…and sooner rather than later.

Republicans who voted for Northam…were just plain smart. It was the right thing to do for the sake of Virginia. There were over 3,500 more votes cast in the Democratic LG race than in the AG race. Those were likely Republicans who showed up to vote for Northam — and then left the AG race blank. And Northam got them all. Good show.

State Sen. Mark Obenshain…his positive press release congratulating Herring on his victory Tuesday night and subsequent call for a positive contest based on substantive issues and divergent political philosophies was a breath of fresh air. Obenshain is a class act. He’ll raise the spirit, tone and level of this campaign. If Herring keeps up his end of the bargain, we could have an old school series of Lincoln – Douglas style debates around Virginia depicting a dialectic vision of the office of Attorney General. As a political junkie, this race could be ideologically highbrow and epoch. I’m truly excited about it.

Pam Northam…the unbridled enthusiasm and unplugged excitement of the Doctor’s wife in our live interview at the outset of our special election night broadcast — way before the results came in — was infectious. Pam was so fired up for life it lifted our spirits so we could deal with the cold pizza and warm coke in the studio.

David LaRock…wow, who is this guy?

Dr. Mark Berg…imagine what he would have done to Del. Beverly Sherwood had he actually campaigned?

Mike Farris… Joe May was ahead. Joe May went negative on David LaRock. Mike Farris got mad. Mike Farris endorsed David LaRock. David LaRock wins. Mike Farris still has the juice.

State Sen. Tommie Norment… The GOP senate defacto majority leader is in Richmond’s catbird seat. He has a great collegial relationship with Northam, and should his geographically contiguous neighbor prevail in November, Norment will be able to keep the lines of political compromise open. In addition, the sagacious upper chamber leader will mount an aggressive campaign for Northam’s 6th district senate seat in the event it becomes available…and a win in that swing district in a low turnout special election keeps him in control. Norment’s holding a pair of picture cards at the black jack table against the dealer’s six up. He’s looking good.

General campaign consultant Brian Kirwin…he engineered Scott Taylor’s decisive come from behind victory over Tea Party favorite and long-time Virginia Beach GOP activist Gary Byler…Kirwin went nasty personal negative on Byler with a blistering direct mail barrage that knocked the race off balance and changed the game for good. Negative ads can backfire…but Kirwin’s plan worked to perfection. It’s what we call in baseball an ugly win.

Del. Scott Surovell’s mom…who was a Northam precinct captain in her son’s district. The younger Surovell endorsed Chopra. His mom kicked his butt. Note to Scott: don’t mess with momma bear.

Del. David Ramadan…’cause we are moving from Chesapeake into his district this July, plenty of time to vote for him in November. Plus, my wife Anne loves this guy. On a side note, we have to leave Randy Forbes’ CD, which is a real bummer. But I’m keeping my humongous Forbes yard sign, for when he runs for President.

Ben Tribbett…of NotLarrySabato.com, who recommended we call the LG race for Northam earlier than any other network based on his analysis of several early precinct results in Fairfax County. This from a guy who publically endorsed Chopra. Tribbett put solid analysis ahead of bias—unlike Karl Marx Rove who made a fool of himself by melting down on FOX News when they called Ohio for Obama. Hey FOX suites: I’ve got Tribbett’s number if you need it.

The JFRS radio network anchors, analysts and roving reporters…who held together our marathon six-hour live election night broadcast, braving a toxic combination of bad food and luke-warm coffee. Giving stellar and insightful commentary throughout the night were State Senator Chap Peterson (D-Fairfax), Delegate Scott Surovell (D-Fairfax), Ben Tribbett of NotLarrySabato.com, and David Sherfinski, Virginia political reporter for the Washington Times. Our field team included Andy Villarraga in Norfolk, Michael Cougar in Virginia Beach, Jose Merino in Leesburg and our executive producer Matthew Schuck in Arlington.

The Washington Times…our content and broadcast partner who maintains their status as the nation’s greatest newspaper.

Our sponsors…without their confidence, trust and support we could not broadcast. Please give them a shot should a need for their product or service arise and tell them you heard it on The John Fredericks Show.

Losers

Aneesh Chopra…his Internet campaign strategy fizzled, his negative ads against Northam blew up in his face and his decision to play small ball in the final days of the campaign to protect his lead imploded worse than the Redskin’s porous prevent defense on the road in a playoff game. Plus, he tried to run out the clock by refusing to come clean on his knowledge of the NSA’s Prism spy network when he was President Obama’s technology guru at the White House. Unlike Fairfax, Chopra’s political future may have peaked two weeks ago.

Del. Joe May…Uh Joe, exactly how many doors did you knock on this go around? And how many radio shows did you appear on? And what was up with that negative mail piece on poor ‘ole David LaRock? Maybe you should have hired Brian Kirwin…turn out the lights, the party’s over, there’s a new sheriff in town. His name is David LaRock and he’s taking no prisoners.

Del. Beverly Sherwood…earth to Bev?…come in Bev?…are you there Bev?…Can you hear me Bev?…Do you know you have a challenger, Bev? Now what exactly are you going to do with that $80,000 in your campaign war chest you decided not to spend on getting re-elected? Maybe give it all back, in the form of refunds…on account of you really didn’t give your donors their money’s worth in this race…

U.S. House Rep. Gerry Connolly…who blamed the media for his party’s paltry primary voter turnout Tuesday in an interview with Michael Pope on WAMU radio at Chopra headquarters. Seriously, Congressman? Pope and I covered your election every day on the radio for weeks…just tune to us in D.C. at WTNT AM 730 and 102.9 FM and ditch NPR. Perhaps a little sour grapes that your candidate Chopra lost to Dr. Ralph?

Republican voters in Virginia’s 85th…That nightmare called a primary race is finally over. You can turn your email on again, unlock the doors and open the windows, its safe to go to the mailbox again.

Retiring Del. Bob Tata…what a crummy way to end a storied political career. Sorry you had to get sucked into that mess, Bob. You’re right though: politics sure has changed in Virginia since you were first elected, hasn’t it?

CUCCINELLI IS IN THE HOUSE

Don’t miss our exclusive interview with Virginia gubernatorial nominee Ken Cuccinelli on Friday, June 14 at 8:10 AM. Details on Facebook.com/TheJohnFredericksShow

John Fredericks is syndicated radio talk show host in Baltimore, Washington D.C & Virginia and can be heard Monday through Friday 6-9AM. on WTNT AM730 & 102.9FM in Baltimore and Washington D.C., WLEE AM 990 in Richmond, Virginia, WHKT AM 1650 in Tidewater – Hampton Roads, Virginia and WBRG 1050AM & 104.5 FM in Lynchburg – Roanoke- Charlottesville or streaming online at: http://tunein.com/radio/WTNT-730-s1101/

Don’t miss the hottest election night coverage anywhere…

I’m at the anchor desk with political analysts Ben Tribbett of NotLarrySabato.com, Delegate Scott Surovell (D-Fairfax) and David Sherfinsky, Virginia political reporter with The Washington Times.

We’ll have the fastest up to the minute results with live updates from the all the campaign headquarters, as the JFRS news team is fanned out across the Commonwealth.

And we’ll take your calls at 888-480-JOHN (5646).

This is an Internet only broadcast.

Click here to get our broadcast starting at 6PM, just go to: http://cent4.serverhostingcenter.com/start/peksdyzz/

I am a conservative Republican.

There were no Republican races in my House district in Chesapeake. So my family and I voted in the Democratic primary today.
I voted for State Senator Ralph Northam for Democratic Lieutenant Governor nominee.

This is not “operation chaos” – as Rush Limbaugh once coined it. My objective is not to disrupt the Democratic primary – which is open to all registered voters.

Rather, it represents a sober and mature choice for Republicans to exercise their constitutional right on an important day for all Virginians, regardless of party affiliation or ideology.

My vote for Northam today has no bearing on my ultimate choice in November’s general election, nor should it be construed as such.

I believe that Northam is simply a better choice for the Commonwealth than Obama’s Aneesh Chopra, an inexperienced candidate who led Obama’s cyber-technology team at the White House. Well funded and buttoned-down, Obama’s Chopra is too slick for my taste. With Ralph Northam, I know what I’m buying. What I see is what I get.

Northam’s got the experience, having served in the very body he could preside over for six years.

The two-term state senator from the Eastern Shore is a noted physician, a successful businessman, a job creator and an entrepreneur. He meets a payroll every week.

Northam has a solid reputation for being approachable and open to dissenting dialogue. And he is not shy about working with legislators on both sides of the aisle to do what he believes is the right thing.

Bottom-line: you can have a meaningful conversation with him, regardless of your political differences.

I look forward to what will surely be a substantive general election debate between Republican LG nominee E.W. Jackson and Northam.

In addition, if Northam is elected Lieutenant Governor of Virginia, his Senate seat — which represents a classic swing district that Bob McDonnell won in 2009 with 57 percent of the vote — would be up for grabs in a special election. Ironically, Republicans could conceivably win the seat back they lost to Northam in 2007 — and wrest control of the Virginia state senate by 21-19 — rendering the incumbent Lieutenant Governor irrelevant to defining Senate committee chairs.

For Republicans and Independents, Ralph Northam is a cogent and superior candidate to Obama’s Chopra on the Democratic ticket.

I urge all Republicans and Independents who have nothing going on in their Districts on the GOP side to vote in today’s Democratic primary – and vote for Northam for Democratic nominee for Lieutenant Governor.

LIVE ELECTION NIGHT PRIMARY COVERAGE TONIGHT 6-11 PM

Live Election Night Coverage Brought to you by The John Fredericks Show and The Washington Times — kicking off at 6PM!

Don’t miss the hottest election night coverage anywhere…

I’m at the anchor desk with political analysts Ben Tribbett of NotLarrySabato.com, Delegate Scott Surovell (D-Fairfax) and David Sherfinsky, Virginia political reporter with The Washington Times.

We’ll have the fastest up to the minute results with live updates from the all the campaign headquarters, as the JFRS news team is fanned out across the Commonwealth.

And we’ll take your calls at 888-480-JOHN (5646).

This is an Internet only broadcast.

Click here to get our broadcast starting at 6PM, just go to: http://cent4.serverhostingcenter.com/start/peksdyzz/

At a Democratic primary election forum tonight in Norfolk, AG candidate Justin Fairfax, a federal prosecutor with no political experience, spanked the establishment favorite, Leesburg State Senator Mark Herring in a post forum straw poll by 100 votes, winning 159-59. Fairfax has also recieved the endorsement from the Washington Post, and could be making a late move to wrest the nomination from Herring.
In another suprise, the well-funded former government technology executive Aneesh Chopra edged Eastern Shore – Norfolk State Senator Ralph Northam, M.D., by 6 votes, winning 110-104. Northam is widely expected to carry Hampton Roads by a comfortable margin in Tuesday’s primary, so the straw poll results do not bode well.

We’ll have a full report of the forum, with on the scene interviews and reactions on tomorrow’s John Fredericks Morning Radio Show…

Our Big Friday Show Line-Up: June 7

6:10 AM – JF Commentary on Big Brother’s New Survellience
6:40 AM – Norfolk Dem. primary election forum analysis
7:10 AM – Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling on his picks for Tuesday
7:40 AM – Mark Livingstone of Cornerstone First Financial
8:10 AM – Kris Weaver on the exploding Va. housing market
8:38AM – U.S. Rep. Renee Ellmers (R-NC/2) on ObamaCare
8:50 AM – Darrel Wood, VP Colonial Downs, handicaps the Belmont Stakes with John Fredericks

John Fredericks is syndicated radio talk show host in Baltimore, Washington D.C & Virginia and can be heard M-F 6-9 a.m. on WTNT –AM 730 & 102.9FM in Balt-D.C., WLEE AM 990 in Richmond, WHKT AM 1650 in Tidewater and WBRG AM 1050 & 104.5 FM in Lynchburg – Roanoke- Charlottesville or streaming online at: http://tunein.com/radio/WTNT-730-s1101/

Be careful what you wish for.

GOP Conference Conservatives to Boehner: “No Deal”

CBS NEWS POLL

For release: Tuesday, December 18, 2012

6:30 pm ET

The Looming Fiscal Cliff

December 12-16, 2012

• Americans overwhelmingly want both sides to compromise and make a deal on taxes and spending cuts, because they foresee major economic problems without a deal.

• But just half expect a deal will be struck, and more disapprove than approve of how the President and the Republicans in Congress are handling the negotiations.

• Both sides face a public that continues to be dissatisfied – even angry – at the way things work in Washington.  Republicans receive more blame for gridlock in Washington than President Obama and the Democrats.

• On the heels of his re-election last month, the President’s job approval rating is 57% — the highest since the killing of Osama bin Laden.

A Deal to Avert the “Fiscal Cliff”?

Americans expect economic consequences if there is no deal in Congress and the country goes over the “fiscal cliff” – the combination of tax increases and spending cuts that will automatically go into effect unless the President and Congress reach an agreement before January 1^st.

The stakes are seen as high: more than nine in ten expect there to be economic problems if no deal is reached, and a majority expects major problems for the U.S. economy.

What’s at Stake: Economic Problems if No Deal …

Major problems           53%

Minor problems           38

No problems                4

And only half of Americans think a deal will be made. More than four in ten expect the country will go over the cliff, and automatic spending cuts and taxes will take effect.  Democrats (58%) are much more optimistic about a deal than Republicans (38%).

                                                Will a Budget Deal Get Done?

Probably will                50%

Probably won’t            44

Right now all parties involved — the President and Democrats and Republicans in Congress — receive negative marks for how they are handling the negotiations over taxes and spending cuts.  But the public is more critical of the Republicans in Congress on this matter, and more approve of how the President and Democrats are handling these negotiations than approve of Congressional Republicans.

                                    Handling of Fiscal Cliff Negotiations

Approve                      Disapprove

Obama and Democrats          38%                             50

Republicans in Congress        17%                             69

Americans want to see both sides compromise to avoid the fiscal cliff — very few Americans want one side or the other to stick to their positions at the expense of a deal.

What Should Both Sides Do?

Obama & Democrats should…         Republicans should…

Compromise                           78%                                         81%

Stick to positions                     16                                            13

As negotiations over the fiscal cliff continue, three in 10 Americans are following news about those talks very closely, and another four in 10 are following it somewhat closely.

The Politics of the “Fiscal Cliff”

The President, specifically, gets high marks for his handling of tax policy, but not for his handling of the federal deficit.

Obama’s Handling of Taxes, Deficit

Approve          Disapprove

Taxes                          52%                 41

Budget deficit              37%                 51

The two key figures in the negotiations, President Obama and Speaker of the House John Boehner, elicit different views from the public. The President’s personal favorability is at 49% and higher than negative views of him (34%.) The Speaker is, unsurprisingly, less well-known. Most Americans (57%) have no opinion of him. Those that do give him unfavorable marks by three-to-one.

                                    Views of President Obama, Speaker Boehner

President Obama                    John Boehner

Favorable                                            49%                                         11%

Unfavorable                                        34                                            31

Unsure/Haven’t heard                         16                                            57

Views of the Parties, Washington

Views of the two parties have diverged a bit lately: favorable views of the Democratic Party have ticked up since the fall, while favorable views of the Republican Party have decreased. 51% of Americans now hold a positive view of the Democratic Party, while favorability has fallen for Republicans, to 31% from 36% last fall.

Views of the Political Parties

                                                            Now                 9/2012

Democratic Party

Favorable        51%                 49%

Not favorable  41                    43

Republican Party

Favorable        31%                 36%

Not favorable  60                    55

Democrats, fresh off a Presidential win, are happy with their party: 87% have a favorable view of it. But Republicans are comparably less enthused: fewer, 63%, of rank-and-file Republicans have a favorable view of their party today.

Right now Republicans get nearly twice as much blame for general gridlock in D.C. as Barack Obama and the Democrats. One in five blames both sides equally. This hasn’t changed dramatically since the election.

Who Do You Blame More for Gridlock in Washington?

                                                                                    Now                 9/2012

Republicans in Congress                    47%                 44%

Barack Obama and Democrats         24                    29

Both equally (vol.)                               21                    19

As one might expect, views on who is to blame break sharply along partisan lines, but independents blame Republicans more.

Similarly, few are enthusiastic or even satisfied about the way things are going in Washington. Most – 54% – are dissatisfied and another 21% are outright angry. This also hasn’t changed much in the last year.

Feelings About Washington

Now                 8/2011

Enthusiastic       3%                 1%

Satisfied          19                    14

Dissatisfied      54                    56

Angry              21                    28

Policies to Reduce the Deficit

Raising taxes on those with incomes of $250,000 or more is by far the most popular of the deficit-reduction measures tested in the poll; it is the only one that receives majority support.  Americans are divided on reducing government services and programs that benefit people like themselves; 45% favor that, while 48% oppose it.  Majorities oppose other measures tested.

Measures To Reduce the Deficit

                        Favor               Oppose

Raise tax rate on $250K                                             69%                 29

Reduce gov’t programs for people like you               45%                 48

Reduce defense spending                                          42%                 54

Reduce SS benefits for higher incomes                    39%                 57

Eliminate deductions for charity                                 33%                 62

Raise retirement age for Medicare                             32%                 64

Eliminate mortgage deduction                                    30%                 62

Personally pay more in taxes                                     29%                 68

As the current debate in Washington demonstrates, there are political differences when it comes to raising taxes and reducing government programs.  84% of Democrats, and 66% of independents, favor raising taxes on higher income households.  Even a slim 51% majority of Republicans support this measure for reducing the deficit.

There are large partisan differences on cutting government spending; 58% of Republicans favor this, while 60% of Democrats oppose it.

Views on Two Measures To Reduce the Deficit

                                                                                                Reps    Dems  Inds

Raise tax rate on $250K

Favor                                                               51%     84%     66%

Oppose                                                           46        15        30

Reduce gov’t programs for people like you

Favor                                                               58%     33%     48%

Oppose                                                           32        60        46

The poll also asked which of two policies Americans prefer: a plan that includes raising tax rates on higher income households, eliminating some tax deductions and making some government spending cuts, or one that does not raise tax rates, but eliminates more tax deductions and includes greater spending cuts.  More prefer the first option.

Which Type of Plan Do You Prefer?

                                                                                                All        Reps    Dems  Inds

Raise taxes on incomes $250,000+,

Eliminate some deductions,

Some spending cuts                                                   52%     32%     69%     49%

Do not raise taxes on incomes $250,000+,

Eliminate more deductions,

More spending cuts                                                    40        59        26        40

There are political differences on this question as well: 59% of Republicans prefer the second option, while 69% of Democrats prefer the first one.

The Economy and Jobs

Views of the local job market have risen quite a bit over the past two years; 44% now think it’s in good shape, up from 33% in early 2011 and just 27% in July 2010.

Condition of the Job Market in Your Area

                                                            Now     2/2011             7/2010

Good               44%     33%                 27%

Bad                  52        63                    71

About a third thinks the local job market is improving, also up from previous polls.

Job Market in Your Area In Next Year

                                    Now     2/2011             7/2010             12/2009           12/2008

Better              35%     28%                 28%                 39%                 17%

Worse              15        12                    14                    18                    41

Same              46        56                    56                    41                    41

Compared to just a few months ago, fewer Americans are worried about a job loss in their household.

Concerned About Job Loss in Household?

                                    Now     9/2012 2/2012   12/2011        2/2010             4/2009

Very                            30%     36%     38%         32%            31%                 44%

Somewhat                   26        25        27            27               26                    26

Not at all                      43        37        35            40               41                    30

Views of the economy overall have remained steady in the last few months, and are more positive than they were a year ago.

Condition of the Economy

                                                Now     10/2012           9/2012             12/2011

Good               29%     32%                 31%                 19%

Bad                  69        67                    68                    81

Similarly, about a third of Americans think the economy is improving, also unchanged recently and more optimistic than last December.

Direction of the Economy

                                                Now     10/2012           9/2012             12/2011

Better              33%     36%                 32%                 24%

Worse              23        28                    28                    30

Same              43        35                    39                    45

Personally, a third of Americans expect next year to be more prosperous for their family than this year, nearly twice the number who thinks it will be less prosperous.

Expect Next Year to be More or Less Prosperous for Your Family

More                32%

Less                 17

About as          49

But a majority of Americans still see the country as headed on the wrong track.

Country is Headed in the…

                                    Now     9/2012             8/2012             1/2012             2/2011             9/2010

Right direction             37%     40%                 31%                 29%                 36%                 33%

Wrong track                57        54                   62                    65                    58                    60

The President’s Job Approval

Overall, the President stands at 57% approval today, up from before his re-election win. Historically, some Presidents have seen a rise in approval ratings after winning a second term.

Obama Job Approval

Now     10/2012           9/2012             12/2011           5/2011

Approve                      57%     50%                 51%                 47%                 57%

Disapprove                  37        42                    42                    44                    37

On specific matters, the President gets mixed reviews on his handling of the economy, and very positive marks on terrorism, as has been the case through most of his first term.

Obama Approval on Handling…

Approve          Disapprove

Economy                    47%                 47

Foreign policy             51%                 32

Terrorism                    60%                 29

Syria

Americans do not currently support U.S. engagement in Syria.  62% say the U.S. does not have a responsibility to do something about the fighting there; just 27% think the country has such a responsibility.  Americans across the political spectrum hold similar views on this.

Does the U.S. Have a Responsibility in Syria?

                                                           Total     Reps    Dems  Inds

Yes                  27%     29%     26%     26%

No                   62        60        63        63

More than half are following news about the violence in Syria closely, but just 18% are following it very closely. More Americans are paying attention to the “fiscal cliff” debate in Washington.

Congress

Congress continues to receive dismal ratings from the American public. 81% disapprove of the job Congress is doing, up six points from before the election. A mere 11% approve.

Historically, Congressional approval has never been very high, but the 112th Congress has received some of the most negative ratings since CBS News began asking about Congress’ performance in 1977.  The current Congress’ highest approval rating was 24%, just shortly after this term began, and its lowest rating was 9%, reached twice in the fall of 2011.

Congress Job Approval

                        Now                 10/2012           12/2011           10/2011           2/2011

Approve          11%                 15%                 11%                 9%                  24%

Disapprove      81                    75                    83                    84                    62

Hillary Clinton

Outgoing Secretary of State Hillary Clinton receives positive ratings from the Americans public. 55% view her favorably. These ratings are similar to what they were in 2009.

Views of Hillary Clinton

                                                                        Now                 3/2009

Favorable                                                        55%                 58%

Not favorable                                                  23                    25

Undecided/haven’t heard enough                   22                    17

____________________________________________________________________

This poll was conducted by telephone from December 12-16, 2012 among 1,179 adults nationwide.

Phone numbers were dialed from samples of both standard land-line and cell phones.  The error due to sampling for results based on the entire sample could be plus or minus three percentage points.  The error for subgroups may be higher. This poll release conforms to the Standards of Disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.

CBS NEWS POLL

The Looming Fiscal Cliff

December 12-16, 2012

q1 Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling his job as President?

*** TOTAL RESPONDENTS ***

**** Party ID ****

Total   Rep    Dem     Ind             Oct12c

%       %      %       %               %

Approve                      57      16     90      53              50

Disapprove                   37      78      8      37              42

DK/NA                         6       6      2      10               8

q2 Do you feel things in this country are generally going in the right direction or do you feel things have pretty seriously gotten off on the wrong track?

Right direction              37       6     65      32              39

Wrong track                  57      89     29      62              54

DK/NA                         6       5      7       7              7

q3 What do you think is the most important problem facing this country today?

Aug12b

Economy & Jobs                   39      36     42      38              50

Budget Deficit/Nat’l debt/fiscal 12      16      7      13               7

Partisan Politics                 4       1      6       5              2

Education                         3       2      5       2              2

Health Care                       3       3      4       3              5

Taxes/IRS                         3       2      2       4              1

Guns                              2       1      4       2              0

Republicans                       2       0      3       1              1

Big Government/Bureaucracy        2       2      0       3              1

Barack Obama                      2       6      0       1              1

Other                            24      28     24      25              27

DK/NA                             4       3      3       6              3

q4 Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling foreign policy?

Oct12c

Approve                      51      17     77      48              47

Disapprove                   32      64     13      30              41

DK/NA                        17      19     10      23              12

q5 Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling the economy?

Approve                       47      10     78      43              46

Disapprove                    47      86     17      50              47

DK/NA                          6       4      5       7              7

q6 Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling the threat of terrorism?

Jan12b

Approve                       60      28     83      58              61

Disapprove                    29      59     10      26              29

DK/NA                         12      13      6      16              10

q7 Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling taxes?

*** TOTAL RESPONDENTS ***

**** Party ID ****

Total   Rep    Dem     Ind

%       %      %       %

Approve                       52      17     79      50

Disapprove                    41      78     13      42

DK/NA                          7       5      7       8

q8 Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling the federal budget deficit?

Feb12a

Approve                        37       8     68      28              32

Disapprove                     51      89     19      56              59

DK/NA                          12       3     13      16              9

Q9-q10 BLANK

q11 Do you approve or disapprove of the way Congress is handling its job?

Oct12c

Approve                       11      12     10      10              15

Disapprove                    81      79     82      80              75

DK/NA                          9       8      8      10              10

q12 In general, is your opinion of the Republican Party favorable or not favorable?

Sep12a

Favorable                     31      63      8      31              36

Not favorable                 60      30     90      52              55

DK/NA                          9       6      2      17              9

q13 In general, is your opinion of the Democratic Party favorable or not favorable?

Favorable                     51      17     87      40              49

Not favorable                 41      79     11      44              43

DK/NA                          8       4      2      16              8

Q14 BLANK

q15 How would you rate the condition of the national economy these days?  Is it very good, fairly good, fairly bad, or very bad?

Oct12c

Very good                      1       1      1       1              2

Fairly good                   28      10     44      26              30

Fairly bad                    46      48     42      48              36

Very bad                      23      41     12      23              31

DK/NA                          1       1      1       2              1

q16 Do you think the economy is getting better, getting worse, or staying about the same?

Better                       33       4     57      30               36

Worse                        23      44      9      23               28

Same                         43      52     34      46               35

DK/NA                         1       0      0       1               1

q17 How would you rate the job market in your area these days? Is it very good, fairly good, fairly bad, or very bad?

*** TOTAL RESPONDENTS ***

**** Party ID ****

Total   Rep    Dem     Ind              Feb11a

%       %      %       %                %

Very good                      5       1      7       7               3

Fairly good                   39      31     51      34               30

Fairly bad                    32      39     26      33               35

Very bad                      20      24     15      22               28

DK/NA                          3       5      1       4               4

q18 Over the next year, do you think the job market in your area will get better, get worse, or stay about the same?

Better                        35      14     53      31               28

Worse                         15      31      7      13               12

Same                          46      50     35      53               56

DK/NA                          4       4      4       3               4

q19 Is your opinion of Barack Obama favorable, not favorable, undecided, or haven’t you heard enough about Barack Obama yet to have an opinion?

Oct12c*

Favorable                      49      14     78      45               46

Not favorable                  34      77      7      31               42

Undecided                      12       6     11      17               9

Haven’t heard enough            4       2      4       4               1

Refused                         1       1      0       3               1

*Among registered voters

q20 Is your opinion of John Boehner favorable, not favorable, undecided, or haven’t you heard enough about John Boehner yet to have an opinion?

Jan11c

Favorable                      11      19      7       9               12

Not favorable                  31      19     38      31               14

Undecided                      20      26     18      19               20

Haven’t heard enough           37      36     36      39               54

Refused                         1       0      1       2               0

q21 Is your opinion of Hillary Clinton favorable, not favorable, undecided, or haven’t you heard enough about Hillary Clinton yet to have an opinion?

Mar09a

Favorable                      55      29     77      51               58

Not favorable                  23      48      8      20               25

Undecided                      17      18     12      20               14

Haven’t heard enough            5       5      2       7               3

Refused                         1       1      0       1               0

Q22-Q23 BLANK

q24 Which comes closest to your feelings about the way things are going in Washington–enthusiastic, satisfied but not enthusiastic, dissatisfied but not angry, or angry?

*** TOTAL RESPONDENTS ***

**** Party ID ****

Total   Rep    Dem     Ind              Aug11a

%       %      %       %                %

Enthusiastic                    3       0      8       1               1

Satisfied, not enthusiastic    19      11     27      17               14

Dissatisfied but not angry     54      52     49      59               56

Angry                          21      36     13      20               28

DK/NA                           3       1      3       3               1

q25 These days, who do you blame more for the difficulties in reaching agreements and passing legislation in Congress–the Republicans in Congress or Barack Obama and the Democrats in Congress?

Sep12a

Republicans in Congress        47      11     82      36               44

Barack Obama and Democrats     24      60      5      20               29

Both (Vol.)                    21      21      8      33               19

DK/NA                           8       8      5      11               8

q26 RELEASED SEPARATELY

q27 Compared to this year, do you expect next year to be more prosperous for you and your family, less prosperous, or do you expect next year to be about as prosperous for you and your family as this year has been?

Dec11b

More                           32      17     46      29               30

Less                           17      33      8      15               19

About as                       49      47     45      54               50

DK/NA                           2       3      1       3               1

Q28-Q30 BLANK

q31 As you may know, tax increases and automatic spending cuts will take effect in January unless the President and Congress reach an agreement before January 1st. This deadline is commonly referred to as the fiscal cliff. How closely have you been following news about the fiscal cliff budget negotiations? Would you say you have followed this very closely, somewhat closely, or not too closely?

Very closely                  30      31     32      27

Somewhat closely              39      46     36      38

Not too closely               30      23     31      34

DK/NA                          1       0      1       1

q32 Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama and the Democrats in Congress are handling the current negotiations over tax increases and spending cuts?

Approve                       38       8     70      28

Disapprove                    50      84     21      54

DK/NA                         12       9      9      18

q33 Do you approve or disapprove of the way Republicans in Congress are handling the current negotiations over tax increases and spending cuts?

*** TOTAL RESPONDENTS ***

**** Party ID ****

Total   Rep    Dem     Ind

%       %      %       %

Approve                       17      38      4      16

Disapprove                    69      48     87      66

DK/NA                         14      15      9      17

q34 In the current negotiations over tax increases and spending cuts, which do you think Barack Obama and the Democrats in Congress should do — compromise some of their positions in order to come to an agreement, or stick to their positions even if it means not coming to an agreement?

Compromise                    78      89     67      82

Stick to positions            16       6     27      13

Depends (Vol.)                 1       1      0       2

Don’t know/No answer           4       4      5       3

q35 In the current negotiations over tax increases and spending cuts, which do you think the Republicans in Congress should do — compromise some of their positions in order to come to an agreement, or stick to their positions even if it means not coming to an agreement?

Compromise                    81      66     92      81

Stick to positions            13      28      4      12

Depends (Vol.)                 1       2      0       1

Don’t know/No answer           5       5      3       6

q36 If an agreement is not reached before January 1st automatic tax increases and spending cuts will take effect. Do you think that would cause major economic problems for the country, minor economic problems, or no economic problems at all for the country?

Major economic problems       53      65     51      48

Minor economic problems       38      29     38      43

No economic problems           4       2      5       4

Don’t know/No answer           5       4      6       4

q37 Do you think Barack Obama and the Republicans in Congress probably will or probably will not reach an agreement on deficit reduction before the deadline at the end of the year?

Probably will                 50      38     58      50

Probably will not             44      56     37      42

DK/NA                          7       5      5       8

Q38-Q40 BLANK

q41 Which comes closest to your view about the tax cuts passed in 2001 and 2003? The tax cuts should be continued for everyone. The tax cuts should only continue for household incomes under $250,000 a year. The tax cuts should expire for everyone?

*** TOTAL RESPONDENTS ***

**** Party ID ****

Total   Rep    Dem     Ind               Oct12c

%       %      %       %                 %

Continue for all              28      53     11      28                35

Continue for under $250,000   52      30     71      49                42

Expire for all                13      11     12      15                15

DK/NA                          7       6      6       8                 8

q42 In order to reduce the budget deficit, which would you prefer? 1. A plan that includes raising tax rates on household incomes over $250,000 a year, eliminating some tax deductions, and cutting some government spending OR 2. A plan that does not raise tax rates on household incomes over $250,000 a year, but instead eliminates more tax deductions, and includes greater cuts to government spending?

Raise tax rates over $250K    52      32     69      49

Does not                     40      59     26      40

DK/NA                          8       9      5      11

Q43 BLANK

q44 I’m going to read you some suggestions that have been made to reduce the size of the federal budget deficit. Please tell me whether you would favor or oppose each of the following. (In order to reduce the budget deficit, would you favor or oppose)

Reducing defense spending?

Favor                         42      25     59      38

Oppose                        54      73     37      57

DK/NA                          4       2      4       5

q45 (In order to reduce the budget deficit, would you favor or oppose) Reducing Social Security benefits for retirees with higher incomes?

Favor                         39      42     36      39

Oppose                        57      54     62      56

DK/NA                          4       4      2       5

q46 (In order to reduce the budget deficit, would you favor or oppose) Raising the retirement age at which a person can start to collect full Medicare benefits?

Favor                         32      39     26      34

Oppose                        64      57     72      62

DK/NA                          4       5      3       4

q47 (In order to reduce the budget deficit, would you favor or oppose) Eliminating the mortgage interest tax deduction for homeowners?

Favor                         30      27     32      30

Oppose                        62      68     63      58

DK/NA                          8       5      6      12

q48 (In order to reduce the budget deficit, would you favor or oppose) Eliminating the tax deduction for charitable contributions?

*** TOTAL RESPONDENTS ***

**** Party ID ****

Total   Rep    Dem     Ind

%       %      %       %

Favor                         33      34     33      33

Oppose                        62      63     63      61

DK/NA                          5       3      4       7

q49 (In order to reduce the budget deficit, would you favor or oppose) Raising the tax rate on household incomes that are over $250,000 a year?

Favor                         69      51     84      66

Oppose                        29      46     15      30

DK/NA                          2       3      0       4

q50 (In order to reduce the budget deficit, would you favor or oppose) Personally paying more in taxes?

Favor                         29      22     32      32

Oppose                        68      77     66      64

DK/NA                          3       1      3       4

q51 (In order to reduce the budget deficit, would you favor or oppose) Reducing some government programs and services that benefit people like you?

Favor                         45      58     33      48

Oppose                        48      32     60      46

DK/NA                          7      10      7       6

Q52-Q53 BLANK

q54 Congress will soon decide whether or not to raise the federal debt ceiling, which is the legal limit on how much the federal government can borrow to pay for the budget deficit. Some people say the debt ceiling should be raised, because otherwise the country could default on its loans, causing severe problems for the U.S. economy. Other people say the debt ceiling should not be raised because the country owes too much money already, and raising it will cause long term economic problems. In general, do you think Congress should or should not raise the federal debt ceiling?

Should                        25      13     36      22

Should not                    68      83     54      71

DK/NA                          7       4      9       7

Q55-Q56 BLANK

q57 Which comes closest to your view about illegal immigrants who are currently working in the U.S.? 1. They should be allowed to stay in their jobs and to eventually apply for U.S. citizenship. 2. They should be allowed to stay in their jobs only as guest workers, but not to apply for U.S. citizenship. OR, 3. They should be required to leave their jobs and leave the U.S.?

*** TOTAL RESPONDENTS ***

**** Party ID ****

Total   Rep    Dem     Ind             Oct12c

%       %      %       %              %

Allowed to stay and apply     47      35     53      48              51

Stay as guest worker          24      23     22      25              20

Required to leave             27      39     23      23              24

Don’t know/No answer           3       4      2       4              5

q58 How closely have you been following news about the ongoing violence in Syria? Would you say you have followed this very closely, somewhat closely, or not too closely?

Very closely                  18      25     15      18

Somewhat closely              39      36     40      39

Not too closely               42      39     44      43

DK/NA                          0       0      1       0

q59 Do you think the United States has a responsibility to do something about the fighting in Syria between government forces and anti-government groups, or doesn’t the United States have this responsibility?

U.S. has responsibility        27      29     26      26

U.S. does not                  62      60     63      63

DK/NA                          11      10     12      11

Q60-q61 BLANK

q62 How concerned are you that in the next 12 months you or someone else in your household might be out of work and looking for a job–very concerned, somewhat concerned, or not concerned at all?

Sep12a

Very concerned                 30      27     28      34               36

Somewhat concerned             26      28     26      25               25

Not at all concerned           43      45     45      41               37

DK/NA                           0       0      0       0               1

UNWEIGHTED        WEIGHTED

Total Respondents             1,179

Republicans                     308             286  (24%)

Democrats                       422             420  (36%)

Independents                    449             473  (40%)

CBS NEWS POLL

For release: Monday, December 17, 2012

6:30 pm ET

Support for Stricter Gun Laws Rises in Newtown Shooting Aftermath

December 14-16, 2012

Support for stricter gun control laws is now the highest it’s been in a decade, and has surged 18 points since the spring of this year. The poll was conducted in the wake of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Connecticut.

57% of Americans now say gun control laws should be made more strict, up from 39% in April.  Support for stricter laws is now higher than in a CBS News Poll conducted after the shooting of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords in January 2011. 47% backed stricter gun laws then, but that figure dropped off in polling conducted about a year after the incident.

While more than half want tighter gun laws, three in 10 think laws covering guns should be kept as they are. Only 9% think gun laws should be less strict.

Gun Control Laws Should be…

                                                Now     4/2012 1/2011 11/2003          10/2002

More strict                               57%     39%     47%    51%                56%

Less strict                                 9         13        12       10                   11

Kept as they are                      30        41        36       35                   30

Still, fewer than half of Americans (42%) think stricter gun laws would have helped prevent the violence at Sandy Hook Elementary.36% felt that way after the shooting of Congresswoman Giffords, but after the incident at Virginia Tech in 2007, more than half of Americans said tighter gun laws would have done a lot or a little to prevent that shooting.

How Much Would Stricter Gun Laws Have Done to Prevent the…?

                                                                        1/2011             4/2007

Newtown         Giffords           Virginia

Shooting          Shooting          Tech shooting

A lot                 26%                 18%                 32%

A little              16                    18                    21

No effect         50                    58                    43

Views on gun control and its possible impact on the Newtown shooting differ by political party.  Most Democrats support stricter gun control laws and think they would have done at least something to prevent the violence at the elementary school in Newton. On the other hand, fewer Republicans favor stricter gun control measures, and most think tighter laws would have done nothing to prevent what happened in Newton.

Views on Gun Control by Political Party

                                                                        Reps    Dems  Inds

Gun Control Laws Should be…

More strict                                           38%     78%     48%

Less strict                                            14        5         11

Kept as is                                            41        14        37

Reps    Dems  Inds

Would Stricter Gun Laws Have

Prevented Newton Shooting?

A lot or a little                                      24%     57%     38%

No effect                                             71        31        56

There are also regional differences on the issue of gun control. Support for tougher measures is highest in the Northeast and West. Those in the Midwest and South are less likely to back stricter gun control laws.

Gun Control Laws Should be…

                                    Total    Northeast        Midwest           South   West

More strict       57%     66%                 54%                 45%     68%

Less strict        9         10                    10                    10        7

Kept as is        30        20                    32                    39        20

In the days following the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary, just over a third of Americans  feel schools in their community are extremely or very safe, but that is higher than the percentage who say that about U.S. schools overall.

How Safe are Schools…?

In the               In your

U.S.                 Community

Extremely/very                       22%                 36%

Somewhat                               50                    44

Not too/not at all                      28                    17

Opinions on the safety of schools in one’s own community have changed little over the years.

How Safe Are Schools in Your Community?

                                                Now                 4/2000             4/1999

Extremely/very           36%                 37%                 32%

Somewhat                   44                    46                    48

Not too/not at all          17                    15                    15

Parents’ views on gun control laws and school safety are similar to those of Americans overall.

News of the school shooting in Connecticut has captured the attention of the American public. More than nine in 10 have heard or read at least something about it, including 69% who have heard a lot about the shooting.

Heard About School Shooting in Newtown, CT?

A lot                                         69%

Some                                      26

Not much/nothing                    4

______________________________________________________________________

This poll was conducted by telephone from December 14-16, 2012 among 620 adults nationwide.

Phone numbers were dialed from samples of both standard land-line and cell phones.  The error due to sampling for results based on the entire sample could be plus or minus four percentage points.  The error for subgroups may be higher. This poll release conforms to the Standards of Disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.

CBS NEWS POLL

Support for Stricter Gun Laws Rises

December 14-16, 2012

q26 In general, do you think gun control laws should be made more strict, less strict, or kept as they are now?

** TOTAL RESPONDENTS   **

*** Party ID ***

Total   Rep     Dem     Ind               Apr12b

%       %       %      %                  %

More strict                   57      38     78      48                 39

Less strict                    9      14      5      11                 13

Kept as they are now          30      41     14      37                 41

DK/NA                          4       7      4       3                 6

q63 How much have you heard or read about the recent shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut,–a lot, some, not much, or nothing at all?

A lot                         69      69     77      62

Some                          26      29     19      32

Not much                       3       2      3       4

Nothing at all                 1       0      1       2

q64 Do you think that stricter gun control laws would have done a lot to prevent the violence that occurred at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, done a little, or had no effect on preventing the violence in the school in Newtown, Connecticut?

A lot                         26      11     36      25

A little                      16      13     21      13

Had no effect                 50      71     31      56

It depends(Vol.)               3       2      4       2

DK/NA                          5       2      8       4

q65 In general, do you feel the schools in the United States are extremely safe, very safe, somewhat safe, not too safe or not at all safe?

Extremely safe                 5       4      6       5

Very safe                     17      20     19      12

Somewhat safe                 50      52     43      55

Not too safe                  18      13     20      20

Not at all safe               10      10     11       8

DK/NA                          0       0      1       0

q66 In general, do you feel the schools in your community are extremely safe, very safe, somewhat safe, not too safe or not at all safe?

Apr99d

Extremely safe                 8       4     10       9                 8

Very safe                     28      31     26      29                 29

Somewhat safe                 44      51     40      43                 46

Not too safe                  10       5     14      10                 10

Not at all safe                7       7      8       7                 5

DK/NA                          2       3      2       1                 3

UNWEIGHTED        WEIGHTED

Total Respondents             620

Total Republicans             159               152 (24%)

Total Democrats               230               233 (36%)

Total Independents            231               247 (40%)

By John Fredericks

Republican Lt. Governor candidate Susan Stimpson, the current Chair of the Stafford County Board of Supervisors, is basing her campaign on galvanizing a majority of Tea Party and former Ron Paul supporters at the GOP nominating convention in May.

But one supporter – Stimpson campaign staffer Jordan Labiosa – may have given the spirited conservative more than she bargained for.

Labiosa, who serves as the chairwoman’s western Virginia campaign coordinator, posted an explosive narrative on Barack Obama, accusing the President, among other things, of engaging in gay sex and snorting cocaine in 2007. His blog, “The Labiosa Report,” which appeared on www.labiosa.com, was entitled: http://www.labiosa.com/1/post/2012/01/obama-accused-of-gay-sex-drugs-and-murder-with-video.html

The post was taken down and made unavailable by Labiosa on Monday.

Questions, however, still linger.

Why would Stimpson authorize a staffer on her campaign team who holds such views? Are her staff members not properly vetted?

Who told Labiosa to take it down, and why?

Are these kinds of posts legitimate fodder in a general election campaign?

At a very critical time when state Democrats are attempting to paint some Republicans in Virginia as right wing extremists, is this the type of histrionics that could derail Republican candidates in 2013?

Would this — or stories like it associated with a member of Stimpson’s staff – doom the GOP Lt. governor nominee to certain defeat in the fall campaign, guaranteeing control of the state senate to the Democrats?

A campaign manager from a rival GOP camp, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, says posts like the one referenced above is fair game for Democrats to use against the GOP ticket in the general election. “It’s all about messaging – and stuff like this is the wrong message to be sending to independent and swing voters. This is not representative of the Republican Party of Virginia.”

Jeanmarie Davis, one of seven announced Republican candidates for Lt. governor, said she would not condone unsubstantiated allegations by her staff. “This kind of discourse should have no place in politics, on either side,” Davis stated. “We have enough issues with Obama’s policies. We don’t need to attack him with unsubstantiated personal attacks. If a member of my staff made unsubstantiated derogatory comments about another individual, that staffer would be dismissed from the campaign.”

Susan Stimpson or Jordan Labios did not return phone calls.