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Poll Data: Conservatives Really Do Like Limbaugh -- And Dems Could Be Under-Estimating Glenn Beck
Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh
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The recent Vanity Fair/60 Minutes poll finds that Rush Limbaugh is widely seen as the single most influential conservative in America -- but the poll internals, provided to TPM by Vanity Fair and the CBS polling department, also suggests that Democrats could be seriously underestimating the pull of Glenn Beck.
The poll had asked: "Who among the following do you think is currently the most influential conservative voice in America?" The top-line result was Rush Limbaugh 26%, Glenn Beck 11%, Sarah Palin 10%, Dick Cheney 10%, Sean Hannity 8%, and John Boehner (the only current elected official in the poll) at 4%.
My honest expectation, before receiving the internal data, was that Democrats would be overestimating the pull of Limbaugh, while self-identified Republicans and conservatives -- the best people to ask if you want an answer for who is the most influential conservative -- would shy away. But not so at all.
In fact, the various sub-groups all had the Limbaugh number pretty much the same, and close to the top-line of 26%: Democrats 24%, Republicans 28%, conservatives 25%, and independents 26%.
Meanwhile, only 6% of Democrats thought Glenn Beck was the most influential conservative, compared to 17% of Republicans and 14% of conservatives.
Here's the full internal data:
MOST INFLUENTIAL CONSERVATIVE VOICE
Among Republicans
Glenn Beck 17%
Rush Limbaugh 28
Sarah Palin 15
Sean Hannity 7
Dick Cheney 12
John Boehner 2
Someone else (vol.) 2
None (vol.) 6
DK/NA 11
Among Democrats
Glenn Beck 6%
Rush Limbaugh 24
Sarah Palin 10
Sean Hannity 7
Dick Cheney 13
John Boehner 5
Someone else (vol.) 1
None (vol.) 20
DK/NA 14
Among Independents
Glenn Beck 11%
Rush Limbaugh 26
Sarah Palin 7
Sean Hannity 9
Dick Cheney 6
John Boehner 5
Someone else (vol.) 1
None (vol.) 17
DK/NA 18
Among Conservatives
Glenn Beck 14%
Rush Limbaugh 25
Sarah Palin 13
Sean Hannity 10
Dick Cheney 8
John Boehner 5
Someone else (vol.) 1
None (vol.) 13
DK/NA 11
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hologram5
December 1, 2009 11:43 AM
Rush Limbaugh is widely seen as the single most influential conservatives in America
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Simple minds, simple pleasures. Simpletons. Rush is such a tool. He tells you that you are having a conversation then he doesn't let you talk. Hmm, doesn't sound like much of a talk show now does it? He doesn't let you talk because he doesn't like to lose and lose he will if he lets someone with intelligence speak.
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dudeguy
December 1, 2009 3:43 PM in reply to hologram5
Seems to me the Dems who voted Limbaugh are correct.
When you ask conservatives/Republicans, you're basically asking, "Who influences you?" A plurality said Rush.
When you ask anyone else, you're basically asking, "Who influences them?" And since Rush got the most of "their" votes, he is the correct answer.
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Walter Mitty
December 1, 2009 11:46 AM
Just because folks see them as influential doesn't mean they like or agree with them. Independents thinking Limbaugh and Beck are the most influential conservatives in America isn't a good thing for Republicans/Conservatives.
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debbiedoesnothing
December 1, 2009 11:51 AM in reply to Walter Mitty
What Walter said.
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Morbo
December 1, 2009 11:51 AM
Not only has Rush-poisoning (racist, the dumb-shit belief that everything you do and think is perfect) pretty much destroyed the Republican Party, they still admire the asshole after the fact.
In fact, they're perfectly happy to ratchet up the crazy with "Tears of a clown" Beck. Pretty pathetic.
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StefanoC
December 1, 2009 11:58 AM
I'm surprised Boehner even got 4%. Also, I'd be very intersted to see some polling on each individual's popularity at the state level. The day Beck remains this popular outside the South and Mormon country is the Jim DeMint proposes a tax on hubris.
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Jim H
December 1, 2009 12:02 PM
Please, please, I beg you! Stop including photos of that fat ass in your stories about him. The sight of him makes me sick. I'm also starting to develop an intolerance for the sight of that other freak as well.
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SOS ICEBERG
December 1, 2009 12:10 PM in reply to Jim H
Ditto, although I'm not sure which one's the fat ass and which one's the other freak. That jackass photo of Beck is sickening, in any case. About Limbaugh, the less said the better.
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Nowukkers
December 1, 2009 12:21 PM in reply to Jim H
I thought it was Jabba the Hut and his simpleton side-kick Blubber Boy.
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Cal Gal
December 1, 2009 4:58 PM in reply to Jim H
Which one? They're both fat asses as far as I can tell.
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MzTicketyBoo
December 1, 2009 12:09 PM
Glenn Beck can kiss my A$$: http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2009/10/glenn_becks_the_christmas_swea.html
As on commenter posted: "I got Glenn's christmas sweater right here."
Frakking tool. I hate GB with a rabib passion.
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aLearnerRather
December 1, 2009 12:15 PM
This is not frightening to me in the slightest. The top two that might even consider running for office are Palin and Cheney, and both had terrible showings in other recent polls of conservatives (Palin in a poll of whether people would vote for her, and Cheney in a poll of whether you think he represents the best of conservatism). The whole list is a rogues gallery, but the fact that NO ONE thinks that any actual elected conservatives have any influence should be scarier for the GOP than for the rest of us.
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baba2nde
December 1, 2009 12:16 PM
Meanwhile, in a recent Washington Post Poll quoted by Chris Matthews (hardball), 804 republicans were asked which person best reflects the Party's principles. Former VP got 1 aye. Not 1%! Food for thought.
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JohnW1141
December 1, 2009 12:24 PM
The first thing that entered my mind when I read the headline was;
Who is the Democratic leader?
In my eyes, we don't have one and that's dangerous, no one to rally behind.
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lousgirl84
December 1, 2009 12:58 PM in reply to JohnW1141
Says you!!! B/S
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David Sloane
December 1, 2009 12:27 PM
I'm not sure how anyone benefits from most of the information in this poll. After you ask conservatives who the most influential conservative is, the rest is essentially group mind-reading.
Except for a handful of liberals and moderates who seek to communicate with, or counter, conservatives, does it really matter how non-conservatives answer this poll?
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Scarce
December 1, 2009 12:48 PM
"MOST INFLUENTIAL LIBERAL VOICE"
Could Americans even think of six names for the list?
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moodpost
December 1, 2009 2:28 PM in reply to Scarce
B. Sanders, Grayson, Pelosi, B. Frank, Biden, Kerry, Franken, ...
I can think of a lot more, but I honestly don't know how 'influential' they are, since they don't get the kind of press that Limppaw and Blech get.
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DanF
December 1, 2009 3:02 PM in reply to moodpost
Unfortunately if this question were to be asked, we wouldn't get actual liberals. We'd get options like "Joe Klein, Richard Cohen, Joe Lieberman, or Ben Nelson."
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Jaycal
December 1, 2009 3:14 PM in reply to moodpost
At least we have actual 'leaders', as opposed to the conservative radio personalities.
The very presence of this poll, and lack of it's 'liberal' counterpart continues to show how conservative the media are in the United States and the Republican success at working the refs.
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Cal Gal
December 1, 2009 5:04 PM in reply to Scarce
Well, just to start, I'd stick with entertainers, just like the ReThugs, and say Jon Stewart and Steven Colbert, to start. Then I'd go with Nancy Pelosi, Barney Frank, Howard Dean, and Debbie Wasserman-Schultz (cuz I'm a BIG fan of hers) in no particular order.
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bogglesthemind
December 1, 2009 1:23 PM
"Conservatives Really Do Like Limbaugh -- "
We need a poll for this?
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bogglesthemind
December 1, 2009 1:29 PM
"Conservatives Really Do Like Limbaugh -- "
We need a poll for this?
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WaitWut?
December 1, 2009 2:20 PM
Thank whatever that there are comments here asking "What about the Liberal/Democratic influence?"!!
Yeah...six names? If it were up to us we'd still be arguing over the design for the American flag. I'm shocked when we accomplish ANYTHING!
Hey, don't worry. There's no threat of me skipping over to the dark side. I got a thing for smart people and I hear there's a required partial lobotomy to join the right.
I guess this is what makes the implosion of the Republican party so much fun to watch. Sort of a “see how YOU like it” feeling.
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ilovebacon
December 1, 2009 3:20 PM
Limbaugh experimented with gay sex when he was in high school. I saw this on a PBS documentary in the mid 1990s. Sadly, the documentary (which was excellent) is no longer available.
And does anyone doubt that Glen Beck is also closeted?
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Kuyleh
December 2, 2009 1:16 AM in reply to ilovebacon
Doesn't one or the other of them have a gag order on their female unit against talking about their sexuality?
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Cal Gal
December 1, 2009 4:54 PM
This won't make Bill O'Lielly happy.
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