Rush Limbaugh was chosen as the most influential conservative voice with 26% vote. He got more than double the votes of Glenn Beck, Dick Cheney, and Sarah Palin. I was surprised that Dick Chene got in the top 4, but Dubya didn't. The conservative movement is a joke, when Rush and Glenn Beck can beat out actual politicians that represent them.
LOL! That is very funny! Good one. So I will ask a different question: What "conservative" influences more Republicans than Rush Limbaugh?
Did you actually find a flaw in the polling method, or do you just refuse to accept the results of any poll that you don't like unless the sample size is 300 million?
It's been almost a decade since his presidency, but Bill Clinton and Al Gore are still the most influential democrats outside of Obama. It's would be like Rachael Maddow and Jon Stewart being voted the most influential liberal over Bill Clinton, Al Gore, and Nancy Pelosi. McCain wasn't really a conservative. Huckabee and Romney have disappeared, instead of challenging the Dems. Sanford was getting more influence than either Huckabee and Romney, but he had a complete meltdown. Dubya has disappeared in less than a year, while Clinton and Gore are still influential, a decade later. Then, the GOP went black by getting Michael Steele. Most conservatives like Hannity than Steele. Dubya could be a big influence like Cheney, Clinton and Gore, but doesn't seem interested. Jeb Bush, Romney, Huckabee, Charlie Crist, andTim Pawlenty could make a big push to set themselves up for 2012.
For what it's worth, I think Jon Stewart would trump Pelosi, Clinton and Gore in this type of poll. (And that might just be an accurate assessment of who influences the public most . And it was a random poll. So I don't think it was just republicans responding. Nor was anyone saying they necessarily supported what he was saying or backed him for leader. Just who was the most influential (or most 'known?'). I don't think it's a surprising result. Your 'front runners' won't take the limelight until mid 2011 at best.
Hannity was the only conservative you named in that whole list. Not all Republicans are conservatives. The only conservative who ran for president in 2008 was Fred Thompson.
to be fair, i think the word "conservative" in this country has evolved to mean "social conservative." i hear there are some true fiscal conservatives trying to take back the label.
My definition of conservatism would be the belief in the Objectivist principles the country was founded on, in that you only use force for self defence. i.e. government doesn't try to enforce moral opinion or influence the free markets. But your right, "political conservatism" are just words without an exact definition.
The party's out of power in both the White House and Congress, so it probably makes sense that their leading figures are non-politicians who get nationwide forums 5 days a week and have more seniority than most current Republican pols. Somewhat suprised and relieved that Ms. Coulter is not at the top of the list; have to assume that reflects some kind of a positive shift away from the culture wars, mid-90s Starr-era vindictiveness and unapologetic, industrial-strength bigotry (calling Clinton and John Edwards f*gs, telling Donny Deutsch that Jews were imperfect Christians, and that annual anti-Kwanzaa column.)
With Sarah Palin and Michele Bachmann hogging the spotlight, Ann Coulter's schtick doesn't work now. I still expect her to eventually erupt to try and stay relevant. But unless she learns how to work a live crowd, her upside is limited. This will sound strange, but I think Coulter is smarter than Palin and Bachmann put together. She knows exactly what she is doing and does not believe the most outrageous stuff she says. The scariest thing about Bachmann is I think she DOES believe everything she spouts off.
How in the hell do you guys know all of these people? Don't you ever mix in some HBO or cartoon network?
