Bush and Clinton Out-Poll … Bush and Clinton

Arecent poll from the nonpartisan N.C. Center for Voter Education gauges North Carolina voter attitudes toward a presidential father and son duo as well as a political power couple setting their sights on returning to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

The findings could be cause for some awkward conversation at the dinner table for the Bush and Clinton families.

According to the study, 43 percent of North Carolina voters have a favorable view of President George W. Bush, with 55 percent holding an unfavorable view of the current commander in chief. That compares poorly to Bush’s father, former President George H.W. Bush, who enjoys a favorable rating among 65 percent of state voters.

A similar trend continues for the Clinton clan. Former President Bill Clinton gets thumbs up from 54 percent of North Carolina voters, despite never having won the state in his two campaigns for the White House. However, his wife and current presidential contender, Sen. Hillary Clinton, elicits a favorable opinion among just 46 percent of voters.

The survey data may indicate a case of absence making the heart grow fonder for these former presidents or a touch of nostalgia for their past administrations. The numbers could also add up to North Carolina being up in the air for the 2008 race for the White House.

Some political observers say the fact that both President George W. Bush, a Republican, and Sen. Clinton, a Democrat, lack strong support in the state could signal that voters are tired of politics as usual and that the political affiliation of presidential contenders may not play as significant a role as in past elections in winning North Carolina’s 15 electoral votes.

Conducted from June 12-13 among 600 registered North Carolina voters, the poll has a margin or error of 4 percent.

Click here to download a PowerPoint presentation of the poll results.