UPDATE: Here's a more substantial article, which includes speculation about the effect on his prospects for the presidency:
"This is the end of his presidential hopes, at least for 2008," said the University of Virginia's Larry Sabato, an expert in presidential campaigns.Sounds right.
"The Democratic Party is much more tolerant of things, but a twice-divorced single man would have very little chance of being elected president. That is not something that would appeal to any red state."
Two weeks ago, the Feingolds traveled to Alabama. The public portion of the trip ran March 28-30. Mary Feingold was very visible as the Feingolds were received and entertained by local officials, Democrats and supporters....
Sabato, who regarded Feingold as a long shot for the presidency, said he would have inherent difficulty in capturing a Southern state or borderline conservative state and news of a second divorce "absolutely would not help. It's superficial, but a strong enough reason for the Democrats to look elsewhere."
According to Sabato, the only previously divorced man to win the White House was Ronald Reagan. "One divorce is survivable" for a prospective president, he said. "Two divorces is not, especially when one is unmarried. And Feingold would not jump into another marriage before 2008."
ANOTHER UPDATE: Poliblogger links to this post and has comments on the same topic as my comments, which include some commenters on my commenters.
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9 comments:
Americans are much more understanding of divorce than in the past so the divorce itself wouldn't hurt him.
But if he is persuing a "southern" strategy, it may hurt him there, not that there is no divorce in the South. There's more than other regions, if memory serves. I think southerners just tend to look at that as a negative more than other regions.
your memory does serve...
as a northern who has lived in the south for a some years (and left as soon as possible), i would love it if these articles would put more emphasis on the fact that "red states" have, on average, a divorce rate that is almost 30% higher than "blue states," instead of simply pointing out how much this will displease the south. the rest of the county needs to call them out on their holier-than-thou nonsense.
and if this is reason enough for democrats to "look elsewhere," than the idea that the dems have no spine is true.
New Jersey for Feingold - www.njforfeingold.org
I think that Feingold could turn this all around by being more accessible in the near future, and more active in areas that are meaningful to a national constituency, not just a Wisconsin one. People will forgive a great deal, including two divorces, if the person comes across as charming, empathetic and diligent.
I don't know if its necessarily a "holier than thou" attitude, although there would be some of that. It's more of a "expect more of your leaders" attitude. As bryanaws said, leaders are held, at least in the South, and I believe elsewhere, too, to a higher standard, whether that is right or wrong.
If Hillary is indeed gearing up for a run in 2008, Russ would have been an underdog anyway.
I'm not sure I agree that he would not get married before 2008. Divorces happen for a reason no matter how "amicable" the split.
so, if there are rules and a scale to this asinine marriage hangup, reagan only had half the "character flaws" of feingold?
it's these arbitrary numbers that erk me. if someone were to say, "no one who gets divorced should be president," while i would disagree, i would at least respect the position--provided they walked the walk. i'm not hearing or reading any of that. what i am seeing are people who concede it doesn't matter, but then say that "the people" will have none of it.
and the fact that most democrats would nominate bill clinton tomorrow if they could, but somehow a marriage that involves a lifetime of cheating and lying is somehow less of a character flaw.
New Jersey for Feingold - www.njforfeingold.org
what i am seeing are people who concede it doesn't matter, but then say that "the people" will have none of it.
I'm willing to concede that I, along with others could be all wet. Russ has done some things in the past that seem to not have affected him politically (lone vote against the Patriot Act, McCain-Feingold). There is nothing to say he couldn't overcome a "perceived" weakness. "The people" don't always tag along with the pundits.
Interesting that his Jewishness is not mentioned as a political negative. (Am I right in thinking he's Jewish?) Times have changed.
Interesting that his Jewishness is not mentioned as a political negative.
he is indeed jewish.
it is often mentioned, and too often the first question i get when i discuss the senator is, "isn't he a jew?"
it's far easier not seem like a bigot by attacking him for going through a divorce, something many americans go through, rather than attacking his being jewish.
New Jersey for Feingold - www.njforfeingold.org
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