THE RUNNING MATE
September 1, 2004

Terence Smith speaks with Andrew Kohut, president of the Pew Research Center, about what recent polls indicate about Vice President Dick Cheney's favorability rating among all voters and from whom the vice president enjoys his strongest support. Kwame Holman reports on Cheney's tenure and influence as vice president.

 

Online NewsHour Special Reports: Vote 2004 Profile: Vice President Dick Cheney Investigating Prewar Intelligence July 16, 2004: Analysts discuss the failure of the Federal Marriage Amendment, the fallout from inquiries into prewar intelligence and other campaign issues. April 26, 2004: Update: High Court to Hear Cheney Energy Taskforce Case March 2, 2004: While media attention focuses on the Democrats, the Bush campaign is quietly building a sophisticated database of supporters. Dec. 19, 2003: A New York Times reporter discusses the Pentagon inquiry in Dick Cheney's former company Halliburton. Sept. 9, 2002: Vice President Dick Cheney discusses the aftermath of the September 11 attacks and the war on terror. More NewsHour coverage of White House and Political Wrap   News for Students: Vote 2004     Bush - Cheney 2004	TERENCE SMITH: And once again I'm joined by our man with the numbers: Andrew Kohut, president of the Pew Research Center. When you look at your polls and others, what is the public's impression and image of Vice President Cheney? ANDREW KOHUT: Vice President Cheney has become an unpopular vice president. In our poll 48 percent in August said they favorable view of him; 42 percent unfavorable view. And other polls have his ratings even lower.
	Cheney's dip in popularity
	TERENCE SMITH: And how did that compare with what they thought of him when he first came into office? ANDREW KOHUT: Well, he started -- very popular. He started 65 percent popular favorable, 18 percent unfavorable. He was very popular in the last campaign. In fact he pretty much outpolled Sen. Lieberman throughout the campaign and in the post mortems of that election. So this is a transformation of his image. TERENCE SMITH: Quite a drop. I mean, is there a historical parallel for that sort of change in the course of a single administration? ANDREW KOHUT: If you look at other vice presidents going all the way back to Nixon, at this time at the end of the first term they generally poll about 60 percent, with the only exception being Dan Quayle who was never very popular. So Cheney, Vice President Cheney is the only vice president to really come down in public esteem over the course of this first term and it's been quite a drop. TERENCE SMITH: You've referred to him, Cheney, as the Velcro vice president. What do you mean by that? ANDREW KOHUT: He's a lightning rod for a lot of criticisms of Bush administration policies that seem to stick him. He's considered a Bush hawk on Iraq, the Halliburton controversies have hurt his image. And he's seen as an ultraconservative, seen as much more conservative than the average voter.
	Divergence in opinion between genders
	TERENCE SMITH: Among women, is there a difference? Women and men when they look at.... ANDREW KOHUT: There's a very big gender gap. Vice President Cheney's image has fallen by over 20 points among women and much less among men and importantly some very significant political changes. When he took office, moderate and conservative Democrats who the Republicans hoped to woo from Sen. Kerry had a 55 percent positive view, favorable view of him. Today that number is 18 percent among this potential swing constituency. That is a considerable change in opinion. TERENCE SMITH: That seems huge. What would explain that particularly among women if their view has changed so sharply? ANDREW KOHUT: A lot of it Iraq. I mean, even in mid '03 Vice President Cheney's favorable ratings were up in the 60s. And as opinion has shifted against the decision to go to war especially among women, he's been very much criticized. TERENCE SMITH: Okay. But at the same time he's a source of strength for the ticket with another group. ANDREW KOHUT: He gets a 92 percent favorable rating from conservative Republicans. Only the president gets a better rating. He gets a 98 percent favorable rating. So the two of them are the apple... they are big stuff to the conservative Republicans.
	Public opinion of Sen. John Edwards
	TERENCE SMITH: Contrast that image with what your polling shows the public feels about John Edwards, the Democratic vice presidential candidate. ANDREW KOHUT: Oddly enough of the four men or curiously enough of the four men on the ticket, Edwards has a 62 percent favorable rating, the most favorable rating of the four. He's obviously the least known. And we're going to have quite a study in contrasts when the two get to debate. You have an inexperienced but popular candidate who the voters don't know much about. Then you have an experienced vice president who has become very unpopular. TERENCE SMITH: Fascinating. Andy Kohut, thank you very much. Jim?

REGIONS TOPICS RECENT PROGRAMS ABOUT US FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS / FEEDS:

Support the kind of journalism done by the NewsHour...Become a member of your local PBS station.
PBS Online Privacy Policy Copyright ©1996- MacNeil/Lehrer Productions. All Rights Reserved.