Will Hillary Rodham Drop the Clinton Name?

Faithful Conservative readers might recognize that every time I've referred to the Junior Senator from the State of New York, I've dropped her last name - the name that associates her with an ex-President. Now it seems that Hillary may be doing the exact same thing!! We all know that Bill and Hillary live by the polls. Well, the most recent poll shows that she needs to drop the last name to have any chance of capturing the White House in 2008. The poll shows that by focusing on her maiden name (Rodham), Hillary's percentage increases. Might Americans have learned something since her estranged husband left office in 2000?

When "Hillary Clinton" is matched up against John McCain in a hypothetical presidential election, she loses by a single percentage point. But if pollsters refer to her as "Hillary Rodham Clinton," she defeats the Arizona Republican by 7 percentage points. According to an poll conducted for CNN, which asked 506 adult Americans whom they preferred among potential 2008 presidential candidates, they chose Hillary Rodham Clinton to McCain by a 51 percent to 44 percent. But when the "Rodham" name was dropped, McCain had a 1 percentage point advantage.

It doesn't work if her opponent is former NY Mayor Rudy Giuliani. Even though the Queen of the Liars has an advantage over Giuliani with or without her maiden name, using "Rodham" tightens the race. Asked if they prefer "Hillary Clinton" or Giuliani, Hillary had a 4 percentage point advantage, 50 percent to 46 percent. But add "Rodham" and her edge over the former NYC mayor drops to 1 percentage point. Hillary knows this is not the first poll to show the disadvantage of her association with her buffoon husband. Look for her to focus on the "Rodham" during the next two years.