The new Washington Post poll out today was finished before Obama chose Biden. But it did ask a prospective question, listing a number of potential running mates and asking whether choosing that candidate would “make you more likely to vote for Obama, less likely, or wouldn’t make any difference?”
The overwhelming majority of people said the choice didn’t matter. But of those who did, most of the candidates had a negative rating. For example, five percent said choosing Tim Kaine would make them more likely to vote for Obama, while nine percent said choosing Kaine would make them less likely to do so. With Evan Bayh, the numbers were six percent and nine percent. With Kathleen Sebelius, they were seven percent and nine percent. Biden, on the other hand, had a slightly positive rating; 13 percent said choosing him would make them more likely to vote for Obama, while ten percent said less likely.
The only other candidate with a positive rating? Hillary Clinton, with much bigger numbers. Thirty-two percent said choosing Clinton would make them more likely to vote for Obama, while 20 percent said less likely.