SPITZER KERFUFFLE CONTINUES

Recent polling by Marist shows interesting numbers in the Spitzer-Bruno kerfuffle. The poll also displays the bi-polar tendencies of registered voters.

62% of registered voters think there should be an additional inquiry beyond the New York State Attorney General’s report into what Governor Spitzer knew when his top aides misused the state police to gather information about Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno. 33% think the Attorney General’s report should end the discussion, and 5% are unsure. A majority of Democrats, Republicans, and independents believe the issue should be further investigated.

50% of registered voters think Governor Spitzer was aware of what his aides were doing when they tried to plant a negative story about Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno. 38% believe the governor when he says he had no knowledge of the incident. Republicans are most skeptical. 61% of Republican voters think the governor was aware of his staff’s attempt to embarrass the Senate majority leader. Democrats are more divided. 45% think Governor Spitzer was aware of what was going on, and 42% believe he had no knowledge of their actions. 50% of independent voters think Governor Spitzer has not been forthcoming about what he knew of his staff’s efforts to discredit Senate Majority Leader Bruno.

New York State’s registered voters, across party lines, overwhelmingly believe Governor Spitzer should be required to testify in an investigation regarding the actions of his staff. 80% of voters want the governor to testify compared with only 15% who do not. 5% are unsure.

47% of registered voters rate the job Eliot Spitzer is doing as governor as either excellent or good, inching up from the 43% he received in March. 44% do not currently approve of his performance in office and rate the job he is doing as fair or poor, an increase from 38% in the previous poll. 9% of registered voters are unsure how to rate the governor’s performance in office, a decline from 19% in the spring.

66% of registered voters think Eliot Spitzer is a good leader for New York State, and 58% think of him as a new kind of independent politician. A majority of voters still agree he is changing the way things work in Albany for the better although there has been an increase in the proportion of voters who disagree. 41% think his style as governor is too confrontational.

Although nearly one in four registered voters do not have an opinion about the job Joe Bruno is doing as Senate majority leader, half rate the job he is doing as fair or poor. Only 26% approve of his performance in office.

So, 50% believe he knew what his aides were doing and 66% think he is a good leader? Ironically, Spitzer is polling better Upstate than he is downstate. Bruno does better Upstate but his number are still poor. Only 30% of Upstaters believe Bruno does an excellent/good job.

Other interesting findings:

47% of registered voters believed that 31% of voters were 25% crazy;

56% believed Bruno should have been 'whacked' in the final episode of the Sopranos;

42% believe Governor Spitzer should be stripped of his Olympic medals;

88% of the clients of Bruno's consulting business believe he's doing an excellent job.

Despite how other regions may view this scandal, we in Rensselaer County have a lot to be thankful for. Dogged by his own Federal Grand Jury investigation and a dwindling Senate Majority, Joe hasn't looked his best. He's been irritable and cranky. This has certainly restored the bounce in his step. That rosy glow is back!