Poll gives mixed results to leading contenders

Reading between the lines of a new nationwide survey offers a mixed bag for the candidates leading the pack for their respective presidential nominations.

Hillary Clinton is by far the most popular candidate among Democrats -- 88 percent of whom held a favorable opinion of her and 38 percent a very favorable opinion, according to the survey released today by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press.

But among all voters, only 55 percent had a favorable opinion of the New York senator and former First Lady, the poll found.

In other words, she appears to have a good shot at winning the nomination, but could have a much tougher time in the general election.

Rudy Giuliani faces the opposite situation, the poll suggests: a good chance at winning the general election, but a more difficult slog getting there by winning the GOP nomination. While 65 percent of voters overall have a favorable view of the former New York mayor, only 21 percent of Republicans have a very favorable opinion -- substantially lower, for instance, than the 31 percent who have the same view of Fred Thompson, the former Tennessee senator who is expected to jump into the race around Labor Day.

Among the other leading Democrats, both John Edwards and Barack Obama are viewed more favorably by voters in general, but engender less intense support from the party faithful.

The poll could dismay supporters of Arizona Senator John McCain and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney. Compared to Giuliani and Thompson, both have lower favorability ratings among voters overall and among Republicans.

The telephone survey of 3,002 adults was conducted Aug. 1-18 and has an overall margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points and a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points among just Democrats or just Republicans.