Monitor Breakfast

Pollster John Zogby of Zogby International was the guest at Tuesday's Monitor breakfast. Mr. Zogby has done polling work for a wide variety of candidates, as well as for a number of major news organizations, including Reuters, NBC News, and Fox. He holds degrees in history from Le Moyne College and Syracuse University. When he is not polling, John is a senior associate at Syracuse's Maxwell School and is a distinguished visitor at Colgate University.

"Voters had high expectations for government and other institutions after 9/11, and they were really let down. I see this politics of disappointment not benefiting one party or the other but rather ... the mood today is down with whoever is up."

"I see (incumbent) governors going down to the detriment of Republicans... it is a tough time to be a governor. Property taxes are sky-high. How much higher can they go? There is not enough revenue ... governors can't be promising more of anything."

"I think the Democrats will rally. [The race] leans democratic. [Control of the Senate is] way too close to call."

"Nine, 10 percent of voters tell us they consciously vote [to divide control of the government]. The number of people who say they want that check is increasing. What that says to me is that there is still not a spirit for grand reform in America."

"If Bush's people can make the case that his party was not drubbed, that positions the president more strongly for a reelection bid."

"We could be looking at a one-term president – nothing suggests President Bush walks into 2004. Once this election is over, I think you [will] begin to see the luster wear off on the shining armor. He is now the president; he is on his own. Now, what is he going to do domestically? Voters are feeling insecure. Talk of war will not make them feel more secure."

"I thought they squandered a political opportunity by not making a statement against the war. [It] would have brought home a lot of Democrats."