Politics

Poll: Should Your Party Nominate a Foreign Policy Dove or Hawk in 2016?

By Michael Catalini, Sarah Mimms, Peter Bell, and National Journal
Saved Stories

On balance, would it prove more beneficial for your party to nominate a foreign policy dove or hawk in 2016?

DEMOCRATS (80 VOTES)

Dove: 47%
Hawk: 53%

Dove

"George W. Bush's blunders in Iraq poisoned the well for military action."

"Lower defense spending and fewer wars are pluses."

"Battle fatigue remains a problem."

"Give peace a chance."

"Who are the hawks anyway?"

"People are tired of being talked into shooting and bombing wars. We're going broke."

"The correct response would be 'doesn't matter,' but dove is more in line with where voters of every stripe are right now."

"A 'dove,' or the base will go nuts."

"Voters are burned-out on foreign entanglements."

Hawk

"The dove-hawk thing is getting to be a dusty distinction in a complex world, but national Democrats have to be both tough and smart."

"Americans are conflicted: We want to project strength, but don't actually want to actually do anything about it. At least our nominee shouldn't appear 'weak.' "

"Prefer a raptor who has a strong presence but knows when to choose diplomacy over military action."

"Despite ceding ground with the Hagel nomination, Dems must continue to fight against the notion they are weak on defense/security."

"As the economy recovers, our isolationism will abate. If by hawk you mean a Democrat who will engage in the world and lead, then I think that is what is more beneficial to the party, the country,and the world."

"Voters will want someone who can stand up to Putin or to the next Putin."

On balance, would it prove more beneficial for your party to nominate a foreign policy dove or hawk in 2016?

REPUBLICANS (85 VOTES)

Dove: 7%
Hawk: 93%

Dove

"The foreign-war brand is not a winner."

"American voters have no tolerance for a hawk at this point."

"Folks are over the perma-war."

"Neither — they want somebody who is a realist both as to the world, our resources, and what is possible and what is not possible; but if I have to pick, I pick dove, as our interventions of late have not been that successful."

Hawk

"While there is no appetite to be the world's policeman in every conflict, a strong defense and leadership in the world is in the Republicans' DNA."

"War-weariness notwithstanding, Republicans have to advocate peace through strength."

"Current events prove that the world is dangerous and Obama does not know how to handle Russia."

"There's a growing concern that the U.S. has lost global clout under Obama. Our nominee needs to be able to make that case."

"Foreign policy probably won't determine the election, but our base has to feel confidence in the command presence of our nominee."

"Anything in the wake of Obama will look hawkish. I suspect even Dem prospects will have dove blood spattered on their foreheads."

"Is President Obama to the right of Rand Paul on foreign policy? He might be."

"There is no one on the planet that has a firm handle of where the U.S. stands on any given foreign policy issue."

"The real question is whether we should nominate an isolationist, and with the terrorism threats around the world the answer is clearly no."

"We'll be the laughingstock of world by then, so a hawk will do."

. . . . . . . . .

Democratic Political Insiders Jill Alper, John Anzalone, Brad Bannon, Dave Beattie, Andy Bechhoefer, Cornell Belcher, Matt Bennett, Mitchell W. Berger, Mike Berman, Stephanie Bosh, Paul Brathwaite, Donna Brazile, Mark Brewer, Ed Bruley, George Bruno, Bonnie Campbell, Bill Carrick, Guy Cecil, Martin J. Chavez, Tony Coelho, Larry Cohen, Jerry Crawford, Brendan Daly, Jeff Danielson, Peter Daou, Howard Dean, Scott DeFife, Jim Demers, Tad Devine, David Di Martino, Debbie Dingell, Monica Dixon, Patrick Dorton, Pat Dujakovich, Anita Dunn, Jeff Eller, Steve Elmendorf, Carter Eskew, Vic Fazio, Peter Fenn, Scott Ferson, Jim Fleischmann, Tina Flournoy, Don Foley, Jeffrey Forbes, Vincent Frillici, Gina Glantz, Niles Godes, John Michael Gonzalez, Joe Grandmaison, Anna Greenberg, Stan Greenberg, Pat Griffin, Larry Grisolano, Michael Gronstal, Lisa Grove, Marcia Hale, Jill Hanauer, Dick Harpootlian, Paul Harstad, Laura Hartigan, Doug Hattaway, Mike Henry, Karen Hicks, Leo Hindery Jr., Harold Ickes, Marcus Jadotte, John Jameson, Steve Jarding, Jonathon Jones, Jim Jordan, Gale Kaufman, Lisa Kountoupes, Celinda Lake, David Lang, Penny Lee, Chris Lehane, Jeff Link, Bob Maloney, Jim Manley, Steve Marchand, Jim Margolis, Paul Maslin, Keith Mason, Susan McCue, Gerald McEntee, Steve McMahon, Tom McMahon, Phil McNamara, David Medina, Michael Meehan, Mark Mellman, John Merrigan, Michael Monroe, Steve Murphy, Janet Napolitano, David Nassar, Marcia Nichols, John Norris, Tom Ochs, Tom O'Donnell, Jeffrey Peck, Debora Pignatelli, Tony Podesta, Jefrey Pollock, Jack Quinn, Larry Rasky, Mame Reiley, Ed Rendell, Steve Ricchetti, Will Robinson, Steve Rosenthal, David Rudd, Ryan Rudominer, John Ryan, Michael Sargeant, Stephanie Schriock, Terry Shumaker, Sean Sinclair, Phil Singer, Erik Smith, Doug Sosnik, Greg Speed, Darry Sragow, Ken Strasma, Doug Thornell, Jeffrey Trammell, Ed Turlington, Rick Wiener, James Williams, JoDee Winterhof, Brian Wolff, Jon Youngdahl, and Jim Zogby.

GOP Political Insiders Dan Allen, Stan Anderson, Gary Andres, Saulius (Saul) Anuzis, Rich Ashooh, Whit Ayres, Brett Bader, Mitch Bainwol, Brian Baker, Gary Bauer, David Beckwith, Paul Bennecke, Clark Benson, Wayne Berman, Brian Bieron, Charlie Black, Kirk Blalock, Carmine Boal, Jeff Boeyink, Ron Bonjean, Jeff Buley, Luke Byars, Nick Calio, Al Cardenas, Danny Carroll, Alex Castellanos, Ron Christie, Jim Cicconi, Jonathan Collegio, Rob Collins, Cesar Conda, Jake Corman, Scott Cottington, Jay Cranford, Greg Crist, Diane Crookham-Johnson, Fergus Cullen, Tom Davis, Mike Dennehy, Ken Duberstein, Debi Durham, Sara Fagen, Frank Fahrenkopf, John Feehery, Don Fierce, Mindy Finn, Carl Forti, Alex Gage, Bruce A. Gates, Sam Geduldig, Adam Geller, Benjamin Ginsberg, David Girard-diCarlo, Bill Greener, Jonathan Grella, Lanny Griffith, Janet Mullins Grissom, Doug Gross, Todd Harris, Steve Hart, Christopher Healy, Ralph Hellmann, Chris Henick, Terry Holt, David Iannelli, Ed Ingle, Jim Innocenzi, Clark Judge, David Keating, David Kensinger, Bob Kjellander, Ed Kutler, Chris LaCivita, Jim Lake, Steven Law, Steve Lombardo, Kevin Madden, Joel Maiola, Gary Maloney, David Marin, Mary Matalin, Dan Mattoon, Brian McCormack, Mark McKinnon, Kyle McSlarrow, Ken Mehlman, Jim Merrill, Lisa Camooso Miller, Tim Morrison, Mike Murphy, Phil Musser, Ron Nehring, Terry Nelson, Neil Newhouse, David Norcross, Ziad Ojakli, Jack Oliver, Todd Olsen, Kevin O'Neill, Connie Partoyan, Billy Piper, Van B. Poole, Tom Rath, Scott Reed, David Rehr, Tom Reynolds, Steve Roberts, Jason Roe, David Roederer, Dan Schnur, Russ Schriefer, Rich Schwarm, Brent Seaborn, Rick Shelby, Andrew Shore, Kevin Shuvalov, Don Sipple, Ken Spain, Fred Steeper, Bob Stevenson, Terry Sullivan, David Tamasi, Eric Tanenblatt, Richard Temple, Heath Thompson, Jay Timmons, Warren Tompkins, Ted Van Der Meid, Dirk van Dongen, Jan van Lohuizen, Stewart Verdery, Dick Wadhams, John Weaver, Lezlee Westine, Dave Winston, Ginny Wolfe, Fred Wszolek, and Matthew Zablud.

On balance, would it prove more beneficial for your party to nominate a foreign policy dove or hawk in 2016?

DEMOCRATS (80 VOTES)

Dove: 47%
Hawk: 53%

Dove

"George W. Bush's blunders in Iraq poisoned the well for military action."

"Lower defense spending and fewer wars are pluses."

"Battle fatigue remains a problem."

"Give peace a chance."

"Who are the hawks anyway?"

"People are tired of being talked into shooting and bombing wars. We're going broke."

"The correct response would be 'doesn't matter,' but dove is more in line with where voters of every stripe are right now."

"A 'dove,' or the base will go nuts."

"Voters are burned-out on foreign entanglements."

Hawk

"The dove-hawk thing is getting to be a dusty distinction in a complex world, but national Democrats have to be both tough and smart."

"Americans are conflicted: We want to project strength, but don't actually want to actually do anything about it. At least our nominee shouldn't appear 'weak.' "

"Prefer a raptor who has a strong presence but knows when to choose diplomacy over military action."

"Despite ceding ground with the Hagel nomination, Dems must continue to fight against the notion they are weak on defense/security."

"As the economy recovers, our isolationism will abate. If by hawk you mean a Democrat who will engage in the world and lead, then I think that is what is more beneficial to the party, the country,and the world."

"Voters will want someone who can stand up to Putin or to the next Putin."

On balance, would it prove more beneficial for your party to nominate a foreign policy dove or hawk in 2016?

REPUBLICANS (85 VOTES)

Dove: 7%
Hawk: 93%

Dove

"The foreign-war brand is not a winner."

"American voters have no tolerance for a hawk at this point."

"Folks are over the perma-war."

"Neither — they want somebody who is a realist both as to the world, our resources, and what is possible and what is not possible; but if I have to pick, I pick dove, as our interventions of late have not been that successful."

Hawk

"While there is no appetite to be the world's policeman in every conflict, a strong defense and leadership in the world is in the Republicans' DNA."

"War-weariness notwithstanding, Republicans have to advocate peace through strength."

"Current events prove that the world is dangerous and Obama does not know how to handle Russia."

"There's a growing concern that the U.S. has lost global clout under Obama. Our nominee needs to be able to make that case."

"Foreign policy probably won't determine the election, but our base has to feel confidence in the command presence of our nominee."

"Anything in the wake of Obama will look hawkish. I suspect even Dem prospects will have dove blood spattered on their foreheads."

"Is President Obama to the right of Rand Paul on foreign policy? He might be."

"There is no one on the planet that has a firm handle of where the U.S. stands on any given foreign policy issue."

"The real question is whether we should nominate an isolationist, and with the terrorism threats around the world the answer is clearly no."

"We'll be the laughingstock of world by then, so a hawk will do."

. . . . . . . . .

Democratic Political Insiders Jill Alper, John Anzalone, Brad Bannon, Dave Beattie, Andy Bechhoefer, Cornell Belcher, Matt Bennett, Mitchell W. Berger, Mike Berman, Stephanie Bosh, Paul Brathwaite, Donna Brazile, Mark Brewer, Ed Bruley, George Bruno, Bonnie Campbell, Bill Carrick, Guy Cecil, Martin J. Chavez, Tony Coelho, Larry Cohen, Jerry Crawford, Brendan Daly, Jeff Danielson, Peter Daou, Howard Dean, Scott DeFife, Jim Demers, Tad Devine, David Di Martino, Debbie Dingell, Monica Dixon, Patrick Dorton, Pat Dujakovich, Anita Dunn, Jeff Eller, Steve Elmendorf, Carter Eskew, Vic Fazio, Peter Fenn, Scott Ferson, Jim Fleischmann, Tina Flournoy, Don Foley, Jeffrey Forbes, Vincent Frillici, Gina Glantz, Niles Godes, John Michael Gonzalez, Joe Grandmaison, Anna Greenberg, Stan Greenberg, Pat Griffin, Larry Grisolano, Michael Gronstal, Lisa Grove, Marcia Hale, Jill Hanauer, Dick Harpootlian, Paul Harstad, Laura Hartigan, Doug Hattaway, Mike Henry, Karen Hicks, Leo Hindery Jr., Harold Ickes, Marcus Jadotte, John Jameson, Steve Jarding, Jonathon Jones, Jim Jordan, Gale Kaufman, Lisa Kountoupes, Celinda Lake, David Lang, Penny Lee, Chris Lehane, Jeff Link, Bob Maloney, Jim Manley, Steve Marchand, Jim Margolis, Paul Maslin, Keith Mason, Susan McCue, Gerald McEntee, Steve McMahon, Tom McMahon, Phil McNamara, David Medina, Michael Meehan, Mark Mellman, John Merrigan, Michael Monroe, Steve Murphy, Janet Napolitano, David Nassar, Marcia Nichols, John Norris, Tom Ochs, Tom O'Donnell, Jeffrey Peck, Debora Pignatelli, Tony Podesta, Jefrey Pollock, Jack Quinn, Larry Rasky, Mame Reiley, Ed Rendell, Steve Ricchetti, Will Robinson, Steve Rosenthal, David Rudd, Ryan Rudominer, John Ryan, Michael Sargeant, Stephanie Schriock, Terry Shumaker, Sean Sinclair, Phil Singer, Erik Smith, Doug Sosnik, Greg Speed, Darry Sragow, Ken Strasma, Doug Thornell, Jeffrey Trammell, Ed Turlington, Rick Wiener, James Williams, JoDee Winterhof, Brian Wolff, Jon Youngdahl, and Jim Zogby.

GOP Political Insiders Dan Allen, Stan Anderson, Gary Andres, Saulius (Saul) Anuzis, Rich Ashooh, Whit Ayres, Brett Bader, Mitch Bainwol, Brian Baker, Gary Bauer, David Beckwith, Paul Bennecke, Clark Benson, Wayne Berman, Brian Bieron, Charlie Black, Kirk Blalock, Carmine Boal, Jeff Boeyink, Ron Bonjean, Jeff Buley, Luke Byars, Nick Calio, Al Cardenas, Danny Carroll, Alex Castellanos, Ron Christie, Jim Cicconi, Jonathan Collegio, Rob Collins, Cesar Conda, Jake Corman, Scott Cottington, Jay Cranford, Greg Crist, Diane Crookham-Johnson, Fergus Cullen, Tom Davis, Mike Dennehy, Ken Duberstein, Debi Durham, Sara Fagen, Frank Fahrenkopf, John Feehery, Don Fierce, Mindy Finn, Carl Forti, Alex Gage, Bruce A. Gates, Sam Geduldig, Adam Geller, Benjamin Ginsberg, David Girard-diCarlo, Bill Greener, Jonathan Grella, Lanny Griffith, Janet Mullins Grissom, Doug Gross, Todd Harris, Steve Hart, Christopher Healy, Ralph Hellmann, Chris Henick, Terry Holt, David Iannelli, Ed Ingle, Jim Innocenzi, Clark Judge, David Keating, David Kensinger, Bob Kjellander, Ed Kutler, Chris LaCivita, Jim Lake, Steven Law, Steve Lombardo, Kevin Madden, Joel Maiola, Gary Maloney, David Marin, Mary Matalin, Dan Mattoon, Brian McCormack, Mark McKinnon, Kyle McSlarrow, Ken Mehlman, Jim Merrill, Lisa Camooso Miller, Tim Morrison, Mike Murphy, Phil Musser, Ron Nehring, Terry Nelson, Neil Newhouse, David Norcross, Ziad Ojakli, Jack Oliver, Todd Olsen, Kevin O'Neill, Connie Partoyan, Billy Piper, Van B. Poole, Tom Rath, Scott Reed, David Rehr, Tom Reynolds, Steve Roberts, Jason Roe, David Roederer, Dan Schnur, Russ Schriefer, Rich Schwarm, Brent Seaborn, Rick Shelby, Andrew Shore, Kevin Shuvalov, Don Sipple, Ken Spain, Fred Steeper, Bob Stevenson, Terry Sullivan, David Tamasi, Eric Tanenblatt, Richard Temple, Heath Thompson, Jay Timmons, Warren Tompkins, Ted Van Der Meid, Dirk van Dongen, Jan van Lohuizen, Stewart Verdery, Dick Wadhams, John Weaver, Lezlee Westine, Dave Winston, Ginny Wolfe, Fred Wszolek, and Matthew Zablud.