USA Today has created an interesting exercise that can offer perhaps surprising insights into candidate preferences. It’s an interactive tool that asks you to answer a series of questions and allows you to apply a weighting to different categories, and then tells you which presidential candidates most closely match you. I guess it’s a political e-Harmony.
I know, I know, it’s simplistic, failing to offer all nuance, and leaving out important questions. Even so, it’s still an interesting exercise.
Who’s up to give it a try and then post your results? No fair “cheating” to get the result that matches your expectation. Try not to look at the candidate heads moving up and down, so you don’t necessarily know the impact of your answers on the results until the exercise is done.
89 Comments
December 20, 2007 at 6:27 pm
I’ll go first. My matches were in this order:
Kucinich
(big dropoff)
Gravel
(big dropoff)
Richardson
Edwards
Obama
Paul
Romney
Huckabee (!!)
Guiliani
Dodd
Clinton
Biden
Hunter
McCain
Tancredo
Thomson
Brownback
No big surprises on the bottom end, but I was a little surprised to see Gravel (who I know nothing about) at #2, and to see Clinton falling below some Republicans, even the odious Huckabee.
Of course, this is based on underlying data that is somewhat, um, subjective, but it makes for an interesting tool to start examining some people I may not have considered otherwise.
December 20, 2007 at 6:27 pm
I got Che Guevara
December 20, 2007 at 6:33 pm
I must have missed the wealth confiscation and redistribution question.
December 20, 2007 at 6:38 pm
I got a blank screen. I’ll give it some time…
December 20, 2007 at 6:46 pm
A watched page never loads, Zoo.
December 20, 2007 at 6:52 pm
Even an unwatched page, TtT.
I washed the dishes and cleaned the cat box, still nothing.
I’ll take it tomorrow at my son’s place. By then no one will care. *sigh*
December 20, 2007 at 6:55 pm
Yikes! first post in 2 day’s and it’s a match game…O.K..Kucinich and then the second choice goes to rat shit….Ron Paul and then Mike Gravel, I am so ashamed….”Sniff”…The rest of the little bobble head’s are so small can hardly tell who they are…..Back to house cleaning…Blessings all
December 20, 2007 at 6:59 pm
My top three:
1. Kucinich,
2. Gravel, and
3. Dodd.
December 20, 2007 at 7:08 pm
Just point to the little bobble heads and the pop-up window gives you a bigger pic and name.
Don’t forget to move the sliders on the right side to give weight to the different categories…
December 20, 2007 at 7:09 pm
When I checked to see the poll results, Republicans took the lead. Goes to show ya that it is mostly Republicans that get their news from USA Today.
December 20, 2007 at 7:11 pm
What’s really frightening is to click the checkbox next to “Poll”, which shows the results of the USA Today poll applied to the quiz. The winners, by far:
Romney
Huckabee
Hunter
They must be letting the inbreeders vote twice.
December 20, 2007 at 7:12 pm
Coffin, you read my mind on the poll checkbox! And, your top two picks matched mine. I’m suddenly feeling flush and hearing the e-Harmony song…
December 20, 2007 at 7:16 pm
Sweet.
Gorn must be the only one in the office today…
December 20, 2007 at 7:17 pm
Just about…
December 20, 2007 at 7:20 pm
Zoo, try refreshing your screen – mine hung like a donkey first time too. Check that Javascript is enabled in your browser.
Other than that you just make something up.
December 20, 2007 at 7:24 pm
Fun! Mine was Kucinich, Paul, Gravel.
December 20, 2007 at 7:25 pm
Zooey, I got the white screen for some reason. I hit the “back” button and hit start the ‘game’ again and it worked fine the 2nd attempt..
December 20, 2007 at 7:27 pm
TtT,
Two words: Dial up
Heh.
If I were to make it up, Kucinich comes in first, then Edwards, then Dodd. Everyone else is so sad left in the dust…
December 20, 2007 at 7:29 pm
Now I’m really killing time.
I took the quiz again, this time giving the stupidest answers I could think of, and I got the following results:
Thompson, Romney, McCain, Hunter, Huckabee
I’m shocked, I tell you. Simply shocked.
December 20, 2007 at 7:31 pm
Zooey, you living in a cave, or what?
Scrap that. Probably Osama bin Laden has broadband access by now.
We need to get you updated, girl.
December 20, 2007 at 7:33 pm
Gorn, I’m blushing. And sometimes, I succeed at mind reading.
Zooey – you’re cheating. I had to refresh my screen because I got a blank white screen the first time. You must really live out in the sticks if you still have dial-up.
December 20, 2007 at 7:36 pm
Gorn – that is shocking and the results are stupid.
Zooey – Kucinich and Edwards aren’t even close to each other on the issues. How can Edwards be your second choice?
December 20, 2007 at 7:37 pm
I tried it again, and it worked!!
My real top three:
1. Kucinich
2. Mike Gravel
3. Chris Dodd
No, I live in a condominium. *sniff*
December 20, 2007 at 7:38 pm
Edwards look nice in jeans.
Ok, I know that’s totally disgusting and shallow, but I’m being honest.
December 20, 2007 at 7:42 pm
I’m curious now.. What if a couple of us gave exactly the same answers.. Would we come up with the same results??
December 20, 2007 at 7:44 pm
Zooey picks Dennis with her brain and Edwards with her heart. Maybe not unlike Dennis’ wife.
December 20, 2007 at 7:45 pm
Which game are we playing anyway..? Candidate Match Game? or MFK?
December 20, 2007 at 7:45 pm
“I’m curious now.. What if a couple of us gave exactly the same answers.. Would we come up with the same results??”
muse, remember it’s not just the answers, but also the position of the “weight” sliders on the right, that brings some variability into it. We might have the same answers on immigration, but you might weigh it high while I weigh it low in importance.
December 20, 2007 at 7:46 pm
Well, Zooey, looks like great minds think alike. Your lineup is the same as mine.
Zooey – I think it’s time to upgrade your internet service. Maybe you can get free wireless from one of your neighbors or maybe you can share the cost of wireless with a neighbor.
December 20, 2007 at 7:46 pm
Zooey, you also matched my top two. My heart is now split. What should I do?
Threesome?
December 20, 2007 at 7:46 pm
There were weight sliders?? I guess I better go do it again..
December 20, 2007 at 7:46 pm
Correctamundo, Gorn.
December 20, 2007 at 7:48 pm
Threesome… could be interesting.
I used the sliders and got the same top three as when I didn’t use the sliders. Just saying.
December 20, 2007 at 7:49 pm
“Which game are we playing anyway..? Candidate Match Game? or MFK?” – muse
Okay, new game. It’s called MFKWE. W = waterboard, E = elect (President)
Thompson, Romney, McCain, Hunter, Huckabee
Go!
December 20, 2007 at 7:49 pm
Yep, threesome. Me, Dennis & Viggo Mortenson.
That’s what you meant, right?
December 20, 2007 at 7:49 pm
nwmuse, guess so. Your’s and mine were the same…
Have a great viset and safe travel Lady Z..Blessings
December 20, 2007 at 7:50 pm
Ladies, you ain’t lived until you’ve sandwiched a Silverback.
December 20, 2007 at 7:51 pm
Dang, tossed aside for Viggo. My life’s story.
December 20, 2007 at 7:53 pm
OK, that changed it to Kucinich, Gravel, and Ron Paul.
December 20, 2007 at 7:55 pm
Muse also matched my top two. Oh, the possibilities.
December 20, 2007 at 7:55 pm
Sorry Gorn, I’m not into picking lice foreplay.
December 20, 2007 at 7:57 pm
Aren’t you a married silverback?
December 20, 2007 at 7:57 pm
Um, have you seen Viggo’s hair in Lord of the Rings?
December 20, 2007 at 7:59 pm
Yeah, see how good he is? I could get past it.
December 20, 2007 at 8:00 pm
Flip flop flip flop.
Alright then, I’m going back to the jungle to hang with my brood.
December 20, 2007 at 8:03 pm
Yes, a happily married silverback, but jungle rules permit extra-species experimentation.
December 20, 2007 at 8:03 pm
See how you are?
December 20, 2007 at 8:04 pm
Very liberal.
December 20, 2007 at 8:04 pm
Ook ook. [sulking despondently]
So, are you going to answer my MFKWE challenge?
December 20, 2007 at 8:04 pm
You know what a GOPer says when a dog humps your leg?
Mutt Wrong Knee!
Heh.
December 20, 2007 at 8:06 pm
“Marriott is a major pornographer,” intoned Phil Burress, president of Citizens for Community Values (CCV), an Ohio-based anti-pornography group. ”
Ironically, Mitt Romney is named after the founder of the Marriott chain, J. Willard Marriott; Romney’s given name is Willard. Marriott was a close friend of Romney’s father, former Michigan governor George Romney, and also a Mormon. -Counterpunch
Mormons like pornography, who knew?
December 20, 2007 at 8:08 pm
gorn sez:
So, are you going to answer my MFKWE challenge?
Your what? Um, I hadn’t noticed….no time now. Need to clip my toenails…
December 20, 2007 at 8:10 pm
“Mormons like pornography, who knew?”
How else do you think they produce all those smiling kiddies?
But I assume the reference is to Marriott’s pay-per-porn channels in their hotel rooms. See, it’s ok ’cause the nightstand has a Gideon Bible and a Book of Mormon. Pick your poison.
December 20, 2007 at 8:12 pm
Oh, this cowardly cur is not the Zooey I so adore. Clearly, you’re in need of a little chardonnay.
December 20, 2007 at 8:18 pm
That’s it. I’m too sober for a game of MFKWE.
December 20, 2007 at 8:24 pm
Now you guys are gonna make me drive to the liquor store? Bastids =P
December 20, 2007 at 8:25 pm
Explain to me again… what is MFKWE?
December 20, 2007 at 8:26 pm
Xi – careful driving. Don’t open the bottle until you get home.
December 20, 2007 at 8:29 pm
As I suspected. One would need some serious sedation to consider M or F with any of that crew.
So, I’ll answer for you.
Zooey will kill Romney because he has better hair than Viggo.
Zooey will fornicate with McCain because he’s already been tortured enough and is due for some sugar.
Zooey will waterboard Hunter because it isn’t really torture when it’s done by an American.
Zooey will marry Huckabee so she can cleave to her husband as dictated by scriptures.
Zooey will elect Thompson to ensure plenty of talk material for Funny Farm for years to come.
December 20, 2007 at 8:30 pm
Don’t open the bottle until you get home.
I live in value voter red state Texas and that kind of behavior is simply unacceptable.
[kiddnin =]
December 20, 2007 at 8:35 pm
Gorn,
Just so you know. I just put a contract out on your life.
December 20, 2007 at 8:37 pm
Zep, when I lived in Louisiana in the early 80s, they had drive-thru liquor places. The most popular were the drive-thru daquiri stands.
Amazing.
December 20, 2007 at 8:46 pm
Xi – Okay. Guess you can get away with anything in Texas.
Gorn – I just threw up in my mouth
Yuk!
December 20, 2007 at 8:48 pm
Zooey – If you marry Huckleberry, I’ll never speak to you again.
December 20, 2007 at 8:49 pm
Listen to the guy playing the carillon that I posted. He wears this really strange mask. I’ve seen him perform and he has a little group with him that play other instruments. Sometimes they play a little jazz like music. Interesting.
December 20, 2007 at 8:50 pm
Sorry Coffins. That’s what happens when Zooey opts to clip her nails instead of facing the music.
Which selection did you find the most repugnant? Tough choice, I know.
December 20, 2007 at 8:54 pm
Fascinating performance, but the guy creeps me out.
December 20, 2007 at 9:11 pm
Yep, it’s all my fault. I don’t have enough alcohol in the house to play that game.
Most repugnant: Zooey will marry Huckabee so she can cleave to her husband as dictated by scriptures.
I’d first Taser myself to death…
December 20, 2007 at 9:27 pm
I played that game 5 times now and discovered that Hillary is not a Democrat..heh.
Yes Zooey, I haven’t lived in Louisianna since I was 6, but have visited since and they even had them in the malls.
December 20, 2007 at 9:28 pm
Zooey is your sons name Matt?
December 20, 2007 at 9:30 pm
Okay, I donpt like that last question, because there was no choice that matched mine. And they must have given it too much weight. Of the choices given, I picked goobernatorial and mejor experience, so I ended up with:
Kucinich
Giuliani (Never!)
Gravel
I could live with a Kucinich/Gravel ticket.
But Giuliani, just because I had to pick the last option. I doubt he would have made the list if I picked any other choice, but I would have preferred a “this question is stupid” option.
December 20, 2007 at 9:34 pm
Zep sez:
Zooey is your sons name Matt?
Nope. Neither one named Matt. My youngest is Zach — I post a lot of his photos.
December 20, 2007 at 9:35 pm
Wayne, if you don’t like the question (or the given answers), you can turn the weight down to zero. That’s what I did for that last question.
December 20, 2007 at 9:36 pm
Zep sez:
Yes Zooey, I haven’t lived in Louisianna since I was 6, but have visited since and they even had them in the malls.
No wonder insurance rates were so high down there! I wonder if they still have them?
December 20, 2007 at 9:36 pm
I was just talking to a neighbors son, Matt, about those stands in Louisianna two days ago, then I remembered your ex was a helicopter mechanic there. =P
December 20, 2007 at 9:39 pm
No wonder insurance rates were so high down there! I wonder if they still have them?
Last time I visited some 10 years ago they did. The upside was husbands like to go shopping!
December 20, 2007 at 9:41 pm
Still is a helicopter mech — just not there.
December 20, 2007 at 9:42 pm
All in all that site, I think, isnt very accurate. It doesnt address the economy, afghanistan, deficits, fiscal responsibility etc..
December 20, 2007 at 9:46 pm
I remember a local news report about a daquiri stand in Lafayette. I paid attention because I thought, “Finally, someone sees a problem with drive-thru alcohol places.” But no, they were doing the story because a lot of people were turning left into the stand, causing a traffic back up. *sigh*
The interviewer talked to this woman in her car, while she held a giant drink and she said, “It’s like a snow cone on a hot day!” and drove off, with about six unrestrained kids in the backseat.
I knew then that I had to move away from there…
December 20, 2007 at 9:55 pm
I knew then that I had to move away from there…-Z
Lol, my father, who couldn’t deal with our Big EZ [crazy] relatives as well wanted to get us out of there.
December 20, 2007 at 10:06 pm
People are very different down there. I liked most of it — the food, most of the people, the music, etc., but some stuff was just too wrong…
December 20, 2007 at 10:11 pm
I liked most of it — the food, most of the people, the music, etc., but some stuff was just too wrong
Mmm, gumbo…
December 20, 2007 at 10:18 pm
The food was magnificent. Mmmmm….
December 20, 2007 at 10:29 pm
My cousins, who did not move away from the New Orleans, would always play this game of psyche.
Basically lying as much as possible and seeing how much they could get away with. Kinda like congress.
December 20, 2007 at 11:06 pm
Edwards look nice in jeans.
Ok, I know that’s totally disgusting and shallow, but I’m being honest. – Zooey
Back off byatch.
December 20, 2007 at 11:08 pm
Zooey picks Dennis with her brain and Edwards with her heart. – Gorn
Is heart a euphemism for …
December 20, 2007 at 11:14 pm
Gorn, just realized that Richardson was your third choice. I think he was fourth on my list. Funny thing is, I’m supporting Richardson and I’m the contact person for his campaign in Berks County, PA. He should have shown up first on my list. Oh, well
Good night everyone. Catch you all on another day.
December 21, 2007 at 2:42 am
For the record and absolutely senseless, because I wont be asked:
1. Kucinich
2. Gravel
3. Obama (Thats because I shot the experience slider all to the left)
December 21, 2007 at 9:25 am
I didn’t use the weighted slider, so the weights are equal and got:
1) Kucinich =)
2) Gravel
3) Dodd
How come nationally more people didn’t pick these guys? I guess everyone else is insane. That’s my take anyways. Heh