People walk past a screen showing a media advertisement for the voting day at the Times Square in New York, the United States, Nov. 7, 2016. The U.S. general election will be held on Nov. 8. (Xinhua/Wang Ying)
By Peter Mertz
DENVER, the United States, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- Both candidates running for U.S. presidency are setting all-time records for being unpopular -- with their negative ratings climbing over the past few months and peaking this week, a factor that is expected to draw record numbers of voters for Tuesday's election.
A Fox News poll released recently found that a record 61 percent of voters have a negative view of the Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton, up from 58 percent in March, and 56 percent have an unfavorable view of Donald Trump, the Republican presidential contender. Trump's negative numbers have dropped from 65 percent two months ago.
"We've been following her (Clinton) for a long time and she's been involved in crooked schemes as long as she's been a public figure." said Kirk Blue, an excavator in rural Marble, Colorado, who originally did not support Trump and was now drawn to the polls to keep Clinton away from the White House. "I have no choice but to vote for Trump."
Blue is echoing the Trump campaign theme of focusing on Clinton's negatives -- her role in Benghazi, her denying she sent classified emails through her private server, and her ties to wealthy corporate America and billionaire George Soros, who backs her 100 percent.
Clinton's negative numbers reached a climax just before Tuesday's election and have resulted in increased pre-ballot voting in America's conservative, rural districts.
Meanwhile, Trump has managed to deny or dodge explanations for his aggressive, bashing remarks about women, immigrants, minorities, the media and Clinton.
"I will move out of the country if that man wins," said Lonnie Phillips, 52, a Denver painter of Native American descent. "He is the most ridiculous candidate I've ever seen."
It is also clear Trump has curried no favors with the media due to his claims that the U.S. media is controlled and manipulated by liberals. Every major media outlet in the country, including USA Today and the New York Times, have come out to support Clinton completely, because her opponent is Trump.
Up to the election day, it seems that many voters are hitting the polls just to stop the other party's candidate from getting to the White House.
"Having a negative candidate, a disliked candidate, a threatening candidate on the other side is more likely to inspire turnout," said Jon A. Krosnick, a professor of political science, communication and psychology at Stanford University. "In general, we as humans are more motivated by threats than we are by opportunities."
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Commentary: The U.S. election, a choice of the less undesirable
BEIJING, Nov. 8 (Xinhua)-- American voters are heading to voting booths across the United States Tuesday to elect a new president, frustrated that they are stuck with two of the least desirable candidates in perhaps the whole history of the U.S. electoral politics, and facing an uncertain future. Full story
