Poll: Put the Cell Phone Away Candidates

With most Americans likely to enter a homicidal rage anytime anyone whips out the cell phone at the movie theater, a restaurant, and pretty much anywhere in between, a poll result like this -- from Fox News after the Giuliani "Hi Honey" Moment with the NRA -- isn't surprising.

(HT Marc Ambinder)

When a presidential candidate is in the middle of giving a campaign speech, do you think he or she should interrupt the speech to take a cell phone call from their spouse, or should the call be ignored until after the speech?

                Interrupt Speech          Ignore Call           Depends          Don’t Know
Totals                   9                     81                  9                  2
Democrats               10                     79                 10                  2
Republicans              8                     84                  6                  1
Independents             8                     80                 11                  1

Meanwhile, in his Saturday column, Bob Novak contradicts the Rudy Spin Machine and says the call to the NRA likely was indeed a set-up. And, it wasn't just a second time, it's been a staple in the Rudy bag of tricks since Day One.

A footnote: Supporters from outside his staff are urging Giuliani to discontinue the stunt of interrupting a campaign speech by taking a cell phone call from his wife. Although this received national attention only recently when Giuliani did it while addressing the National Rifle Association on Sept. 21, it has been part of his political bag of tricks all year.

Believe who you want, the "Prince of Darkness" or Spinsters.

UPDATE (10-1-07, 6:25 AM): John Fund has an amazing column on this with a listing of even more times the cell phone's come out. According to Fund, even the campaign staff is getting sick of it.