Obama leads McCain in November match: Reuters poll

Source: Reuters

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democrat Barack Obama has opened an 8-point national lead on Republican John McCain as the U.S. presidential rivals turn their focus to a general election race, according to a Reuters/Zogby poll released on Wednesday.

Obama, who was tied with McCain in a hypothetical head-to-head matchup last month, moved to a 48 percent to 40 percent lead over the Arizona senator in May as he took command of his grueling Democratic presidential duel with rival Hillary Clinton.

The Illinois senator has not yet secured the Democratic presidential nomination to run against McCain in November.

The poll also found Obama expanded his lead over Clinton in the Democratic race to 26 percentage points, doubling his advantage from mid-April as Democrats begin to coalesce around Obama and prepare for the general election battle with McCain.

"Obama has been very resilient, bouncing back from rough periods and doing very well with independent voters," pollster John Zogby said. "The race with McCain is going to be very competitive."

The poll was taken Thursday through Sunday during a period when Obama came under attack from President George W. Bush and McCain for his promise to talk to hostile foreign leaders without preconditions.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSN2034087120080521?sp=true

For the sake of the US and the world.

The state by state polls is what we need to be paying attention to now. There it is still a dead heat.
http://www.electoral-vote.com/evp2008/Obama/Maps/May21.html

For fun here is the Washington Post interactive electoral college map:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/interactives/campaign08/electoral-college/

:kick:

:sarcasm:

Polled for the national election.

Pathetic - Suicidal - Sociopathic

you will see it become obvious how easily Obama will take the White House. Let's get this stupid primary season over with and focus on getting rid of as many repubs as possible.

A lot of people who were hear in 2004 were predicting a landslide for Kerry.

2008 sets up well for Democrats, but McCain was the one person the Republicans could nominate that could give us trouble. If this election was going to be decided by the popular vote than I wouldn't be worried, but we're going by the EC.

The Obama vs McCain race will probably be tight and will be decided by Ohio, Missouri, Wisconsin, New Mexico and Virginia.

Assuming that Colorado & Penn go for Obama, then he must win some combination of either two or three of those states.

I personally think Missouri and Virginia will go for McCain, Wisconsin and New Mexico will go for Obama, and Ohio will be the decider.

....I think this has alot to do with VP selections too. Right now, I it's kinda obvious Barack is going to have to choose a Southern White Male for his VP. I'm thinking that'll @ least bring VA and possibly Missouri to our side.

There are two "dark horse" states, though. I SERIOUSLY thinking Barack can eek out a win in GA or MS this time around.

I think you have a legit point that a Southern White male could help out Obama in Virginia and possibly Missouri, but I don't think he has a chance in the rest of the South. (Edwards didn't help Kerry in the south in '04 and Al Gore didn't win his home state of Tn in '00). Clark might bring Arkansas into play and maybe Missouri. If Obama picks Bill Nelson or Bob Graham then Florida might be in play. Other than those three, I don't see another VP candidate that could really help Obama in the South. (Edwards might help in NC, but I think we all agree he wants AG).

The problem is most people for for the candidate at the top of the ticket and not the VP. (I think McCain's is an exception because of his age.)

I really don't think there is a legit Southern White Male VP pick out there for Obama and he is better off going with someone who would do well in Virginia and/or Ohio to try and lock down one of those two states in the EC.

I can't find the links right now, but I saw an Georgia based democratic strategist, with no ties to either campaign, say that from what he is seeing in his work, Obama doesn't have much of a chance to pull out a win in any of the Southern States except Virginia.

unrelentingly touted in the media as a maverick, centrist, war hero who wants to keep America safe. Obama will be mercilessly denigrated as a leftist, closet Muslim who wants to cozy up to terrorists. And there are millions of simple minded voters (not to mention millions of racists) who don't vote along party lines who'll choose the pasty old white guy. Obama will have to run both smarter and harder than any of the defeated Dems of the last 40 years, or he'll end up joining the ranks of Mondale, Dukakis, Gore, and Kerry on the losing side of history. Not saying he can't win, only that it's going to take a combination of incredible skill and incredible luck.

And I know Gore didn't really lose, but the GOP did everything in its power to keep him - the winner - out of the WH, and they succeeded.

a landslide victory for Kerry...truth be told, it was obvious that he was a flawed candidate, what with the DLC and the Shrum's of this world trying to run an a poll driven race...if Obama sticks to the strategy that has served him well thus far, I feel very confident that he will win this election

Caveat: That is of course if there isn't a "Persian Gulf" incident that will change the political landscape.

:toast:

Especially VA. VA is changing demographically to favor Democrats, as more population enters Northern VA. In the last two elections Webb and Kaine won statewide elections. Narrowly, but they won.

I have a good feeling about MO too.

I do not think we need Ohio or Florida, although one or the other would ice it.

I think the key is grass roots organizing. This is Obama's strength. If we all work to get out the vote, increase registration, etc the victory is ours.

McCain is afraid to talk with foreign leaders. McCain is weak. McCain doesn't know Shiite from Shinola.