McCain takes lead over Obama: poll (Zogby)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080820/pl_nm/usa_poll_politics_dc_3


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - In a sharp turnaround, Republican John McCain has opened a 5-point lead on Democrat Barack Obama in the U.S. presidential race and is seen as a stronger manager of the economy, according to a Reuters/Zogby poll released on Wednesday.

McCain leads Obama among likely U.S. voters by 46 percent to 41 percent, wiping out Obama's solid 7-point advantage in July and taking his first lead in the monthly Reuters/Zogby poll.

McCain has been on the offensive against Obama during the last month over energy concerns, with polls showing strong majorities supporting his call for an expansion of offshore oil drilling as gasoline prices hover near $4 a gallon.

Obama had opposed new offshore drilling, but said recently he would support a limited expansion as part of a comprehensive energy program.

That was one of several recent policy shifts for Obama, as he positions himself for the general election battle. But Zogby said the changes could be taking a toll on Obama's support, particularly among Democrats and self-described liberals.

"That hairline difference between nuance and what appears to be flip-flopping is hurting him with liberal voters," Zogby said.

http://www.zogby.com/news/ReadNews.dbm?ID=1541

Democrats and "liberals" are abandoning Obama? Sorry, but the whole thing is counterintuitive.

I want to know where they conducted this poll, outside a Toby Keith concert?

Other polls have Obama up a 1 or 2. Quinnipiac has Obama up by +5.

Zogby is saying Democrats and self-described liberals are moving away from Obama, is the MOST INANE statement yet

Women are NOT going to give their rights away to mccain
The young are not going to sell their future to mccain
The middle class are NOT better off in the last 8 years, and are not going to continue with mcbush

Just look at the primaries, and the turnout for the Democrats verses the republicans, THAT SHOULD TELL YOU EVERYTHING WHY WE ARE GOING TO WIN

He was seventh on my list of eight for the presidency,
and lately, he's been pandering to the Right in a big
way.

I'll still vote for him, but he's sure not doing anything
to earn my vote. And I have complete confidence his VP
pick will make me like him even less.

Tesha

after the last 2 elections, if a bit of rhetoric and pandering gets him elected, pander away. ultimately Obama will do the right thing once he becomes President. He is forced to play the political game because that's the nature of the beast in this country. Once he’s in a position of power, he can work on his true agenda.

... not to whistle past the graveyard on this poll. It seems petty clear that McCain is gaining. Better to find out why than to pretend it isn't happening.

- B

Just sayin'

the focus always needs to be on things that can be controlled. why are the polls changing will teach us what can be said or done differently or what needs to be clarified in order to regain a strong lead.

Rovian politics will kick in after the national conventions. The campaign needs to be so strong that any negative attacks will seem outrageous to the point it adversely affects the person making the attack. I think properly addressing attacks was a major failing of the last 2 elections and when combined with other things such as Diebold; it cost Gore (robot zombie out of touch with average Joe) and Kerry (swift boated flip flopper) in the long run.

I've been out in the streets canvassing and I've seen
it for myself :(.

Tesha

just that he's not Obama? Wow, this is a new kind of stupid.

The big aspect (in New Hampshire) is that Hillary's
support came from two places: the DLC stalwarts (like
our former party chair, Kathy Sullivan) and the Republican
"monkey-wrenchers" who saw Hillary as, by far, the easiest
of the Democratic candidates to defeat in the General
Election.

The DLCers aren't actually aligned with democratic values
so they will choose a candidate who fits their aims and
goals and that candidate sometimes isn't the Democrat.
(For evidence, look at the 2006 Connecticut race for
U.S. Senator where the DLC abandoned the party in droves
once "their" candidate was defeated in the Primary.) Oh,
Kathy Sullivan will probably vote for Obama, but I'm
reasonably certain that a lot of her freinds won't.

And the Republican monkey-wrenchers were *NEVER* going to
vote for the Democratic candidate no matter who it turned out
to be; they were participating in our race just to hurt
our chances in November. And now they're in our data bases
as "Democrats", sapping our campaign resources as we waste
our time talking with them in the campaign run-up to the
General.

These two groups were also responsible for encouraging
Hillary to stay active in the primary race far beyond the
point where it was clear she was defeated, leading her
supporters on to believe that she could still "pull it of".

A smaller aspect is that these two contingents are keeping
hurt feelings alive among many genuine Hillary supporters
who are loyal Democrats and who would, under ordinary
circumstances, have already dealt with their grief that
their candidate, though she won NH, lost her overall
primary race. In ordinary times, these voters would already
be making the commitment to Obama, the Democratic nominee.
But this year, the shit-stirrers are keeping that from
happening by continuing to stir up pro-Hillary/anti-
Obama feelings. You can see it here at DU and you can
see it in the "real world" as well.

Tesha

McCain is nothing more than Bush #2, the same idiot with a 20% approval rating and our guy isn't running away with this?

Barack is black ... it does not matter to us here, but I am concerned about the implications with low-information (stupids, racists) who may vote.

:eyes:

Zogby is consistent. He was consistently wrong throughout the primaries. He was consistently wrong in 2004, too.

And the next time a Zogby poll comes close to being accurate will be the first time.

So Democrats and "liberals" are gonna go where? Nader? Stay home? Let the bastards win? Why even bother having an election at all?

This has to be one of the most assinine "evalations" I've seen...but it sure will get a lot of play on the corporate media.

You need to perception of a close race.

Just look at Florida and Ohio - who's it going to be this year? PA, CO, MO or combination of a couple "leaning" states!

Plus a close race makes it better for bottom line of MSM to sell ads!

Money grubbing fools!

sent "election advisors" to assist in two countries that I happened to be in during big elections (the Mexican presidential election and the Costa Rican vote on CAFTA). In both cases, I talked to lots of people on the street, all over the country, and the impression I got was that the votes wouldn't be close. I mean, like 1 in 10 might be in favor of the US business option.

Yet both votes came out 51-49, with the Bush Administration's chosen candidate or legislation "winning". Same thing we've been seeing so much of here.

I truly believe more people want Obama so I IMPLORE all the young voters that were excited about him in the primary season to come out again and in BIGGER numbers to vote. THEY ARE OUR FUTURE!

I also IMPLORE all the older hippies to come out and vote in HUGE numbers (although there are so many that become reaganites due to money in their lives! - I see many acquaintances and some relatives who were for ending war and sharing the wealth in the 60's & 70's change when their lot in life worked to excess for themselves.)

The more that turn out to VOTE the better chance Obama has! VOTE

Anyone know?

(which includes the voters that he needs to do the hard work on the streets) by his vote on FISA and his reneging on off-shore drilling. Neither were necessary. He would have looked stronger to stand tall and explain why neither was right.

And I have complete confidence his Veep choice will
be another slap in our faces.

Tesha

election, coming your way. McCain barely draws a crowd to his appearances. The media is manufacturing this illusion of closeness for a reason.


:tinfoilhat:

I wish we could get a list of the ones to ignore and the ones to pay atttention to.