CBS Poll: Uncommitted Voters Say Obama Won Final Debate

UPDATED WITH FINAL RESULTS As in the previous debates, CBS News and Knowledge Networks have conducted a nationally representative poll of uncommitted voters to get their immediate reaction to tonight's presidential debate.

In the first presidential debate, second presidential debate and vice presidential debate, more uncommitted voters said the Democratic candidate was the victor.

And tonight's results have, by a wide margin, made it a clean sweep. Here are the final results of the survey of 638 uncommitted voters:

Fifty-three percent of the uncommitted voters surveyed identified Democratic nominee Barack Obama as the winner of tonight's debate. Twenty-two percent said Republican rival John McCain won. Twenty-five percent saw the debate as a draw.

More uncommitted voters trusted Obama than McCain to make the right decisions about health care. Before the debate, sixty-one percent of uncommitted voters said that they trust Obama on the issue; after, sixty-eight percent said so. Twenty-seven percent trusted McCain to manage health care before the debate; thirty percent said so afterwards.

Sixty-four percent think Obama will raise their taxes, while fifty percent think McCain will.

Before the debate, fifty-four percent thought Obama shared their values. That percentage rose to sixty-four percent after the debate. For McCain, fifty-two percent thought he shared their values before the debate, and fifty-five percent thought so afterwards.

Before the debate, fifty percent said they trusted Obama to handle a crisis; that rose to sixty-three percent afterwards. More uncommitted voters trusted McCain on this – seventy-eight percent before the debate, eighty-two percent after the debate.

But more trusted Obama than McCain to make the right decisions about the economy. Before the debate, fifty-four percent of uncommitted voters said that they trust Obama to make the right decisions about the economy; after, sixty-five percent said that. Before, thirty-eight percent trusted McCain to do so, and forty-eight percent did after the debate.

Before the debate, sixty-six percent thought Obama understands voters' needs and problems; that rose to seventy-six percent after the debate. For McCain, thirty-six percent felt he understands voters' needs before the debate, and forty-eight percent thought so afterwards.

We will have a full report on the poll later on. Uncommitted voters are those who don't yet know who they will vote for, or who have chosen a candidate but may still change their minds.

Read more from the poll here.

[phelangelica]

Its a shame we had to waste so many precious minutes of the debate having to address the lies of the McCain campaign. His own supporters the Annenbergs were just as much involved with Williams Ayers as Obama was. Its an absolute insult to the american public that McCain has tried to use that professional affiliation as a basis to suggest a terrorist tie. The Acorn issue is a non issue, the forged names on registration lists were just as likely republican as democratic and they didnt exist and never threatened the vote. What a Pathetic waste of all of our time. This McCain guy is a total loser and a joke. to incite racial and religious hatred to increase his chances of winning is dangerous and disgusting. No we dont want Joe Sixpack and his KKK lynchmob in the whitehouse. No freaking way.

[hmom-2009]

%u201CObama incorrectly claimed all of McCain%u2019s ads had been %u201Cnegative.%u201D That was true for one recent week, but not over the entire campaign.%u201D

(Quote taken from Factcheck.org)

I don%u2019t recall Obama specifying which time period he was talking about. He said that 100% of McCain%u2019s ads were negative, and for that week, he was right.

I have seen a lot of nasty things being said on both sides. Is it really necessary to criticize people%u2019s intelligence based on who they want to vote for? Come on people, show some consideration. Both sides have twisted things. It all depends on perspective, just like with the above example.

[s_brawner]

Are u mad? Just because Obama supports a womans right in abortion does not mean he personally would have his wife do this in his own life. God gave us free will. Who are the Repubs to take that away. If u wanna be gay, u face Jehovah for it. Obama is not a terrorist. U do the research. War in Iran. Obama wants to talk to them. Mc Cain want to impose restrictions before talking. If you care about this country you would vote Obama and keep us out of war. Dems have proven historically that they can get us out of debt. Or maybe you like being owned by China. This big money, in it for the rich man. How many times does Obama have to say he only raises taxes on the RICH, R U DEAF, BLIND AND DUMB?

[baurd]

The last Debate was such a Slam Dunk for McCain it was jsut awesome, he called out on O''Bamas terrorist ties, his Fannie/Freddie Relationship, his lack of experience, his wanting to raise taxes. His poor character, Mc''Cain just roller him over, and you could tell by O''Bamas face as well.
It is about time somone started telling people about the false Messiah O''Bama is, I can only hope it not too late. Resarch some facts people.

[baurd]

O''Bama is far Richer than McCain...silly. Why do you think O''Bama has spent 90 Million on his Campaign and McCain only about 10 Million.

[baurd]

As a Christian and a Loyal American, I support McCain and Palin because the factually stand for everything I consider right and noble. They are birlliant realist who will finally lead us back to prosperity and a better country. With O''Bama''s Terrorists friends and now over 15 people he spent years knowing, but now says he doesn''t. His major involvement and money recieved from Fannie and Freddie, his lying on record, his actuall saying he is raising taxes, to his involvement with Acorn, his not wanting to wear the American flag, the marxist flag in his office, his poor record in office, not to mention short time. There are too many facts that make this guy scary as all get out. It will be interesting to see how gullible people are come November 4th. I can only hope people will see the light and find out for themselves. PS..Did you hear they found out that the guy that he said at a Palin Rally that supposedly said "#$*) Him" didn''t even exist, a reporter made it up. This is the kind of corruption and the media has been bought by O''Bama.

[baurd]

Anyone still undecided or saying that O''Bama won the last debate really falls into Low IQ range. People voting for O''Bama cannot even give a reason. If we get factual about things, Palin has more time in Political office than he does even. There are way too many scary things in O''Bamas closet, and those that don''t know don''t care. People should look at both. And to those of you blaming bush, just remember the Senate is Democratic Controlled, and they are the law makers, the president jsut vetos or passes things most the time, so get an education on politics. Bush has done a good job, especially considering the Terrorist incidents he has had to face and protect us from.

O''Bama /Biden spells the next Great Depresion + Solcialism Higher Taxes. People need to find out the truth. The guy has spent like 90 Million on the Campaign, every media outlet has been biased and ignored the facts, and blocked the truth, so that is pretty scary, and I feel sorry for us as a Nation if we are dumb enough to elect him. No Democrat has ever reduced taxes while in Office, and none have had as bad a background and associations as he has had. Look around, search google. Find the facts, don''t blindly follow because he is a great speaker.

[chicagoguy49]

I voted for Bush the first time. Shame on me. I changed horses for his second election as it was obvious that he and his cronies were leading us in the wrong direction. McCain is completely out of touch with the needs of the American people. His and his wife''s lack of basic feelings for the problems of the vast majority of the American people is best typified by his wife wearing a $300,000 outfit at the convention. Maybe they left her cheaper things at one of their other 8 homes. We must change direction and regain our sense of right. The Republican party has been hijacked by Corporate America and the far right wing religious factions.

[chicagoguy49]

I voted for Bush the first time. Shame on me. I changed horses for his second election as it was obvious that he and his cronies were leading us in the wrong direction. McCain is completely out of touch with the needs of the American people. His and his wife''s lack of basic feelings for the problems of the vast majority of the American people is best typified by his wife wearing a $300,000 outfit at the convention. Maybe they left her cheaper things at one of their other 8 homes. We must change direction and regain our sense of right. The Republican party has been hijacked by Corporate America and the far right wing religious factions.

[chicagoguy49]

I voted for Bush the first time. Shame on me. I changed horses for his second election as it was obvious that he and his cronies were leading us in the wrong direction. McCain is completely out of touch with the needs of the American people. His and his wife''s lack of basic feelings for the problems of the vast majority of the American people is best typified by his wife wearing a $300,000 outfit at the convention. Maybe they left her cheaper things at one of their other 8 homes. We must change direction and regain our sense of right. The Republican party has been hijacked by Corporate America and the far right wing religious factions.