Poll: Democrats Favor Clinton Over Obama

New York Senator Has 17-Point Edge Over Illinois Counterpart In Match-up Of '08 Frontrunners

(CBS)  Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton holds a 17-point edge over Sen. Barack Obama among Democratic voters in a match-up of the two candidates seen as likely frontrunners in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination, according to a CBS News poll.

Faced with the prospect of choosing between them, 45 percent of Democratic primary voters said they favored Clinton, while 28 percent preferred Obama.

Clinton, D-N.Y., gets mixed reviews from the overall voting public, but is very popular with Democrats.

Among all registered voters, she is viewed favorably by 36 percent and unfavorably by the same number. However, 57 percent of Democratic primary voters have a favorable opinion of her, while 12 percent are not favorable.

CLINTON VS. OBAMA?
(Among Democratic Primary Voters)

Clinton
45%
Obama
28%
Neither one
11%

Obama, still in his first term in the Senate, remains unknown to many voters, including Democrats, but those with an opinion like him.

Among all registered voters, 29 percent view him favorably and 9 percent unfavorably. Forty-one percent say they don't know enough about him to form an opinion.

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Read the complete CBS News poll results.

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Among Democratic primary voters, 40 percent have a favorable opinion of Obama, while just 3 percent have a negative opinion. But even among Democrats, four in 10 say they don't know enough about him.

Clinton is seen as a strong leader by both Democratic primary voters and by the public at large. A majority also thinks she has the right experience to be president. But four in 10 Americans (and almost three in 10 Democrats) doubt she can win the election.

Obama is also seen as a strong leader, but there are doubts — nationally and within his own party — about whether he has enough experience. About three in 10 Americans, and the same number of Democratic primary voters, doubt he can be elected.

OPINION OF …
(Among Democratic Primary Voters)

CLINTON

Favorable
57%
Not favorable
12%
Undecided
27%
Don’t know enough yet
3%

OBAMA

Favorable
40%
Not favorable
3%
Undecided
16%
Don’t know enough yet
40%

Sixteen percent of all registered voters said Clinton has less honesty and integrity than most people in public life. Among Democratic primary voters, that number shrank to 5 percent. Hardly anyone said Obama has less honesty and integrity than most people in public life.

Clinton, who hopes to become the first woman president, leads Obama, who is looking to become the first black to win the White House, by 24 points among African-American Democratic voters — an even greater margin than her lead among white Democrats. There's also a gender gap among Democratic voters, with women favoring Clinton by 26 points, while her lead among men is 7 points.

Both Obama and Clinton may face obstacles white male candidates do not face.

About eight in 10 Americans say they would vote for a "qualified" woman from either party for president, and nearly nine in 10 say they'd vote for a "qualified" black candidate of either party.

However, what Americans say they would personally do and what they think other Americans might do differs. Asked whether America was ready to elect a woman president, 54 percent said yes, while 39 percent said no.

IS AMERICA READY TO ELECT A WOMAN PRESIDENT?

Yes
54%
No
39%

There were significant partisan differences here, with two in three Democrats saying America is ready for a woman president, but only 35 percent of Republicans agree.

A majority of Americans, 55 percent, said the country is ready to elect a black president, while 35 percent said it's not. But whites are more likely than blacks to think this is possible.

IS AMERICA READY TO ELECT A BLACK PRESIDENT?

Yes
55%
No
35%

Democrats are also more likely than Republicans to say America is ready to elect a black president — 66 percent of Democrats say it is, while only 51 percent of Republicans agree.

The CBS News poll was conducted as Clinton announced she was forming an exploratory committee, the first step in a presidential bid. Obama announced his exploratory committee last week.

Other Democratic contenders include New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd, former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack, Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich and former Sen. John Edwards, the party's 2004 vice-presidential nominee. Delaware Sen. Joe Biden has said he will run and Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry, the 2004 Democratic presidential nominee, is also considering another run.

For detailed information on how CBS News conducts public opinion surveys, click here.

This poll was conducted among a random sample of 1168 adults nationwide, interviewed by telephone January 18-21, 2007. The error due to sampling for results based on the entire sample could be plus or minus three percentage points. The error for subgroups is higher. An oversample of African-Americans was also conducted for this poll, for a total of 221 interviews among this group. The margin of error for African-Americans is plus or minus seven points.

[tibu987]

I do not believe that Obama could, or would want to be Veep to Hillary. Not because she is a woman but because they would bump heads over issues. I do not believe that Obama could acquiesce to Hillary's beliefs.
At least, I hope that he wouldn't.
Is it possible that I misjudged the man?
Could be, I have often thought of some pols as honest and they disappointed me with their corruptability.

[tibu987]

At this point in the race for the Presidency, I would have to vote for Obama. Although Obama has a definite lack of experience he appears to me to have a level headed approach to things.
What worries me more about Clinton in that women will vote for her simply because she is a woman.
Of course this would be the wrong reason but I doubt that women will see it that way.
It is going to be interesting, that's for sure.

[rafterman1]

What the Clinton's did to your military? Did I read that right? First of all, learn some history. The build-down started (rightfully so) with Bush I due to the end of the cold war. You can't justify an overblown military when your primary enemy just disintegrated. Second, the Republican congress from 1994-2001 went right along with the build-down.

And as far as what Clinton did to "your" military, I ask you what has Bush done? He has destroyed it. Bush's incompetence in the Iraq war has made recruitment difficult, trashed equipment, improperly supplied forces in the field in combat and has overextended and exausted both the regulars and the guard. Not to mention not giving a *** about medical help for these guys after serving their country. Yet you don't hate Bush too? Bush did far worse to the military than anyone in history.



By the way, I love your use of "DemocRATS". Making fun of names like that was something I used to do myself - when I was 10.

[gunnerv1]

And I know the truth, thats why I DON'T vote DemocRAT!

[gunnerv1]

Time to go back to work so that I can give my money to the welfare creating DemocRATS.

[gunnerv1]

Sorry rafterman1 if I offended you, so you can kiss my medium sized as* I hate the Clintons for what they did to my Military and along with all the other DemocRATS since "Give'em Hell" Harry left office!

[rafterman1]

"She wouldn't know the truth if it bit her in her fat ***!"

I'd say the same thing to you, but I don't know if you are fat or not. So just pick the appropiate response:

1. You wouldn't know the truth if it bit you in your fat ***!

2. You wouldn't know the truth if it bit you in your skinny ***!

[rafterman1]

"Too many people that the Clintons don't like turn up dead for some reason"

And with Bush, people have a habit of dying, whether he likes 'em or not.

[gunnerv1]

She wouldn't know the truth if it bit her in her fat ***!

[gunnerv1]

Guns don't kill people, it's the Clintion behind it that kills people (come on RandalDS time to chastise me)

[gunnerv1]

They better like her more or she'll send out her muscle to put them in line. Too many people that the Clintons don't like turn up dead for some reason.

[zman61359]

they would dominate the election??? dream on. clinton cannot win. her past(especially college) will be thrown down her throat.obama would have a better chance, but is probably 8 years too early.

[dmaddox1]

GO !! Hillary Go!!! GO!! Hillary Go !!!
I Beleave in you, America is deffinatley ready for A First Lady President.. I look at it this way,The people of the united states have put there confidence in male presidents. Its time we put our Trust in the first female that has ever ran, Give Hillary Clinton A chance and VOTE for Hillary Rodham Clinton for Out Next President of the united states. The Truth Will Stand.. Her Truth Will Stand, Hillary will be tough!! to beat. I knew if Hillary ran. she would be the best canadate to run!!!! and the Best First Lady For Prestident. Go Hillary Go !!! I will VOTE FOR YOU. May God Bless our White House Once Again. IN GOD WE TRUST Hillary Rodham Clinton .. FOR PRESIDENT.

[Razzl]

I remain convinced that Hillary's numbers over the last 3 years have been buoyed by women wanting to put forward a woman, and I have no problem with that, but when it comes to the nitty-gritty I know they will let go and focus on issues. Hillary's campaign is a house of cards unless she can hold a steady moral compass long enough to dispel the stench of opportunism that hangs around her career...

[Syndicate]

D I C K is a Name. Cbs should give up on the censorship already. If I want to Fcuking curse I will.

[huskerarmy]

Lieberman,
Byrd has repeatedly renounced his racist past. On the other hand, Trent Lott, George Allen and their ilk in the GOP continue to speak the code language of racists. Lott claims America would have been better of if we had elected segregationist Thurmond and supports the nomination of racist judge Charles Pickering. Now you elect him the new whip? Allen has a fetish for the confecerate flag and uses racist slang. The Willie Horton ads, the ads against Harold Ford, targeting minorities in voter registration challanges, exploiting Barrack Obama's middle name, there are too many examples to list. Plausible deniability is not a policy that is likely to engender better race relations. Until GOPers are willing to stop catering to the racist elements of its base and agressively condemn those in their party who practice race baiting, they will not get any substantial degree of the minority vote and will be open to the "hood and sheet" characterization.

[dallison7]

America has seen what can happen. They are cautious now. Most of the voters will go for a team that they know will do a good job. With President and Mr. Clinton in the Whitehouse America and the world will be a much safer, saner place.

[huskerarmy]

"Colin Powell, J.C. Watts, Mike Steele, Condi and Larry Elder have much more experience and knowledge than Obama. I'd vote for almost any of them over a typical tool of the Victicrat Democrats..."

So what you're really saying Liberman is that you prefer tokens...

[huskerarmy]

"Obama is lacking the same type of experience that has made Bush the Younger such a failure."

He either has it or he doesn't. You could put Dubya in a president-in-training position for ten years and he would never be ready for the oval office...

[edjohn66]

One more thing...

Regarding Obama's experience:
JFK was a one-term Senator before becomming president....