CBS Poll: Clinton, Obama Tied
McCain Has Big Lead Among Republicans; Also, Most Americans Think Economy Is In Recession
-
Play CBS Video Video Obama On Clinton; McCain From stances on the economy to his position on the Iraq War, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama tells Bob Schieffer about his differences with Hillary Clinton and John McCain.
-
Video McCain On Frontrunner Status While Republican presidential hopeful John McCain may be leading in the polls, the Arizona senator has gained his share of detractors. McCain discusses his frontrunner status with Bob Schieffer.
-
Video Clinton Trying To Stay Ahead Hillary Clinton is working hard to stay ahead of Barack Obama, but campaign insiders are lowering expectation for Super Tuesday and preparing for a longer fight. Jim Axelrod reports.
-
-
Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama both have the support of 41 percent of Democratic primary voters in the latest CBS News/New York Times poll. (AP Photo)
-
Republican presidential hopeful, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., speaks at a campaign rally in Chesterfield, Mo., Friday, Feb. 1, 2008. McCain has a large lead in the CBS News/New York Times poll. (AP)
-
-
News Tools Poll Database Search for results from the latest CBS News national polls on the president, the campaign and more.
-
Section CBS News Polls Read the latest polls done by CBS News polling unit.
Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are running neck-and-neck among Democratic primary voters, while John McCain appears to have solidified his status as the Republican Party's front-runner, opening up a wide margin over his nearest rival for the GOP nomination, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.
The economy is likely to weigh heavily on the minds of Super Tuesday voters as they head to the polls - more than half of Americans now think the economy is in a recession and they believe overwhelmingly that the worst is yet to come.
The poll found that Clinton and Obama both have the support of 41 percent of Democratic primary voters - a drastic change from early January, when Clinton led Obama by 15 percentage points. While Clinton's overall support has remained steady, Obama has made significant gains among men, particularly white men, and African Americans. White male voters are split nearly evenly between the two Democrats, and Obama holds an 12 percentage point advantage among men overall.
Obama has also seen his support among women rise by 11 percentage points, and he now trails Clinton by only 7 percentage points among that group. He trails Clinton narrowly among Democrats but leads her among independent voters by 13 percentage points.
Clinton's edge on the question of electability has also evaporated as voters have seen Obama win by comfortable margins in Iowa and South Carolina while placing a close second to Clinton in New Hampshire and Nevada. The survey found that 46 percent of Democratic primary voters think Clinton would make the best general election candidate, while 41 percent said that of Obama - as recently as December, only 14 percent believed the Illinois senator made a better general election candidate.
Clinton holds a similar advantage on the question of which Democrat is most likely to win the nomination. Forty-five percent of those surveyed, including nearly one-in-four Obama backers, believes she will eventually prevail in her bid to be the first female presidential nominee of a major party.
The picture in the states voting on Super Tuesday is not nearly as close as the overall picture and offers some good news for Clinton. Among voters in those states, she leads Obama, 49 percent to 31 percent, with 16 percent still undecided.
Clinton also holds a big edge on the issue of most concern to Democratic voters: the economy. Nearly 60 percent say she would do a better job of managing the economy than Obama. However, more than two-thirds of Democratic voters see the policy differences between the two candidates as minor. .
There is still some fluidity in the Democratic race, with 14 percent saying they're still undecided between the two candidates. Also, over a third of those favoring Clinton and 42 percent of those leaning toward Obama say their minds could change before they cast their ballot.Read The Complete CBS News Poll On The Republican Race
The Democratic Race
The Economy, Iraq and President Bush
The poll was conducted after John Edwards' exit from the race, but neither candidate appears to have gained an edge in the wake of his departure. Many of the undecided voters surveyed said they once backed the former North Carolina senator.
While the national race for the Democratic nomination appears to be a toss-up, John McCain seems on his way to effectively wrapping up the GOP nomination on Feb. 5, if not soon thereafter. He now has the support of 46 percent of Republican primary voters, compared to only 23 percent who support Romney and 12 percent who back former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee.
© MMVIII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Read The Complete CBS News Poll On The Republican Race
Michelle Obama tells how her role as the First Lady has changed her perspective.





- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
... - 20
- next
See all 400 CommentsBy the way who cares if he was right about Iraq war. Attacking Iraq was the right move, but the wrong part is the facts that justified the attack & the handling of the occupation.
I am supporting Hillary, because she is aware & taking seriously the problem that the next president need to address diligently. She is the real "Change".
Posted by WomenOnGuard at 04:57 PM : Feb 05, 2008
Bill and Hilary do not have the same advantages this time as they did before..
1. Like having inherited a country just after Taxes were already raised by a Republican President and reaping the windfall. 2. Like having an opposition Congress that not only demanded a balanced budget, but also demanded all programs get slashed including Welfare and other spending. 3. finally, like having a mfg base to kick start the economy and provide jobs and workers/technology through innovations in technology (dot com) and a strong mfg base
Due to NAFTA which Bill put into place, Democrats will be juggling pretty much the same balls they did in 1992--except Bush has made them all medicine balls and nightmares and Bill has already cut off our hands and arms by outsourcing both labor and mfg to foreign lands with cheap labor. If the Clintons fail to "fix" the economy--think about this post and try to learn its import.
I remember the days of Nancy Reagan, where she and every other Republican wore RED to signal their affiliation with the GOP. Conversely, the Democratic ladies favored blue--as their color of choice. And so it went for decades. Now enter Bush with a blue tie--albeit sky blue--maybe signalling with that, and his immigration and Dubai dealings and Port leanings that he was not so different from Democrats after all. Now we have Hilary--continually wearing red--the color of Republican ladies and maybe--girls who are still Gold Water Republicans at heart--she may have to pretend to be a Democrat for the sake of infiltrating their party--but at least she shows her "true colors" in how she backs Bush on votes and not so subtly--in the colors she chooses while on the campaign trail.
Posted by b-easy63 at 05:04 PM : Feb 05, 2008
I don''''t usually listen to what "Limbaugh in drag" says. I didn''''t know she was a Clinton supporter.
Posted by hungry1968 at 10:19 AM : Feb 05, 2008
coulter said that Hilary was far more conservative than McCAin and that if it came down to Hilary and McCAin, she might campaign for the better conservative or Hilary--herself. Hilary does have some very interesting views--not shaped by liberalism or even tolerance--like endorsing torture or advocating the continual expansion of FISA and wiretapping of the American citizenry--by a Presidency and DOJ that has already shown themselves to be rogue and without respect for laws or Constitution. WE understand why the loyal Republicans endorsed and voted to help Bush on these issues--we will probably never understand why Hilary did--unless it was a poll or something that told her most Americans don''t mind being tapped or having people be tortured--that occurred on the day of her vote. Hilary has always been a sucker for the poll of the moment and its influence on her vote--for that day.
Vote against members of Washingtons "good ole boys"
club.
Vote for change.
Vote for Obama.
72 year old white veteran.
I could never vote for someone who has earned the respect of the likes of Coulter.
Posted by formrusmcsgt at 09:10 AM : Feb 05, 2008
REALLY?!?!
I don''''t usually listen to what "Limbaugh in drag" says. I didn''''t know she was a Clinton supporter.
Posted by hungry1968 at 10:19 AM : Feb 05, 2008
Ann Coulter has referred to Hillary as a "prostitute." I really don''t care about whom Coulter supports or not.
I could never vote for someone who has earned the respect of the likes of Coulter.
Posted by formrusmcsgt at 09:10 AM : Feb 05, 2008
REALLY?!?!
I don''t usually listen to what "Limbaugh in drag" says. I didn''t know she was a Clinton supporter.
at the outset, let me at least thank CBS and their Offiliates for providing a Forum of free thought.
in reviewing the past few months of this Election process , I realize that we have No candidate for the more Educated Independent Voter.
and I finally realize that what Thomas Jefferson said
to be true `` That the Masses cannot rule themselves ``
How could they ? How can an Illegal Immigrant in Southern California make proper selections regarding a candidate of any substance, that all they need to promise is, enchilatas on every table, and free Social Security Cards for the asking.
No fellow Americans, I can finally see the end of the Great Union is near at hand, overthrown not by the Enemies without but the Enemies and Traitors within.
so having said that much, I bid you all a good day,
and I will proceed to make plans for another New Better Constitution, and the structuring of a New
Nation for Independent Voters. and might I add True Patriots it was a good fight but alas in Vain.
Sincerely Fuzzy Bear
If the worst thing that can be said about Obama is that he smokes, I could care less." formrusmcsgt
Yes..shallow...
I''ll say it again. Your feelings about smoking are not of any application to this arguement.
Its what the Republicans may do to compromise the democrats--through Obama''s stance on prevention/smoking, that is a valid issue, because it may be a rather obvious achillies heel, bringing down the party.
You can like or dislike smoking all you want.
You are not the electoriate or the spin doctors.
Its about liability in a candidate.
This particular liability.
Smoking is not "prevention"!!
DUH.
Posted by goldesprit at 09:07 AM : Feb 05, 2008
I''m not so shallow so as to eliminate someone from contention because they use a legal substance.
If the worst thing that can be said about Obama is that he smokes, I could care less.
Hillary, on the other hand, has the admiration of Ann Coulter. To me, that speaks volumes.....
I could never vote for someone who has earned the respect of the likes of Coulter.
Its what the political spin possibilities are in causing Obama to appear to be less than logical when representing that he is so into "prevention" that is very obviously ammunition for the Republicans, potentially.
Are you awake? Maybe you drifted off after your blessing.
I read that the first time and didn''t think his smoking was all that big of a deal and still don''t.
I don''t try to impose my beliefs on others. He''s a grown man and smoking is legal. If he chooses to do so, so be it.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
... - 20
- next
See all 400 Comments