CBS/NYT Poll: McCain Cuts Obama's Lead

Democrat Edges Republican 45% To 42% In Poll Of Registered Voters

(CBS)  Republican John McCain has cut Democrat Barack Obama's nationwide lead in half, according to the latest CBS News/New York Times poll. Obama now has the support of 45 percent of registered voters, with John McCain closing in at 42 percent. The margin of error is three points.

Two weeks ago, Obama's lead over McCain was 45 percent to 39 percent. About one in four of each candidate’s supporters say they could change their minds before Election Day.

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Read The Complete Poll:
The 2008 Campaign

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Like the CBS News poll completed earlier this month, each candidate is backed by more than three quarters of voters in his own party, with independents closely divided, narrowly favoring McCain.

McCain scores well on qualities related to experience and is seen as somewhat less likely to pander to his audience, but Obama is seen as more empathetic and is viewed as running a more positive campaign.

As has been the case all summer, Obama’s supporters are much more enthusiastic about their candidate than those who back McCain are about theirs. In this poll, twice as many Obama backers as McCain supporters say they are enthusiastic about their choice. About one in four McCain supporters say they are voting for him only because he is the Republican nominee or that their vote will be a vote against Obama.

About half of all voters (51 percent) say they have been paying a lot of attention to the campaign this year, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they are as tuned in now. Only about a third (36 percent) say they have been paying a lot of attention in the last few weeks.

According to the voters, John McCain has the stronger resume by far. Two in three say he has prepared himself well enough for the job - something fewer than half of voters say about Obama. Twice as many voters say it is very likely McCain will be an effective commander-in-chief than those who say that about Obama. And McCain has a small advantage in voters' confidence that he will make the right decisions on foreign policy.

But Obama has the edge in perceptions of his decision-making ability on the economy, which has been voters’ biggest concern this year. Sixty-five percent of registered voters are very or somewhat confident in Obama's ability to guide the economy, while 54 percent feel the same way about McCain. Additionally, 52 percent of voters think Obama would improve the U.S.'s image abroad, compared to 24 percent for McCain.

Voters are more likely to say Obama cares about their needs and problems, an advantage Democratic candidates have historically held. Forty-five percent of voters say Obama has strong religious beliefs, while 35 percent say the same of McCain.

A majority of voters say McCain is spending more time attacking Obama than explaining what he would do as president. Obama, by better than two to one, is viewed as running a positive campaign.

Though controversies related to race have sparked up throughout the campaign, only eight percent of voters say McCain has brought up the issue unfairly, 12 percent say that about Obama and 11 percent say they both have done so.

When asked to name something they liked about McCain, regardless of how they intend to vote, experience was at the top of voters' lists, mentioned by 14 percent. That was followed by his military service (13 percent), integrity (7 percent), and being a “straight talker” (4 percent).

As for Obama, voters say they like that he will bring change (10 percent), is inspirational (9 percent), is a good speaker and a fresh face (7 percent each), has integrity (5 percent) and is young and intelligent (4 percent each).

Twenty-one percent of voters offered that they liked “nothing” about each of the presumptive nominees.

Even after months of campaigning, voters are unsure what either candidate will do as president. Fifty-five percent say that Obama has not made it clear what he will do as president and 51 percent say the same of McCain. When asked if the candidates have given the issue the voter cares most about enough of a priority, 61 percent say “no.”

This poll was conducted among a random sample of 1,012 adults nationwide, including 869 registered voters, interviewed by telephone August 15-19, 2008. Phone numbers were dialed from RDD samples of both standard land-lines and cell phones. The error due to sampling for results based on the entire sample and for registered voters could be plus or minus three percentage points. The error for subgroups is higher.

[vincan-2009]

McCain is a tool for the corporations and the richest people who don''t shop for themselves, and have too many servants to count as well as too many houses to keep up with. God help this country if all republicans can do is lie constantly about Senator Obama, but can''t come up with anything worthwhile about McCain. McCain is the crook who is so two-faced he can''t remember what he said yesterday. He is an old man who has no business continuing to ruin the country like Bush and Cheney have been doing for the last 8 years. It was way too much for me.

[vincan-2009]

McCain is Bush for a third term. Anyone who wants wars with Iran and maybe Russia are welcome to vote for him. Then there is his plan to privatize social security, which he called a disgrace, when it is the only thing Bush could not screw up. So if you want a bully who is a war monger and is 72 years old vote for this McBush, but I will vote for only Democrats because they are the only ones who have any sense at all. Republicans are tools for the rich and corporations. They have no integrity or honor.

[chobella]

You Europeons in America have some nerve taunting and attacking any black person in this case bi-racial of black and white person''s name. Black people were slaved,beatten and stripped of all their names. Forced to forget, give up and abandon their identity.Something ad honorable as your name! There are no children of slaved Africans in America who knows his name. Remember KUNTA and RESPECT!!!

[chobella]

You Europeons in American have some nerve taunting and attacing any black person in this case bi-racial of black and white person''s name! Black people were slaved, beatten and strpped of all their names.Forced to forget, giveup and abandon their identity. Something as honorable as your name! There are no children of slaved Africans in America who knows his name. Remember KUNTA and RESPECT!!!

[mydiatribe]

Sick of the Lefties Distorting the Facts
Let''s get one thing straight once and for all
JOHN MCCAIN IS NOT GEORGE BUSH!
However, Barack Obama is John Kerrry only more so!

[noloyalisti]

Man that''s a whole lot of really dumb people who like McBush and want more of the McSame. Wow, do these GOPers know how to feed themselves. Maybe they can pray for God to Forgive America.

[taotxzen]

Potential McCain VP Bobby Jindal Can%u2019t Think of Any McCain Ideas

from Think Progress:

Sunday on NBC%u2019s Meet the Press, host David Gregory asserted that the Republican Party %u2018used to be the party of big ideas.%u2019 Gregory then asked his guest Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal (R-LA), %u2018What%u2019s the big idea Senator McCain is campaigning on?%u2019 Jindal responded, %u2018I think there%u2019s several,%u2019 but couldn%u2019t provide an answer. Gregory asked again, %u2018Where are the new big ideas of the Republican Party that John McCain is championing?%u2019 And again Jindal couldn%u2019t provide an answer.

It is what we have been saying all along, take away the slander and smear of Obama and there is no actual McCain campaign. There is no nothing there.

Still don''t beleive me, go to the RNC.org website. Here is a sampling of what they have under *News*:


Saturday, August 16, 2008:
They Said It Flashback! Alec Baldwin On Obama''s Lack Of Experience

Friday, August 15, 2008:
In Case You Missed It: Barack Obama Blinks In Hillary Face-Off

Thursday, August 14, 2008:
Bankrupt on Credibility

Thursday, August 14, 2008:
In Case You Missed It: Obama''s War On Women

Wednesday, August 13, 2008:
Obama''s Social Insecurity

(cont)

[taotxzen]

(cont)

Tuesday, August 12, 2008:
Obama: Weak on Bipartisanship

Monday, August 11, 2008:
They Said It! Former Sen. Bob Kerrey (D-NE) On Obama

Monday, August 11, 2008:
Friend Updates Added To BarackBook

Saturday, August 09, 2008:
Obama Vs. Obama on Yucca Mountain

Friday, August 08, 2008:
Obama''''s Energy Wipeout

Friday, August 08, 2008:
In Case You Missed It: George Clooney To Sell Face Time To Boost Barack Obama''''s Coffers

Thursday, August 07, 2008:
Clinton vs. Obama: The Healing Process Was Far From Over

Thursday, August 07, 2008:
Barack Obama: My Pop-Culture Favorites

Tuesday, August 05, 2008:
Dr. NObama

Monday, August 04, 2008:
Obama Vs. Obama on Tapping the Strategic Petroleum Reserve

Monday, August 04, 2008:
Rookie Confusion on Energy

Monday, August 04, 2008:
Happy Birthday, Barack Obama!

Monday, August 04, 2008:
Audacity Watch: O-Force One


Classic Karl Rove playbook - when you have no record to run on start making baseless accusations of your opponent.

[taotxzen]

McCain vs McCain

Exxon John''''s many positions on Iraq:

%u201CBut I believe, Katie, that the Iraqi people will greet us as liberators.%u201D [NBC, 3/20/03]

%u201CIt%u2019s clear that the end is very much in sight.%u201D [ABC, 4/9/03]

%u201CThere%u2019s not a history of clashes that are violent between Sunnis and Shiahs. So I think they can probably get along.%u201D [MSNBC, 4/23/03]

%u201CThis is a mission accomplished." [This Week, ABC, 12/14/03]

%u201CI%u2019m confident we%u2019re on the right course.%u201D [ABC News, 3/7/04]

%u201CI think the initial phases of it were so spectacularly successful that it took us all by surprise.%u201D [CBS, 10/31/04]

But wait...

(cont)


(cont)

"We are paying a very heavy price for the mismanagement - that''''s the kindest word I can give you - of Donald Rumsfeld, of this war," he told a crowd of more than 800 at the community near Hilton Head Island. "The price is very, very heavy, and I regret it enormously." (2/07)

Q: President Bush has talked about our staying in Iraq for 50 years %u2014 (cut off by McCain)

McCAIN: Make it a hundred. (1/08)

%u201CFrom the early days of this war, I feared the administration was pursuing a mistaken strategy, and I said so.%u201D (7/08)

[dnsallday]

In case the media and pollsters are unaware, we don''t elect a President based on a national popular vote, we elect based on a state to state electoral vote.

So maybe the press should consider doing some actual work getting the facts out to voters,because there seems to be an abundance of uninformed voters based on these blog threads. (unless of course they are willfully ignorant, I know that the party (don''t want to insult respectful Republicans) of John McCain, seems to take pride in their ignorance)

[bigwhtpony]

Isn''''t it interesting that all McCain had to do to knock Obama down in the ratings was to show clips of Obama to a national audience of adults.
Posted by ragnar30066 at 03:51 PM : Aug 22, 2008

LOL....you''re right! :)

[ragnar30066]

Isn''t it interesting that all McCain had to do to knock Obama down in the ratings was to show clips of Obama to a national audience of adults.

[ukgod1]

i think americans has lost the right to compalin about anything. they complain about the war and that we should bring the troops home but they want to elect a man who wants to keep the troops in iraq for 100 years. they complain about the economy but wants to elect a man who admits he doesn''''t know much about the economy. they complain about high gas prices and our addiction to oil but wants to elect a man who wants to drill off shore for more oil. they complain about taxes but wants to elect mccain who will give tax cut to the wealthy and raise it on middle class. i just dont know if we are just too stupid or what the problem is but the average american seems as if we cant tell our azzz from our elbow. so when you elect mccain do yourself a favor and stop f***ing complaining about how screwed up the country is, maybe its not the country thats screwed up maybe its the people in it

[ragnar30066]

Barack (Blessed of Allah) Hussein (Supreme Leader) Obama of the Luo tribe of Kenya, raised by a single mom (well, okay by her parents) and mentored by a gay Marxist (he hasn''t expressed an idea yet that didn''t come from someone else), has only himself to blame for the drop in his polls.

When you start making your victory lap before the race, you''re going to lose! Dufus.

[mydiatribe]

=="Never fear: Barack Obama is not about to desert his country''s cause in its hour of victory. It is only in times of crisis %u2014 when the enemy is advancing and America is divided and defeat seems inevitable, in those times that try men''s souls, to borrow a line from Thomas Paine %u2014 that Barack Obama fails the test as president %u2014 and as commander-in chief."== PAUL GREENBURG ~ RIGHT ONTHE MARK, Mr. Greenburg!

[steeepe]

Too many idiots drinking Hannity''s Kool-Aid. Little of what has been posted about Obama is true and most just shows how ignorant and bigoted people are. It''s revealing that the paranoid right-wingers falsely accuse Obama of harboring all kinds of weird intents and completely ignore McBush''s moral lapses and poor policies. These post won''t change anybody''s mind unless they are based of facts, not innuendoes and lies.

[concerns47]

Tax breaks are only giving us back some of our own money paid in. Obama wants to give the lowest income people our money even though they have not paid in.

Middle-class breaks, not really. Tax on oil windfall profits, oil companies will just hike the prices to make up the difference. Healthcare, not in our lifetime, Congress is in the pockets of lobbyists even though Obama says he is not (sure??)Congress have personal interests to consider we need term limits so the lobbyists for pharmaceutical, insurance and oil companies don''t get a hold.

[concerns47]

McCain is 72, was a POW for how long, and has been in service to his county for how long (no pork for his state), don''t you think he is entitled to live the good life?

Obama, finally a millionaire with crooked ties in buying one house (7 would be a real deal with his ties) trying to act like a hopeful concerned representative of the people, won''t play dirty (yeah) and actually the same politician as the rest. Concerned until he gets what he wants, then he will have to let Congress have their say since all the President can do is approve or veto bills.

Congress has the real say and the Democrats in Congress have fallen short and so will Obama.

No matter who he chooses, his ego will override theirs just like Cheney overrode Bush. Cheney is president not Bush, he is just a spokes person for Cheney.

McCain at least can make his own decisions, Obama needs 300 advisors to make decisions on foreign policy, 3 a.m. means 300 calls to advisors before a decision is made.

Obama would crack if a POW, unless he could talk his way out of being tortured. His Presidency will split this country and we will be tortured just having to listen to those phoney speeches written by others on his staff. He does not write for himself and speaks poorly when given off the cuff questions.

Reassessing, switching strategies both are flip-flopping lets call it like it is he is like all politicians except he votes "President" unless he is told it is okay to vote yes or no.

[jackdems]

The message is clear: Obama wants a new relationship with radical forces in the Islamic world while distancing America from its traditional regional allies. In other words, he proposes to reverse policies that have taken shape over more than six decades under 12 successive American presidents.

It''s this revolutionary idea that deserves to be examined and debated, not the origin and meaning of Obama''s middle name.

[jackdems]

Obama offers a policy of dialogue and accommodation. He has opposed listing Iran''''s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization and proposed a grand bargain with Syria''''s rulers. He is even prepared to ignore two UN Security Council resolutions that require Iran to stop its uranium-enrichment program as a precondition for talks at the highest level. He has campaigned for a formal congressional move to prevent Bush from taking any military action against Tehran.

In an important symbolic move designed to signal an end of the special relationship between Israel and America, Obama has become the first major presidential candidate in 25 years not to commit himself to transferring the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

Last but not least, Obama has promised to withdraw from Iraq in his first year in office - meeting a key demand of all radical Islamist forces, Sunni and Shiite.

The message is clear: Obama wants a new relationship with radical forces in the Islamic world while distancing America from its traditional regional allies.