CBS/NYT Poll: McCain Cuts Obama's Lead
This photo taken on January 18, 2011 shows vehicles making their way along a road on a smoggy day in Beijing. The government bowed to a vocal online campaign for a change in the way air quality is measured in the Chinese capital, one of the world's most polluted cities. / STR/AFP/Getty Images
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.
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.
Copyright 2009 CBS. All rights reserved. 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.
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.
Read The Complete Poll:
The 2008 Campaign
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.
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!
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)
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.
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)
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)