CBS Poll: Uncommitted Voters Say Biden Won

But Voters Also Say Their Perceptions Of Palin Improved

(CBS)  Uncommitted voters who watched the vice presidential debate thought Democratic vice presidential nominee Joe Biden did the best job by a margin of more than two to one, according to a CBS News/Knowledge Networks poll taken immediately following the debate.

However, there was good news in the poll for Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin, too. Palin's debate performance improved uncommitted voters' perceptions of her overall, and on a number of specific measures. But uncommitted voters still have doubts about her ability to assume the presidency if necessary and she lags behind Biden on her knowledge and preparedness for the job.

Few of the pre-debate uncommitted voters committed to a candidate immediately afterwards - about seven in 10 remain uncommitted.

Voters' interest in this year’s vice presidential debate was high before the debate - about as high as interest in last week’s presidential debate.

Immediately after the vice presidential debate, CBS News interviewed a nationally representative sample of nearly 500 debate watchers, assembled by Knowledge Networks, who were "uncommitted voters" - voters who are either undecided about who to vote for or who have a preference but say they could still change their minds.

Forty-six percent of these uncommitted viewers said Biden won the debate Thursday night, while 21 percent said Palin won. Thirty-three percent thought it was a tie.

Even a quarter of Republican uncommitted voters thought Biden won the debate.

Among these voters, there was improvement in views of both Palin and Biden. Fifty-five percent of the uncommitted voters said their opinion of Palin had changed for the better as a result of the debate; just 14 percent said they had a lower opinion of her after tonight, and 30 percent said their views of her did not change.

As for Biden, 53 percent of uncommitted viewers said their image of the veteran senator improved, while five percent said their opinion of him got worse. Forty-two percent said their opinion did not change.

Palin's rating improved after the debate on being knowledgeable on important issues - from 43 percent to 66 percent - but Biden still far outpaces her. After the debate, 98 percent thought he was knowledgeable.

Uncommitted voters' views of Palin's preparedness for the job of vice president also improved as a result of her debate performance - from 39 percent to 55 percent. But those numbers are still nowhere near the percentage that thinks Biden is prepared - 97 percent, up from 81 percent before the debate.

Men were more likely than women to think Palin is prepared for the job, but that's not surprising, as more men tend to be Republican than women.

Although Palin made some gains on perceptions that she could serve as president if needed, she rose just nine points on that measure after the debate, to 44 percent. In contrast, almost all uncommitted voters think Biden would be an effective president.

One of Palin's strengths has been her ability to connect with voters. Before the debate, 58 percent of uncommitted voters felt she shares their values; that rose to 73 percent after the debate. Fewer uncommitted voters said the same about Biden either before or after the debate.

Debate watchers who thought Biden won the debate cited his knowledge and experience - especially on foreign policy - often using words like "knowledgeable," "experienced" and "articulate." Others mentioned his sincerity and compassion, and mentioned finding out about his family life - particularly that he was a single parent. In contrast, they felt that Palin was overly rehearsed and dodged answering questions.

Debate watchers who thought Palin won the debate praised her style. They saw her as "outspoken," "determined" and "on the ball." They also said she was more intelligent and accomplished than they expected, echoing the finding that 66 percent thought she was knowledgeable in the post-debate poll.

Uncommitted voters include those who say they have a preference, but also say they could still change their minds. Eighteen percent said they were committed to Obama, ten percent were committed to McCain and 71 percent of these voters remained uncommitted after the debate.

Read the complete poll (PDF)

---

This CBS News poll was conducted online by Knowledge Networks among a nationwide random sample of 473 uncommitted voters - voters who don’t yet know who they will vote for, or who have chosen a candidate but may still change their minds - who have agreed to watch the debate. Knowledge Networks, a market and public policy research firm based in Menlo Park, CA, conducted the web poll among a sample of adult members of its panel, who are provided web access if they don't already have it. More technical information is available at http://www.knowledgenetworks.com/ganp/reviewer-info.html.

This is a scientifically representative poll of uncommitted voters’ reaction to the presidential debate. The margin of sampling error could be plus or minus 5 percentage points for results based on the entire sample.

[teddie56]

She is seriously a characiture of herself with the over-the-top, fake folksiness. I have never been so moved by a politician as when Biden broke down for a second when talking about his wife and daughter dying. That was clearly not contrived, and it was very real and moving.

[praiseallah1]

Bill O''Reilly freaks out at Congressman Barney Frank over his role in the Fannie/Freddie scandal which caused our current economic crisis! It''s HILLARIOUS!

Go watch these videos documenting the fraud of our elected officials http://wallstreetmarketnews.blogspot.com

[irishmurph2]

Ok, so she didn''t wear her tiara to the debate. But she still had fangs ... she has a bite that is very condescending. Did she call Biden or Obama naive at some point?

[doctor2012]

I never really expected Palin to do badly, and she didn''t. However she would have done much better, and not so obviously lost the debate if she had actually answered more questions outside of what she wanted to talk about, and perhaps used stronger and less misleading arguments about energy policy, Obama and McCain''s voting records, taxes, and the ecomomy. She also by the way sidestepped the question about sub prime mortages completely. Was she folksy? Yeah, kind of. Did she lose the debate? Yeah, definitely.

[dburfears]

Sarah is a study in how mediocrity is accepted as competence in the USA. We truly are becoming a country that elevates the "average" onto a pedestal and worships it as excellence. "Like me" has become more important to many than "can do the best job". How sad.

A country that used to excel in education and science now cares more about how "folksy" and "perky" is a candidate for the second highest office in the land.

Has it really reached the point where somoene who can parrot well rehearsed lines without understanding is going to be V.P.?

We are doomed.

[duda121]

Am I the only one that pays attention to what a candidate has to say rather than how they articulate the words and how they present themselves? As far as presentation, I liked how Biden stated most of everything he had to say. Palin had a bit of a nervousness in her voice. But she sounded as if she could really rally people together in a time of need.

On the other hand, where it actually matters, I liked the views Palin had to say in the beginning. Down with letting the government puppet us around. Of course everyone else wants stuff for free. Imust be the only one that takes pride in excelling myself above and beyond everyone else.

When it got to the war issue. I don''t think a republican can win no matter what. We shouldn''t be there and we need to get out. That''s what the american public wants. In my personal opinion, I dont care what we do because it doesn''t affect my life (except maybe if I want to visit one of those countries) but ultimately I would say let''s just bail out and worry about ourselves.

[suzanna_h]

I tip my hat to Biden. He was very poised in answering the questions. In the morning we will know if all his answers were true.. but hey atleast he aswered them. Gov Palin is an insult to our intelligence. She appears as a person under-qualified for a job rambling. She clearly did not meet expectations.

Obama/Biden!!

[bigjj29]

Palin blew it out of the water. Biden came off like your typical DC flip-flop money grabber. Check out PitbullPalin.org to see some "Show your Vote". I hope the Maverick and Pitbull can pull it off.

[mrahaman-2009]

Palin actually acknowledged that she is not going to answer the question and then went on to talk about something else. The moderator tried to promt her several times to answer the question. When asked about Pakistan and Afghanistan, she talked about surge in Iraq. When questioned about bailout of Wall Street, she went on about energy. Seems like she had a bunch of cue cards with talking points and the question at hand be damned, she was going to stick to the talking points and her folksy "I''m with ya" while smiling. I was just waiting for her to say "I''m for world peace and ending hunger and poverty in the universe."
I thought that Biden was smiling throught because he knew she was not answering any of the questions directly, so it made his job easier to just hammer away at McCain and tie him to Bush.

No question that Sen. Biden won hands down.

[andor3]

"Palin actually acknowledged that she is not going to answer the question and then went on to talk about something else..."

Yeah that was amazing, especially the last two questions. her eyes had a glassy look and her answered had nothing to do with the question, like she had memorized something she wanted to say and could not figure out how. Biden looked somewhere between puzzled and stunned but wisely just let it go and hit his questions out of the park.

[cakemanjb]

I have never seen anyone talk in circles and say everything under the sun except anything even remotely related to the question she was asked. It really is amazing that McCain is willing to put this country and the world in danger with his very unqualified VP choice.

[mavisdarling]

I thought she was more like the Energizer Bunny. As long as her handlers keep her batteries charged up, she can fake her way along. If she has to re-charge HERSELF, she''s in trouble.

I was not very impressed. She sounded super fakey. Refusing to answer questions? Wanting the Vice President to have more power? Parroting lines? WINKING? She didn''t even know how to answer the question about her "Achilles Heel". Apparently she is so special, she has no faults at all! (In her own mind anyway!)

Give me a freaking break. This is a woman who is so full of herself, she is almost bursting at the seams. Anybody who thinks she is "like them" is INSANE. She would step all over you just to get ahead!!

I can''t wait until they nail her sorry little hiney to the wall on those ethics charges in Alaska. She is SO fake and SO dishonest.

I really liked Joe. He seems real. He was too polite to her.

[rudy654-2009]

It sounds like the McCain policy of keeping her quiet is still in effect.

[billpl-2009]

Palin''s next stop?

Debate Tina Fey on SNL

That''s what I want to see

[andor3]

"This is a woman who is so full of herself, she is almost bursting at the seams. Anybody who thinks she is "like them" is INSANE"

Well said... that is what I was trying to figure out, something that bothered me about her and you hit it on the head... you can tell that all the time while she is doing her folksy "middle class" "like you" act, she is thinking how special and exceptional she really is and how the rules do not apply to her, how she is so clever to sit there and evade all the moderators questions and avoid any answers with substance and thinking her smile is fooling ua all. No, not really Sarah, not at all.

[speakthetrut]

Just as I expected... Palin repeats her answers to that had nothing to do with the question. Why? She didn''t have enough lines memorized to regurgitate. Simple as that.

One more thing... Sara, its not Joe that said opening the coasts of US for oil drilling is allowing our coasts to be RAPED. No, it was me. I wrote it on these comments. I keep a copy of all my comments.

So, Sara "sorry" Palin, you may be able to weasel your way into governorship in Alaska, but you can''t fool everyone. You abuse power, you are a lobbyists dream, you are the best friend of oil companies and their rich execs.

You are not for the common people, you use scare tactics just like the rest of the republicans for personal gain. I am 100% sure you will be a step worse than Bush.

So... THANKS FOR THE COMEDIES, BUT NO THANKS, WE DON''T WANT YOUR CHANGE TO NOWHERE.

[hjon66]

As prepped and improved as Sarah Palin was could you imagine her picking up the phone at 3am for a international crisis?? Her folksy answers don''t cut it at this level. At times she reminded me of a teacher with the extra credit remark.
Saying she''s for the middle class and not having the economic policies to back it up is a contradiction.
Palin supporters, with her scripted answers and the vagueness of her answers do you want her to answer the phone at 3am for a crisis?? During the first days of the Wall St. crisis Palin was in Philadelphia jogging and lying low. She was not engaged at all.
Also she did not understand fully what the VP does. Her answer was she presides over the senate. Biden was right in saying the VP only casts votes in the senate in case of a tie. She is also for expanded VP powers??? Just like *** Cheney.

Obama/Biden 08

[andor3]

"I really liked Joe. He seems real. He was too polite to her. "

Yep but it is going to pay off. There were several times he could have torn apart her non-answers and weak positions, but he just smiled and exercised discipline. It made him look wise and kind and experienced and Palin looked like an ambitious soccer mom, but definitely not what she need to look like: someone who could be President.

[gaypastor]

Ifill''s performance does NOT prove she was objective nor free from making an unethical decision. None of us know what this clear Obama supporter did (or didn''t do) behind the scenes! For all we know her bias motivated her to give Biden a look at all her questions before the debate or she coached him on how to respond. We don''t know! But her objective performance does not prove that she was the right person for the job. She is an author of a book about one of the candidates and she lied about her book to the Commission...she was the WRONG person...and we''ll never know how her position of great power changed the dynamics of this debate!!

[shom9]

Sarah Palin talked on debate like student who was very happy by herself because she could memorize her tutor''s lessons. The problem is that many times she did not answer the questions she was asked probably looking into the wrong notes.

Palin did not say anything new. The same short list of McCain propositions: drill-baby-drill, follow Bush reducing taxes program (in favour of rich people of course), fighting 100 years in Iraq until victory. Why none of McCain-Palin ever explained how this victory looks like?

Yes Palin looked better than on interviews. She was not complete idiot. Do you think that she become smarter in 5 days? She just was not asked any question that she could ''show up''.

But any way she lost to Biden on each and every issue! What she could reply for instance when Joe Biden said that it was wrong that we did not help Israel to neutralize Hezbollah & Hamas or when he explained Cheney''s role!

Everybody have his or her one opinion and some people can say that they like Palin more than Biden, but you should be after brain surgery if you think that Palin won debate or was even close.

[sandrarita]

duda121: I liked your comment on the acceptance of mediocrity in this country, but your defeatist attitude is not helpful. I know that Obama will be the next POTUS - so we are not doomed after all. Of course if that''s how you prefer to see it, sorry to hear that.

[sandrarita]

Someone pegged it in pointing out that Palin is very egocentric - and so is McCain for that matter. These are people that are so power hungry and ambitious that they may have forgotten or never had the concept of being of service.

[Karpindur]

Does anyone really expect CBS, or Main Stream Media, to not give the victory to Biden? Please.
Palin cleaned the floor tonight.

[andor3]

I am really tired of everyone focusing on these "uncommitted" voters. If you are uncommitted now, you either are not doing your homework, have no brain, or have no critical thinking ability. Most of them probably will not vote, and I think Obama had 50% of the voters in a recent poll, so forget these pwishy-washy idiots.

[cjs_cnet_xyz]

The biggest problem recognized by most people here in America today was too little government watching Wall Street. While McCain and Palin continue to call for less government, this runs contrary to the expectation that the middle class bear the burden of a 700 billion dollar debt. It doesn''t matter how well you debate if you don''t talk about the most serious issue foisted on the public as an emergency by none other than the Executive Branch. This is the problem with the McCain/Palin campaign. They are trying to paint Obama/Biden as a bad choice, but they have not sufficiently answered the public''s view that the Republican Party brought us to this crisis. Why should the public continue with the Republican Party. Whether there is a debate on this or not, this is the issue that they have to sell the public on.

[hjon66]

The Alaska Troopergate Investigation is on again after a judge ruled that it should go on. Look for that October suprise in a week when Palin may be found guilty of abuse of power. That will be a game changer.

[avembe]

well it was about time for Palin ..As you see she really needed these 3 days in camp though she was always claiming that she had experience and the judgment because she was an executive...3 days (day and night)
Now knows how to read teleprompter, she knows how to learn her lessons, but what about the interviews....will she keep giving such stupid answers as she did with Mrs COURIC???
It just means that she firecefully needs to be prepped
Without assistance she''s nothing!!!!!!!!

[markver7]

The current economic crisis was caused almost entirely by Democrats.

It''s just a fact.

The case is devastating against the Democrats.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RZVw3no2A4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MGT_cSi7Rs&feature=related


Why did Fannie Mae and Freddy Mac donate hundreds of millions more dollars to the Democrats?

When the Republicans wanted to regulate them, the Democrats wanted to keep them running wild.

Must have been those donations!

Why are Democrats Chris Dodd and Barack Obama #1 and #2 on the Fannie Mae donation list?

The silence from the liberals is deafening.

[avembe]

I have a strange feeling that IfILL was kind of ....soft with both ..Maybe because of Mc CAIN allegations in order to "force" IFILL not to ask tough questions to both...remember Mc CAIN rose started raising a weird controversy about mrs IFILL

[hjon66]

Did Sarah Palin clean the floor when she didn''t know the specifics of what a VP does or missstated a generals name or babbled about energy policy when asked about sub prime mortgages? Do you think Gov. Palin could answer the 3am call?? Do you really??

[skysoldier75]

8 years of GOP mismanagement is what has brought us to where we''re at today.

8 years of a GOP controlled White House and 6 years of a GOP controlled Congress.

8 years of Bush and the GOP dismantling all our protective regulatory systems, and staffing them with industry lobbyists.

McCain is 100% pure GOP too - and you can expect more of the same GOP mismanagement from him, as well.

Only Obama offers any hope of any REAL change.

[andor3]

"Someone pegged it in pointing out that Palin is very egocentric - and so is McCain..."

Worse than egocentric: narcissistic-- people like that think they are so special that they deserve special treatment and the rules do not apply to them, tend to be chronic and good liars, and lie with a smile. They tend to see things in black.white with-us/against-us terms, no middle ground.

McCain and Palin have a different name for it--they call it "maverick" Turns out that is code for a form of mental illness that is really dangerous in a leader.

[skysoldier75]

Palin? Meh.

She managed to "parrot" the standard GOP talking points passably (after 3 weeks of intensive coaching) but she''s still obviously just a blank slate when it comes to specifics and depth of knowledge and experience.

She might have shown that she''s not downright stupid, just shallow and still way out of her league.

[willubemyfrd]

Joe Biden''s 14 Lies IN VP DEBATE

1. TAX VOTE: Biden said McCain voted %u201Cthe exact same way%u201D as Obama to increase taxes on Americans earning just $42,000, but McCain DID NOT VOTE THAT WAY.

2. AHMEDINIJAD MEETING: Joe Biden lied when he said that Barack Obama never said that he would sit down unconditionally with Mahmoud Ahmedinijad of Iran. Barack Obama did say specifically, and Joe Biden attacked him for it.

3. OFFSHORE OIL DRILLING: Biden said, %u201CDrill we must.%u201D But Biden has opposed offshore drilling and even compared offshore drilling to %u201Craping%u201D the Outer Continental Shelf.%u201D

4. TROOP FUNDING: Joe Biden lied when he indicated that John McCain and Barack Obama voted the same way
against funding the troops in the field. John McCain opposed a bill that included a timeline, that the President of the United States had already said he would veto regardless of it%u2019s passage.

5. OPPOSING CLEAN COAL: Biden says he%u2019s always been for clean coal, but he just told a voter that he is against clean coal and any new coal plants in America and has a record of voting against clean coal and coal in the U.S. Senate.

READ THE REST AT THE FOLLOWING LINK:

http://www.johnmccain.com/McCainReport/Read.aspx?guid=343ba934-6417-4b65-ac9e-92348acb5e97&rating=5

[markinga7]

Great "working class heros" in history:

Marie Antoinette in 1792: "Let them eat cake."
Sarah Palin in 2008: "Let them eat moose."

[darrren12000]

These polls are bogus! Uncommitted voters include people who have a preference already -- but who "might" change their minds. But most studies show that people rarely change their minds this late in the cycle. Also, if you click the pdf file, the polling company shows us who the people would vote for AFTER the debate, but not before the debate. But they polled them on this and other issues before the debate. Bogus. I guarantee you that more of the voters in this survey preferred Obama prior to the debate.

[darrren12000]

These polls are bogus! Uncommitted voters include people who have a preference already -- but who "might" change their minds. But most studies show that people rarely change their minds this late in the cycle. Also, if you click the pdf file, the polling company shows us who the people would vote for AFTER the debate, but not before the debate. But they polled them on this and other issues before the debate. Bogus. I guarantee you that more of the voters in this survey preferred Obama prior to the debate.

[whatithink1]

People voting for that woman is what is wrong with America today and is exactly how George Bush was able to get elected. Why don''t we expect more from our leaders? Just because you are an idiot and see someone who reminds you of you, doesn''t mean you should vote for them.

[hjon66]

Sarah Palin has a criminal record record and link below:

Location: Dillingham Name: PALIN, SARAH, MS
DOB: 02/11/1964 Case #: 3DI-93-00249CR
Case Type: State Case Title:ST VS PALIN,SARAH
Attorney 1: Date Filed: 06/26/1993
Attorney 2: Type Person: Defendant
Criminal - Offense: CRIM NEG FAIL REG NT Criminal - Statute: 5AAC06.370(A) (Registration - Bristol Bay - Permit-Register Sites)
Criminal - Dispo: No Contest Plea Criminal - Date Dispo: 08/25/1993
Criminal - Felony/Misdemeanor: Violation Criminal - SIS Date Dispo:
Location: Dillingham Name: PALIN, SARAH, HMS
DOB: 02/11/1964 Case #: 3DI-93-00217CR
Case Type: State Case Title:ST VS PALIN,SARAH
Attorney 1: Date Filed: 06/28/1993
Attorney 2: Type Person: Defendant
Criminal - Offense: C/F W/O PHOTO ID Criminal - Statute: 20AAC05.115
Criminal - Dispo: Dismiss Criminal - Date Dispo: 08/25/1993
Criminal - Felony/Misdemeanor: Misdemeanor Criminal - SIS Date Dispo:
http://orca.courts.state.ak.us/names/

[lp2807]

Let us not forget that predatory lenders, wall street brokers, corporate big wigs, credit card company policy makers and ALL the politicians who allowed their regulations to be repealed...they are all AMERICANS CITIZENS. The haves prey on the have nots whenever they can get away with it, and that''s about as American as it gets. We like to espouse the grand notions of what it is to be an American, but we cannot seem to acknowledge the negative parts of our society. Companies, banks, Wall Street, the bureaucrats in DC...these are not inanimate objects, but groups of American citizens who have learned the rules of capitalism and apparently have no problem playing the game, regardless of how it affects their fellow countrymen. I wonder why it''s so easy for us to look at other countries and deem their people inherently evil, yet cannot fathom the idea that people in our own nation might share those same ugly human traits.

[palin0808]

More Dems watch these things. Palin won this debate plus if you asked people before the debate who would win it would of been 100 percent would of thought Biden so the fact that she got a vote of 36 percent shows how well she did.

Of course Biden is going to be a better debater, but considering what she has gone through, the experience gap and everything else she cleaned his clock!

[whatithink1]

palin0808,

It''s just ridiculous that people like you accept such stupidity as being good. What does 36% of the people saying see won say? It says about the same as the 51% who picked George Bush for re-election in 2004. Nothing.

[lp2807]

How can people believe that Palin won because she didn''t suck as bad as everyone expected? While I enjoyed some of the things she said, for the most part she just repeated blurbs from her stump speech that I''ve already heard 2 dozen times. You have to say more than Maverick, you betcha, and hockey moms to win a debate on foreign and economic policy. She''s extremely charismatic, but so was GW...and we all see the consequences of picking Mr. or Miss Congeniality instead of the intellectual that doesn''t sound like "Joe Six Pack." Give me a break.

[whatithink1]

palin0808,

It''s just ridiculous that people like you accept such stupidity as being good. What does 36% of the people saying she won say? It says about the same as the 51% who picked George Bush for re-election in 2004. It says that 36% of Americans have learned nothing over the last 4 years.

...corrected my earlier post.

[wilder5121]

AW SHUCKS...that there Sarah Palin gal sure''s a Joe SixPackin'' Hockey Mom! YOU BETCHA''! And - like most Americans (according to the post-debate polls) - I feel like my IQ dropped about 35 points every time she avoided answering the question she was asked. At least Biden sounded like he''d actually thought about the ideas he was discussing. Thank God for him...he resurrected my brain cells after the Palin Effect.

[longtree-2009]

Thinking after the VP debate, most voters are ready to vote. Most in my circle of contacts are ready to mark their ballot now that the one and only VP debate is over. Biden won the VP debate while handling Palin with kid gloves to avoid being charged with being sexist, or picking on Palin.

[rozlita]

Forget the fact that she avoided every question that did not revolve around taxes or energy...when Joe Biden got choked up about losing his wife and child this woman that everyone is calling "down to earth" and "folksy" didn''t miss a step in the scripted way she addressed this debate. And we''re supposed to believe she cares about US?? She didn''t even care about the loss suffered by the man standing next to her!! What makes you all think she will give a rat''s behind about what Joe Six-Pack who is living on the other side of the country and is struggling to put food on his table is suffering??

She is a Stepford Candidate and she scares the hell out of me!!!

[whatithink1]

Ifill: Miss Palin, could you please tell me what your "Achilles Heel" is?

Palin: God bless America. We are the best country in the world!

Ifill: I agree. But, could you please tell me what your "Achilles Heel" is?

Palin: And Alaska is near the artic. We can see Russia from parts of Alaska.

Ifill: What does that have to do with your Achilles Heel?

Palin: Did I tell you that McCain is a Maverick? Yes, he is.

[gwjackie]

Six-pack Palin is just Alaska''s RED-NECK woman she has a criminal record case # 3d1-93-00-249-cr she can kill a moose and gut it. She can wink!and she knows at least four world leaders. You can put your TOXIC waste out now for them to pick up PAILAN SAID THEY ARE TAKING IT TO WALL-STREET. With out a week of training and notes she would ben the joke of the world today.not in the US but the world!

[rwassel]

Its easy to think Palin did well when her own party had the lowest expectations for her.

Today when I go to work, I''''m not going to expect to accomplish anything. That way, when I do, everyone will think I did well.