Blogging on Meds

In addition to reminding us that America doesn’t like Bush, there were some interesting results from the Washington Post-ABC poll.

20. Regardless of who you may support, who do you think (ITEM) - (Obama) or (McCain)?

Summary Table* - 5/11/08

                                                    Both    Neither     No 

                                  McCain   Obama   (vol.)   (vol.)    opinion

a. is the stronger leader           46       42       3        2         6

b. has the better experience 

   to be president                  71       18       3        4         5

c. would do more to bring             

   needed change to Washington      29       59       2        6         4

d. has a better personality and                     

   temperament to be  president     32       56       4        3         6

e. better understands the 

   problems of people like you      35       54       2        5         3

f. has a clearer vision 

   for the future                   34       54       3        5         3

g. has higher personal and 

   ethical standards                41       42       9        3         5

h. has better knowledge 

   of world affairs                 65       24       4        2         5

21. Regardless of who you may support, who do you trust more to handle (ITEM) - (Obama) or (McCain)?

Summary Table* - 5/11/08

                                          Both    Neither      No

                        McCain   Obama   (vol.)   (vol.)    opinion

a. Gasoline prices        28       48       3       14         7 

b. The economy            38       48       2        8         4

c. The war in Iraq        45       46       1        5         3

d. Immigration issues     37       42       3       10         7

e. The U.S. campaign 

   against terrorism      55       34       4        4         3

f. Health care            31       55       2        7         5

g. Ethics in government   39       46       8        4         4

In these questions, McCain absolutely demolishes Obama on experience (71%-18%), knowledge of world affairs (65%-24%), and “handling” the campaign on terrorism (55%-34%). However, McCain trails Obama by 1 point on the question of who voters trust is better suited to handle the Iraq War (46%-45%), and he trails Obama by 7 points (46%-39%) on who voters trust in handling ethics in government. The Iraq War and ethics reform are two of McCain’s key platforms, and he’s trailing Obama in both. This is despite the fact that he’s had the nomination sewn up for weeks and is campaigning for the Presidency while Obama and Clinton go at it. Obama-Clinton is obviously a huge draw, so maybe it has cut into some of McCain’s press coverage, but that’s probably balanced by the fact that the media have treated him with kid gloves. So, despite those overwhelming advantages on experience, world affairs, and terrorism, McCain is only favored by 4 points on the question of who is a stronger leader. Oh yeah, Obama leads by double-digits on nearly all the other issues, except for immigration, where he leads by 5. If you’re Obama, and you’ve had your sights set mainly on Clinton for the last couple of months and on dealing with the Wright controversy, you’ve got to be licking your chops for the general election.

TAGS: economy, election, immigration, Iraq, mccain, obama, Politics, polls, war

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