- Daily Photo: Obama Jokes Around at G-20
- Blackwater gets replaced in Iraq
- Daily Photo: U.S. Marines Look Out for Taliban in Afghanistan
- Hillary Clinton the Tomboy and Her "Ah-Ha" Moment
- Obama Administration Sudan Envoy Headed to Region
- Daily Photo: Potential Flashpoint in Iraq
- Clinton Says New Afghanistan-Pakistan Plan Depends on Diplomacy
- Exclusive: Three Israeli Airstrikes Against Sudan
- Additional 4,000 Troops to Be Ordered to Afghanistan
- Daily Photo: Navy Submarine Trains in the Arctic
- Alarm Over North Korea Missile Prep
- Anti-Terror Stimulus? US Offers Rewards for Top Terrorists
- Daily Photo: Pakistani Women in Refugee Camp
- Condoleezza Rice Appears on "The Tonight Show"
- Diplomat and Aid Group Sound the Alarm on Darfur Camp Situation
- auto industry rescue
- Ballotwatch
- Biden, Joe
- Bush, George W.
- Clinton, Bill
- Clinton, Hillary
- Dodd, Chris
- Edwards, John
- Giuliani, Rudy
- Gravel, Mike
- Huckabee, Mike
- Hunter, Duncan
- Inauguration
- Iraq
- Kucinich, Dennis
- McCain, John
- Obama, Barack
- Palin, Sarah
- Paul, Ron
- Romney, Mitt
- Tancredo, Tom
- Thompson, Fred
- Veepstakes
- Vote 2008: Democrats
- Vote 2008: Republicans
- Washington
- White House
« Previous | Main | Next »
The Note: Race, Foreign-Policy Plant Doubts for Obama
July 16, 2008 8:21 AM
ABC News' Rick Klein Reports in Wednesday's Note: So Barack Obama's on his pink-tailed unicorn, and John McCain has ripped out his IV and is on board his tank (thank you, JibJabbers, for another memorable entry).
But remind us again -- how is this still a race?
How, that is -- given the national dynamics, McCain's flaws and flubs, and Obama’s continued domination of the campaign discussion -- is this not a snoozer?
Two new polls suggest two different answers, but come up with similar spreads in a race that looks mired in the mid-to-high single digits. (Hint: Both answers have to do with Obama, and one he wears on his skin, the other on his sleeve -- at least when he’s not on board that unicorn. And if you think a narrow lead is a comfortable lead, ask the National League all-stars.)
The latest ABC News/Washington Post poll has Obama up eight among registered voters -- but only three among likely voters.
With Bush setting a new record-low -- a 28 percent approval rating -- why is the race to succeed him even close? "Holes in Barack Obama's foreign affairs resume are spurring doubt about his readiness for a crisis -- raising the stakes on his upcoming trip overseas and posing potential opportunity for his otherwise weaker Republican opponent," ABC polling director Gary Langer writes.
Read the rest of The Note -- and get all the latest on the 2008 election, Congress, the White House and the wide world of politics every day -- from Rick Klein by bookmarking this link.
"Americans by a wide margin, 63-26 percent, pick McCain as more knowledgeable on world affairs, rate him much more highly in terms of readiness for the world stage and military leadership alike, and put him ahead of Obama by 50-41 percent in trust to handle ‘an unexpected major crisis.' "
Obama has a 19-point edge on the No. 1 issue -- the economy -- and yet: "Sen. Barack Obama holds his biggest advantage of the presidential campaign as the candidate best prepared to fix the nation's ailing economy, but lingering concerns about his readiness to handle international crises are keeping the race competitive," Dan Balz and Jonathan Cohen write in The Washington Post.
"Questions about Obama's experience remain, particularly his ability to deal with national security and international issues," they write. "Forty-nine percent of those surveyed said that his level of experience would hamper his ability to serve effectively as president, while 40 percent said it would help. And asked whether he would make a good commander in chief, 48 percent said yes."
"This [foreign] trip is a big deal for Barack Obama, because there are some questions among voters about his ability to handle foreign affairs, especially when he stacks up against John McCain," ABC's George Stephanopoulos reported Wednesday on "Good Morning America."
"He's going to have to show himself -- get people comfortable with the idea of him as commander-in-chief, handling the job of president."
Continue reading today's Note by clicking HERE.
ABC News' John Santucci and Alexa Ainsworth contributed to this report.
July 16, 2008 in Hunter, Duncan, Kucinich, Dennis, Tancredo, Tom, Thompson, Fred | Permalink | User Comments (18)
You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.
ABC: "Let's see...Obama has enjoyed an outside-the-margin lead in every poll over the past couple days, even our own. Hmmm. How can we tell people this is really a bad thing for him?" Spin. Spin. Spin. How can you expect to be taken seriously with pieces like this?
Posted by: jefferson | Jul 16, 2008 8:42:17 AM
Interesting to note that the Republicans get a record low approval rating in the White House, while the Democrat majority gets almost the same record low approval rating.
The indication is that Americans are sick and tired of business as usual from both of the two major parties.
The candidates these parties have put up for chief executive offer no real change from past practice.
Bad or worse...
What a choice...
Posted by: Jayhawk | Jul 16, 2008 8:44:15 AM
How bad is the Obama economic plan?
Consider if you were personally liable for more debt than you could repay with current levels of income.
Would your plan include spending more than you had ever spent before while reducing your income?
That is precisely what Obama's plan entails: Increase spending and cut taxes...
Smoke and mirrors hasn't worked before, and it won't work today.
Posted by: Jayhawk | Jul 16, 2008 8:49:14 AM
Jayhawk
Obama's plan has to do with making things better for 95% of Americans and propping up the economy based on the middle class.
McCain's plan has to do propping up the economy by protecting the wealth of the top 5%. The same 5% that has seen their tax burden grow at half the rate of the rest of the country for the past 3 or 4 decades.
That's what got us here... ignoring the substance at the will, advice and hands of corporate execs and lobbyists.
McCain is still in an orgy of those same hands voices and lobbyists.
Posted by: dl | Jul 16, 2008 8:55:21 AM
Everything that McCain stands for militarily and economically is what got us here.
He is just so entwined with the system that has rusted and molded and become symbiotic with a wealthy protectionist base.
It will hurt to pull that system out and change is hard from that but the direction of this country has to change.
Posted by: dl | Jul 16, 2008 8:57:59 AM
Let's do a little history check:
"In September 1992, only 27% of registered voters said they had confidence in Bill Clinton's ability to handle an international crisis, whereas 62% expressed confidence in George H.W. Bush."
Who won in 1992?
Posted by: carl29 | Jul 16, 2008 9:02:04 AM
"I think is a pretty hard case to make that somehow I've been shifting substantially relative to John McCain."
Now here's what we've all been waiting for with baited breath... straight from a candidate's mouth... that compelling reason to go out and vote for him, to get all fired up and feel it in the belly.
Posted by: commonsensenj | Jul 16, 2008 9:12:29 AM
Looks like Bush is following Obama's play book for Iraq and Afganistan. Now we're going to talk to Iran's nuclear regulator. Obama's already running this country's foreign policy.
Posted by: linda n carolina | Jul 16, 2008 9:32:47 AM
At one poit, it was thought making ethanol from corns will make you pay less than 1 dollar a gallon of gas. 0bama was enthusiastically on board and voted for the mandate. That's good for 95% Americans, right. Maybe more.
Now, you found out that WallMart has to limit your buying a bag of rice - do you know when Reagan was pres the big sized USSR had a long line to buy bread. You also find out anything you eat from frying oil to potatos to pork (maybe you only eat chiken) to milk to popcorn - yup - shut up in price. You know the rest of the story - if not, I will explain. That's the same ending you will find out in 0bama's economy. By then when you want to CHANGE you will be closer to 6 feet under.
Now, 0bama (that's a zero) shifted his emphasis again, voting to halt the ethanol regulation. It all thos rich people's falt to make you 95% people poor - tax them.
Posted by: fact check | Jul 16, 2008 9:36:42 AM
Obama: A human chameleon!
Posted by: Soetoro No! | Jul 16, 2008 9:43:11 AM
When you have no substance, you simply criticize your opponents, accusing her or him things they never said or did. They have to defend themselves, and by the media cycle finished that round, they forgot what the original question was and a new subject will come along.
Repeat again, You win.
That's how a phony does his business to deceive you.
Posted by: Atom | Jul 16, 2008 9:49:51 AM
Let's put Obama's face on a three-dollar bill!
Posted by: Soetoro No! | Jul 16, 2008 9:56:26 AM
McCain won on cross over votes and vote splitting by Huckabee and the rest of the field. Romney was the best choice.
Now Obama was a PR Golden Boy since he stepped in the lime light.
For the Dems., there was no best choice because underneath they are all the same.
But Obama had the edge by being the least qualified politician and best looking on camera.
Both choices are ridiculous. McCain at least has some viable experience.
If you hired the world’s best CEO hunting talent firm and said “find me the most honest & qualified candidates”, both of these guys would be on the bottom of the stack.
So how did they get so far?
Follow the Money.
Who backed who?
What is happening to the Dollar,----Really:------
Ask yourself: Who profits from a weak dollar?.......
Who has profited from currency fluctuations before?..........
Say….. What are “Old George Soros” and his buddies up to these days?
Think about it.
Posted by: rex | Jul 16, 2008 10:03:15 AM
"Unless we perfect our union by understanding that we may have different stories, but we hold common hopes; that we may not look the same and may not have come from the same place, but we all want to move in the same direction -- towards a better future for our children and our grandchildren."
-- Barack Obama
Posted by: jefferson | Jul 16, 2008 10:03:35 AM
UglyMichelle: You need to do some fact checking on your capitol gains tax statement regarding home sales. If you live in the house for 2 years your capitol gains are exempt.
Posted by: linda n carolina | Jul 16, 2008 10:19:21 AM
Soros had input into the McCain-Kennedy Bill too.
I wonder how deep his ties run to both candidates.
Posted by: Rex | Jul 16, 2008 10:21:52 AM
linda n carolina
Only true to a given limit!
Posted by: Aston | Jul 16, 2008 11:15:22 AM
jefferson
Do you really believe a word this guy says?
Posted by: Aston | Jul 16, 2008 11:17:39 AM
Post a comment



