The World Newser is World News' daily blog. Here, you'll find our staff's thoughts on the day's news and the way we build our broadcast. Plus, we'll share reports from our team of correspondents in the field, as well as producers behind-the-scenes.
RECENT POSTS
- Going Rogue, Selling High
- What One Man 200 Miles Above Earth is Thankful For Today
- Clem's Chronicles: Toyota Recall/Afghan Speech/State Dinner Crashers
- Charlie Gibson...On this Thanksgiving
- Quotes of the Day: 'It is my intention to finish the job'
- Start Your Shopping Engines
- The Hajj and Women's Dress
- Clem's Chronicles: Afghanistan/WH State Dinner/Holiday Travel
- Photos: White House State Dinners Through the Years
- Are We Becoming A Nation of Know-Nothings?
- Quotes of the Day: 'President Obama has the information he wants... to make his decision'
- Clem's Chronicles: Jobs/Afghanistan/Health Care Reform/Deficit
WORLD NEWSER CATEGORIES
MONTHLY ARCHIVES
« Previous | Main | Next »
Obama 52, McCain 43
September 24, 2008 9:03 AM
From ABC News political director Gary Langer, summarizing the ABC poll just out this morning:
"Barack Obama has seized the reins of economic discontent, vaulting over John McCain's convention gains by persuading voters he both better understands their economic troubles and can better address them. Concerns about the economy have spiked since the global financial crisis roiled the stock market and sparked a proposed government bailout. Fifty-three percent of registered voters in this new ABC News/Washington Post poll call the economy the single most important issue in the election, up 12 points in two weeks to an extraordinary level of agreement. The public is cool to the bailout itself, underscoring economic uncertainty. Eight in 10 are worried about the economy's future, half of them very worried. Personal concern runs high as well; six in 10 are worried about their family's finances. And 83 percent say the country's seriously off on the wrong track, back within a point of its record high – set just this June – in polls dating to early 1970s. All these work for Obama. He's recovered to a 14-point lead over McCain in trust to handle the economy, and leads by 13 points specifically in trust to deal with the meltdown of major financial institutions. Obama leads by more, 24 points, 57-33 percent, in better understanding the public's economic problems. Tellingly, after trailing by 17 points, he's pulled even with McCain in trust to handle a major crisis. And Obama holds wide margins in vote preference among likely voters most concerned about the economy. More economic worry, plus an Obama lead among those who express it, spells a lead for the Democrat: In a head-to-head-match-up he's now supported by 52 percent of likely voters vs. McCain's 43 percent, the first significant advantage for either candidate among likely voters in ABC/Post polls. Add third-party candidates Ralph Nader and Bob Barr and it's essentially the same, 51-43 percent. The contest has shifted from a 49-47 percent McCain-Obama race immediately after the Republican convention. McCain's bounce – on individual issues and attributes as well as in overall preference – is gone. The immediate question for Obama: Whether he can hang on to his newfound gains through the first presidential debate Friday night. Attention to the contest, meanwhile, is remarkable. Ninety-one percent of registered voters are following it closely, 55 percent "very" closely – both highs in ABC/Post polls dating to the 1988 presidential election."
September 24, 2008 in Economy, Vote 2008 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (41)
You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.
Your polls are skewed. The Rasmussin Polls show McCain is still in the lead and I feel those are noe accurate since Rasmussin is a professional pollster and ABC News is not.
Posted by: Fran | Sep 24, 2008 9:15:32 AM
America is finally getting it right. McScam is out of touch with America!
Posted by: Your Guidance | Sep 24, 2008 9:15:58 AM
This election is done and has been since a couple years into the Iraq War started. When McCain sang the bomb Iran song the nail went into the coffin. I hope Obama does well although I will be giving my vote to a 3rd party candidate because I am tired of the corrupt two parties, especially the republicans as of late.
Posted by: Ben Straub | Sep 24, 2008 9:15:59 AM
Fran,
McCain is not leading in any poll.
Check your polls again.
Posted by: Steve_NJ | Sep 24, 2008 9:20:12 AM
The Real Clear Politics website concurs and lists all of the polls, including Rasmussen. Obama is pulling away in nearly every poll. More importantly, the electoral projection shows him winning. McCain's curmudgeonly demeanor and his laughable choice of a running mate is working to his disadvantage.
Posted by: Wm. J. LePetomaine | Sep 24, 2008 9:20:32 AM
Ahhhhh, the sweet premise to victory.
As stated before this is going to be a landslide. With a gaff a day coming from the McCain Circus Camp, he'll be the King of Jesters by election day.
Posted by: Nat Turner | Sep 24, 2008 9:20:51 AM
Ohio (20) Obama 45.1 McCain 46.7 McCain +1.6
Pennsylvania (21) Obama 47.0 McCain 44.5 Obama +2.5
Florida (27) Obama 46.0 McCain 48.0 McCain +2.0
Virginia (13) Obama 46.0 McCain 47.3 McCain +1.3
Wisconsin (10) Obama 48.0 McCain 44.8 Obama +3.2
Colorado (9) Obama 48.4 McCain 44.4 Obama +4.0
Minnesota (10) Obama 48.0 McCain 45.2 Obama +2.8
Indiana (11) Obama 45.5 McCain 47.8 McCain +2.3
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Posted by: HP Boston | Sep 24, 2008 9:21:48 AM
McCain's hot temper and simplistic black and white way of looking at things (sound familiar, Mr. Bush?) would not serve us well in terms of foreign policy. He does not have the temperment to be a leader.
Posted by: Wm. J. LePetomaine | Sep 24, 2008 9:22:12 AM
The USA and world will be a better place without McCrazy and the pit bull with lipstick.
Posted by: CaliforniaVoter | Sep 24, 2008 9:22:14 AM
Keep dreaming. This poll is obviously way out of line with Gallup, Rasmussen, and ALL other polls.
Posted by: David | Sep 24, 2008 9:22:36 AM
For those who prefer facts over fantasy, the preliminary electoral numbers are clear in that this will be a massive landslide by Obama.
The states that Obama already has securely within his grasp give him a preliminary total today of 223 electoral votes, and that doesn't include CO, NEV, OH, MI, VA, PA or FL.
Considering the reality of this, it’s quite likely that he will win FL, CO, VA and either MI or OH. Nevada is clearly leaning towards Obama, but it’s only 5 electoral votes and he doesn’t really need the state. All Obama really needs is 3 out of the 10 battleground states to win the election and it looks like he'll win at least 6 of the 10 EASY. Virginia? Obama. Colorado? Obama. Florida? Obama. Michigan? Obama. The reality is, Obama is very strong in all of these states and with McCain giving up a major gaff every other day, if not every day, he’s sealing an Obama victory.
McCain has to win 9 out of 10 battleground states to keep the race close, and even the GOP’s best spinster cheerleaders know that’s not going to happen. For starters, he NEEDS to win FL, OH, MI, CO, PA and VA WITHOUT QUESTION, but the grim reality is that he'll only win one. (Two with a miracle) I’ll be very nice and give McCain PA and OH, and even with those two states, he maxes out at 238 electoral votes. To top it off, start subtracting votes when Ron Paul pulls votes in Ohio and PA while Bob Barr pulls votes in GA from massive independent and Republican voters with at least 20%. Obama wins GA too? Starting to look likely.
Now combine all of this with Democratic registration numbers increasing at a 4-1 rate over the Republicans in all battleground and current Red states. McCain might get 30% of the vote when this is over. It doesn’t look good for McCain at all, my friends.
THIS WILL BE A LANDSLIDE. That’s a fact.
OBAMA/BIDEN - ITS A LOCK
Posted by: Nat Turner | Sep 24, 2008 9:23:45 AM
It just goes to show that Americans do not like our potential leaders pitching temper fits in time of crisis.
Posted by: jennylynn | Sep 24, 2008 9:24:46 AM
It's no surprise. Obama is consistently a thinker, statesman, and a leader. McCain is an angry, one-hammer-fits-all-problems kind of guy with no leadership ability.
These truths become self-evident over the course of a long election. Americans are realizing with day of this race who is our bridge to the future, and who would be a bridge to the past.
Obama. A better day lies ahead.
Posted by: clifton | Sep 24, 2008 9:26:44 AM
Obama needs to maintain a 7-9 points lead to guarantee victory.
There is a 3% silent racist vote of voters who tell pollsters they will vote for a candidate (especially one of Obama's background) but they do not vote for the candidate when they get to the polls.
This needs to be taken seriously by the Obama campaign.
Also Obama must work to win Florida, Ohio and Virginia as a must to give McCain the knockout punch.
Posted by: Steve_NJ | Sep 24, 2008 9:27:18 AM
The day of reckoning for all cynics who constantly whined about what Obama couldn't do are now preparing their dinner tables for another round of delicious "blackened" crow.
Grey Poupon? (Works wonders on the tailfeathers)
OBAMA/BIDEN - ITS A LOCK
Posted by: Nat Turner | Sep 24, 2008 9:27:29 AM
Obama has no experience on the economy or anything else. Obama criticizes McCain, but Obama's plan is to offer a mere $1000 tax credit to tax payers. I hope voters learn from the Bush rebates (they didn't help anything) and will wise up before it is too late.
Posted by: tina | Sep 24, 2008 9:28:59 AM
Fran
Rasmussen has them tied. Besides, Rasmussen is a Republican pollster and their polls are often skewed towards the right.
Posted by: Kevin | Sep 24, 2008 9:29:51 AM
Fran...WAKE UP from the dream...we need a leader who has an idea of where this country is going, not one who cannot make up his mind, or waits to see where he is politically before he chooses.
McCain is like his PIT bull VP, they are drooling to get into office.
Myself, I am not willing to take a chance on another 4 years for McBush..
Posted by: formerhillary | Sep 24, 2008 9:29:56 AM
Fran
Rasmussen has Obama up by 2. It just came out this morning. Check it out.
Posted by: Kevin | Sep 24, 2008 9:31:13 AM
tina...the problem is Obama is TRULY trying to help the middle class, while McBush has the same ole crap: GIVING TAX BREAKS TO THE RICH....
Posted by: rightchoice | Sep 24, 2008 9:31:55 AM
Post a comment
