Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) pumps his fist during services at Apostolic Church of God in Chicago, June 15, 2008. REUTERS/John Gress
Posted on 06/18/2008 9:49:28 AM PDT by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON (AFP) - For the first time, White House hopeful Barack Obama leads his Republican rival John McCain in three of the biggest battlegrounds of November's election, according to a new poll Wednesday.
The surveys by Quinnipiac University also found independent voters are opposed to defeated primary contender Hillary Clinton running as Obama's running mate on the Democratic ticket.
Another poll out Wednesday by Zogby had Obama leading McCain by 47 percent to 42 nationally, with a 22-point lead among all-important independents.
The Quinnipiac polls had Obama besting McCain 52-40 percent in Pennsylvania, 48-42 percent in Ohio, and 47-43 in Florida. All three states are crucial building blocks to an election triumph for either candidate in November.
In all three states, Obama leads McCain among female voters by 10 to 23 percentage points, but among men the two contenders are "too close to call," Quinnipiac University Polling Institute assistant director Peter Brown said.
"Finally getting Senator Hillary Clinton out of the race has been a big boost for Senator Barack Obama," he said.
Clinton beat Obama in the three states' Democratic primaries, although neither campaigned in Florida because of a scheduling row. Obama lagged particularly among working-class voters in Ohio and Pennsylvania.
"Senator Obama is certainly not out of the woods, but these results are a good indication that he enters the summer slightly ahead in the race to be the next president," Brown said.
The Quinnipiac surveys found that while most Democrats back Clinton to join Obama's ticket, clear pluralities of independent voters in all three states were against seeing the former first lady run as his vice president.
"If Senator Obama seriously is thinking about picking Senator Clinton as his running mate, these numbers might cause him to reconsider," Brown said.
"The people who really matter come November -- independent voters -- turn thumbs down on the idea. And, many say they are less likely to vote for him if he puts her on the ticket," he said.
The Quinnipiac polls also suggested that one in five voters see McCain's age as a reason to vote against him. At 72 in January, the Republican would be the oldest president sworn in to a first term.
"But overwhelmingly they don't see Obama's race as a factor at all -- indicating that Americans are either much less concerned with race, or just don't want to tell callers what they really think on the subject," Brown said.
I don’t buy it. OH and PA maybe, FL, no frickin way.
Florida isn’t even really considered winnable by the dems from what I’ve seen this year.
I smell a cooked poll.
Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) pumps his fist during services at Apostolic Church of God in Chicago, June 15, 2008. REUTERS/John Gress
Quinnipiac is a notorious push poller. Not all the time, just when “necessary” to instigate a litller “momentum”. Next to ARG, the most unreliable, IMO.
As the Obamanation continues to push for the failed Jimmie Carter’s “windfall profit taxes” on oil companies, we’ll see if $4+ per gallon gasoline changes any minds.
I hear ya, I’m just looking for something that isn’t
AP to post. :-)
Recent releases
The June 18 swing state poll found that Obama leads McCain in Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania; Clinton on ticket does not help Democrats.
http://www.quinnipiac.edu/x2882.xml?ReleaseID=1187
Please don’t take offence, but with over 4 months till the Election, I hope we don’t have to be plagued with daily poll threads. Especially this far out, they’re meaningless.
If pre-campaigning polls were to be believe, Hillary Clinton would now be the nominee for the Democratic party.
If pre-campaigning polls were to be believe, Hillary Clinton would now be the nominee for the Democratic party.
—
Heck, Howard Dean would be running for his 2nd term.
People are going to be posting polls every day (same poll multiple times) from now until election day.
Some are posting because they are concerned, some are posting thinking they are going to get McCain off the ticket, and some are going to be posting hoping they are true so that in 2012 they can find Nehemiah Scudder to run on the ticket fro President.
McCain is going to win FL, OH, maybe PA and Maybe NJ.
I think these polls are designed to get McCain to believe he has to move further to the left with the expected result of alienating his right wing base even more than he has. I too heard one of the Obama spokespeople saying that Florida isn’t in the cards for them. They are concentrating on Pennsylvania, Ohio, Virginia, and Michigan. He spent Monday and Tuesday here in Michigan.
I agree 100%. Earlier this week my wife and I rode our bikes to Casperson Beach. A Sarasota County employee was inspecting the sanitation facilities and I struck up a conversation with him. He was bemoaning the fact the DNC had not counted his and his wife’s votes in the Democrat primnary. I told him that didn’t bother me because I am a Republican, although I am not enthusiastic about our nominee. The guy told me that if Obama is the nominee, they were voting for McCain. I’m hoping that there are lots of Democrats like him and independents as well that don’t like the Obamanation.
Moreover, for whatever reason, it has driven McCain further "to the right" on this issue.
I am so sick and tired of this. He’s up, no he’s down. My goodness, he’s all around. Hillary lost because of sexism, Obama worried about racism, McCain worries about ageism. All the press does is handicap the race and pontificate about issues I care nothing about i.e sexism, racism etc. We are now almost two years into hearing this daily and I still don’t know (for sure) where Obama stands on some very important issues. The press needs to report this to us and stop allowing political hacks to “spin” which means lie without being challenged. I heard Senator Dorgan say that Democrats have always supported drilling and the moderator didn’t blink an eye! Why don’t they do a better job? First, its a lot easier to get up and BS about racism and sexism than to find out the real facts and report them. I fear, with some exceptions, the press is lazy, not terribly bright (glib yes, bright no) and they have an agenda. God help us.
Likely voters never seen one poll of likely that was anywhere near correct.
Anyone that believes pols anymore are naifs..
Why doesn’t the press do a better job? They are performing as any socialist enabler should.
I remember Kerry being ahead too.
Why doesn’t the press do a better job? They are performing as any socialist enabler should.
I agree, this poll is from the June 12 timeframe, a lot can happen in a couple days.. witness our leaders finally responding to the energy situation.
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