Posted on 02/27/2008 6:04:49 AM PST by jdm
The Los Angeles Times has conducted a national poll for the presidency, and the results show John McCain leading both Democratic presidential contenders despite all of the attention on their primaries. Experience and wartime judgment carry McCain to leads over both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, although within the margin of error for the latter:
As he emerges from a sometimes- bitter primary campaign, presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain poses a stiff challenge to either of his potential Democratic opponents in the general election, a new Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg poll has found.
The findings underscore the difficulties ahead for Democrats as they hope to retake the White House during a time of war, with voters giving McCain far higher marks when it comes to experience, fighting terrorism and dealing with the situation in Iraq.
Both Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton have made ending America's involvement in the war a centerpiece of their campaigns. And even though a clear majority of those polled said the war was not worth waging, about half of registered voters said McCain -- a Vietnam vet who has supported the Bush administration's military strategy -- was better able to deal with Iraq.
In head-to-head contests, the poll found, McCain leads Clinton by 6 percentage points (46% to 40%) and Obama by 2 points (44% to 42%). Neither lead is commanding given that the survey, conducted Feb. 21-25, has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.
As with any poll, the reliability depends on the sample. The CBS/NY Times poll deliberately skewed their sample towards the Democrats in order to find that Obama led McCain by twelve points. In this case, the sample also has problems. It uses 1246 registered voters, not as reliable for predictive models as likely voters, which usually puts Republicans at a disadvantage. It also only includes 290 Republican primary voters against 436 Democratic primary voters, a definite advantage for Democrats.
And yet, the results show McCain ahead of both Obama and Hillary, and not just on the war and foreign policy. He leads Obama on the economy by eight points, 42%-34%. He also beats Obama on illegal immigration. (Clinton edges McCain on both issues.) And on leadership, McCain beats both Hillary and Obama, with the survey showing him as the "strongest leader" for the country.
These results come from a sample and survey methodology that should have helped the Democrats. Imagine what a clean and balanced sample of likely voters will find.
How many America loving citizens are going to vote for a guy named HUSSEIN?
Who cares about his name, how many will vote for a platform based on:
1) Higher Taxes
2) Pro Abortion
3) Pro Gay Rights
4) Pro Gun COntrol
5) Open Borders (at least McCain is now calling for sealing the border first)
6) Socialized Health Care
7) More Spending
8) Liberal Judges
McCain has to nail Obama on the above.
Whatever works.
There are at least 40% of the America-last crowd that would.
You can not say his middle name, McCain says it’s a no-no.
No...Rove says its a no, no. McCain won’t say it either...he’ll let his surrogates, the 527s and the folks on right wing radio do it for him.
Politics ain’t bean bags....
It is because of it.
exactly.
What’s the historical record for polls this early in the race?
I know Dukakis was leading big early on, I think Carter was as well. Not sure about BJ Clinton but having the republican candidate up this early should bode well for us, correct?
Republican President in 2008?
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