Gallup Poll: Wright Hurt Obama Among Independent Voters And Democrats
Yesterday we ran a post about a CBS/New York Times poll that said Democratic Senator Barack Obama has rebounded after denouncing his former pastor — but a new Gallup poll reaches a different conclusion: it concludes Obama has been wounded among independent voters and Democrats.
It also finds that Clinton’s husband former President Bill Clinton is also a highly divisive factor among many voters.
Meanwhile, Obama’s rival for the Democratic nomination Senator Hillary Clinton has now pulled into the lead among both Democrats and independents:
Barack Obama’s national standing has been significantly damaged by the controversy over his former pastor, a USA TODAY/Gallup Poll finds, raising questions for some voters about the Illinois senator’s values, credibility and electability.
The erosion of support among Democrats and independents raises the stakes in Tuesday’s Indiana and North Carolina primaries, which represent a chance for Obama to reassert his claim to a Democratic nomination that seems nearly in his grasp. A defeat in Indiana and a close finish in North Carolina, where he’s favored, could fuel unease about his ability to win in November. Such results also could help propel Hillary Rodham Clinton’s uphill campaign all the way to the Democratic convention in August.
In the USA TODAY survey, taken Thursday through Saturday, Clinton leads Obama among Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents by 7 percentage points, the first time in three months she has been ahead. Two weeks ago, before the controversy over comments by Jeremiah Wright reignited, Obama led by 10 points.
As we’ve said half-jokingly here, the contradiction in polls means fierce partisans can pick the one they agree with and point to it as accurate, and try and discredit the other as based on faulty methodology. But they better to it quickly: tomorrow’s North Carolina and Indiana primaries will provide a measure on where Obama and Clinton stand.
One-third of likely voters say Obama’s ties to Wright make them less likely to vote for him. But Obama isn’t the only candidate with divisive connections: One-third of likely voters say Clinton’s association with Bill Clinton, her husband and the former president, makes them less likely to support her.
Meanwhile, 38% say McCain’s link to President Bush makes them less likely to vote for him.
However, there’s also an upside to the question for Clinton and McCain. Hillary Clinton’s ties to her husband make 18% of Americans more likely to support her, and McCain’s ties to Bush make 7% more likely to vote for the Arizona senator. Just 1% of likely voters say Obama’s links to Wright make them more likely to support him.
The survey makes it clear the Wright controversy has grabbed public attention. Eight of 10 Americans have been following it, most of them closely.
“Anytime you have a situation where it changes the focus of the race from instead of talking about the economy it gets to talking about something else — it does change the dynamic,” says Nathan Smith, an uncommitted superdelegate from Kentucky.
If Tuesday’s results wind up much as the often contradictory polls show — with Obama winning North Carolina and Clinton winning Indiana — the issue will then become how Obama will deal with the Wright issue if he gets the nomination, because the GOP most assuredly will use it (and the weath of inflammatory Wright video) against him.
Unless the Obama camp has a game plan, it could mean he will be less marketable to independent and some Democratic voters and will not be as appealing to GOPers as he seemed to be earlier in the year before Wright surfaced as an issue. And if he gets the nomination he’ll be running against the one Republican who is popular among some independent voters and Democrats.
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Barak Obama, Hillary Clinton and John McCain are all political hackeys who are opportunists that are seeking the power of the presidency. They are all drunk with the prospects of being in charge.
The difference is that those who back Barak Obama seem to want to think he is above this. He is some kind Uncle who is passing out candy.
That is why Obama is losing support. There are cracks in his shining armor and we are just now starting to see them. We all know about McCain and Clintons flawed armor but we all thought there was None in Obama's.
When Barak Obama over the weekend espoused that Hillary is a phony for daring to talk tough against Iran if they were to attack Israel shows me one more snapshot of the Rev. Wrights teachings.
I would have to agree with Holly. This man is Jimmy Carter Reincarnated. He is telling the world to do what you want cause we are not going to have the guts to stand up to you when HE is in charge.
People are starting to see this. When he is being asked to defend his positions, values and beliefs then the chinks and cracks in his armor grow deeper and larger.
Those who are on the fence are most likely going to be turned off by this.
Right, Jimmy Carter who passed the Clean Air Act Amendments, the Clean Water Act, and was 30 years ahead of the nation in calling for investment in solar energy (tax credits, panels on the White House) and conservation (Carter in a cardigan encouraging people to turn down the thermostat and put on a sweater). Sure, his administration fumbled a lot, but Democratic policies are consistently better on the environment (you might have guessed that's my major focus), social issues, and (surprise!) the economy. Our first MBA president has so screwed the middle class and the working class, I think we're all ready to change channels.
But the post is about Wright and Obama. I think the choice of ministers will fade as an issue as we get closer to the general election. As for the nomination, Clinton can't pick up enough delegates to overtake Obama and anyone who thinks the “superdelegates” will overrule the elected delegates must be smoking something.
Obama makes the good calls. The gas tax break is bullshit, experts know this, Obama is against it. But it polls well, so McCain and Hillary give it the green light. Thats the kind of leadership we need to get back on track. I really don't care about his preacher, or why he wants to get in office. He's the one candidtate thats even given me a hint that he knows what the hell is really going on and seems to want to do something about it.
I agree Slamfu, and think Obama could have been even more forceful in calling the gas tax “holiday” for what it is, an empty promise. Congress won't pass it, and Bush wouldn't sign it if they did. It is a completely empty promise by both Clinton and McCain and they know it. She claims she's pragmatic and claims 35 years experience and she thinks Bush will enact a tax on the oil companies? Cmon, Hil. I would call her “clueless” but we all know she's just pandering.