However, I just noticed something else rather intriguing in the numbers, which is the percentage shift in independents. It's only 4.5%, but were less Independents also staying home to watch the RNC?

The Previous CBS Poll

874 Respondents
228 R = 26.2%
308 D = 35.24%
337 I = 38.55%

The NEW CBS Poll

691 Respondents

215 R = 31.11%
241 D = 34.07%
235 I = 34.00%

Since the poll was during and not after the RNC, a good explanation for this is that Republicans are more likely to be home watching the coverage and Democrats are less likely to be home. The reverse was true during the DNC.

Party ID just doesn't shift that much in a short period of time.

Oh the irony in that statement DLS. I thought the memo from the GOP was that PBS and NRP was nothing but a waste of tax payer money.

Paca is onto something — something that takes more thinking than some can do, it seems. (I've waited for others to note this before noting it myself.)

The viewership has nothing to do with how good Palin's speech was, don't forget. Nobody (except some in Alaska) could have known how well she would have done.

The high viewership indicates Palin is, as some of us have said, a pleasing and an attractive surprise choice by McCain for Vice President and indicative in a greater amount of interest in the GOP this year (at least as an alternative to the Democrats if the GOP is any good this year), especially if it is different than 2004-2008, which this ticket offers to be. There is more potential public preference for McCain with a good VP than for Obama-Biden than so many people realize — or have yet to understand.

Yes, she has rescued McCain and injected life into the GOP campaign. The numbers demonstrate it. The voters aren't all beholden to Obama automatically.

If my memory serves me… “The Beverley Hillbillies” had a large audience, too. Cutesy ignorance is entertaining.

CBS) The presidential race between Barack Obama and John McCain is now even at 42 percent, according to a new CBS News poll conducted Monday-Wednesday of this week. Twelve percent are undecided according to the poll, and one percent said they wouldn't vote.

This is in contrast to a poll conducted last weekend, where the Obama-Biden ticket led McCain-Palin by eight points, 48 percent to 40 percent.

Interest in the GOP vs. Dem team is now re-balanced; wait at least a week for the new balancing point to be reached once the convention glow subsides from this week.

“Palin fatigue” = we're tired already of the predictable crappy attacks from the other side — desperate due to a surprising GOP success out of nowhere, it seems.

Nobody expects McCain to match the ratings numbers of Palin. How could he?

Pressure is on McCain to do well and anything less than good will deflate things and brake the momentum. Clumsy appearance by him (Obama imitation) after Palin's speech was not a good sign but we'll just have to wait and see how he does in this speech. Though it's nothing like the Obama Nuremberg Rally hype, the media are making a note about the stage being modified to suit McCain's favored speech style (town hall among-the-people arrangement). Could help, we'll see.

Wait at least a week for the graphs to smooth and the new balance point reached.

http://iemweb.biz.uiowa.edu/graphs/graph_Pres08...

http://iemweb.biz.uiowa.edu/graphs/graph_Pres08...