LAT/Bloomberg bombshell: Obama only up 2
posted at 5:50 pm on August 19, 2008 by Ed Morrissey
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According to the latest Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg poll, Barack Obama has lost ten points in the last two months since clinching the nomination. In the second major poll to show a catastrophic drop in that period, the LAT survey shows registered voters registering only a 2-point lead for Obama over John McCain in a head-to-head contest, and only one point when Ralph Nader and Bob Barr get considered. McCain has overcome the enthusiasm gap and has defined the central issue as experience and leadership:
When last we had a L.A. Times/Bloomberg poll to peruse, the result that stood out (aside from Barack Obama’s 12-percentage point lead over John McCain in a head-to-head matchup) was what we termed the “passion gap” that favored the Democrat back in the June survey.
The new, just-released poll not only shows the race between the two dramatically tightening — into a virtual dead heat, with Obama leading in the head-to-head by only 2 percentage points — but it also identifies a distinct McCain asset: a huge advantage on the question of experience.
The survey of almost 1,250 registered voters showed that the vast majority have no doubt McCain is qualified for the White House. Asked if the Republican had the right experience to be president, 80% said yes (with only 14% saying no).
By contrast, close to a majority — 48% — said Obama lacks the experience for the job (with 44% saying yes).
Today, Obama tried talking patriotism with the VFW and attacking McCain, but he didn’t convince too many of the attendees. Small wonder; only 55% of registered voters think of Obama as “strongly patriotic”, as compared to 89% for McCain, and 35% question Obama’s patriotism. That’s actually unfair; Obama may be a hard-Left ideologue as shown by his track record and associations, but nothing he’s personally done has indicated a lack of love for his country. Perhaps that impression comes from statements like this, though:
“America is …, uh, is no longer, uh … what it could be, what it once was. And I say to myself, I don’t want that future for my children.”
Mostly, though, McCain has made experience and leadership the main focus of the campaign. He has turned the contest into a referendum on Obama’s resume, and the result has been a collapse in support. Even while Obama raises tons of money, McCain has raised even more questions about Obama’s judgment, grasp of the issues, and track record. Meanwhile, Obama keeps reversing himself on all of the qualities he claims made experience irrelevant; he’s reneged on public financing, started raising money from PACs and lobbyists, and when an international crisis unexpectedly emerged, Obama wouldn’t come out of seclusion to answer questions from the media about it.
Democrats have to wonder what it will take to elect Obama. The more money they raise, the worse he seems to perform. The more he’s seen, the more ammunition he provides for Republicans. After winning the nomination, Obama should have shored up support and extended his lead from the post-Hillary bounce. Instead, he’s flailing in the water, and looks in over his head.
And this poll surveyed registered voters. Imagine what the numbers look like for likely voters.
Update: Jammie Wearing Fool has a laugh at the credit given McCain for his success:
Daily onslaught of attacks? I guess they’ll ignore the daily onslaught of attacks on McCain from 98% of the media and blogosphere. … That’s called exposing Obama’s record, or lack thereof.
I guess they missed Obama’s continual smearing of McCain and the GOP as racists ….
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46 to 41 (=/- 3%) of likely voters
entagor on August 20, 2008 at 8:40 AM
I never have believed that Obama was ever that much ahead of McCain, if at all.
If McCain holds back his suicidal anti-conservative streak, he may actually win easily.
TexasJew on August 20, 2008 at 9:22 AM
I think these polls are just skewed around. Is skewed a word? :)
I think they’re just trying to make news. Horserace madness.
bridgetown on August 20, 2008 at 9:32 AM
Although individual polls on particular days aren’t very telling on their own, the trend is clear: the more Obama is exposed to American voters, the less they like him.
Solution: Hide him. Keep him at a distance and under wraps as much as possible like they’re already trying to do with Michelle Obama. Minimize his non-teleprompter remarks and hope like heck that there are no cracks in the solid wall of media sycophancy.
The three debates will be a problem but the media spin will paint Obama as triumphant no matter what, so voters who don’t take time to watch will be fed the “correct” information in the aftermath.
Barack Obama is not ready for his close-up. The Dems’ only hope is that there’s no Mr. DeMille out there to zoom in anyway. Good luck with that in the Internet age!
Gilda on August 20, 2008 at 9:39 AM
I’ve been predicting since May that Obama will figure out a way to get out of the debates. I really think he has no choice, he will be a lamb to the slaughter if he debates John McCain. This is no longer a “change” election, it’s a “holy shit, we need more oil and the Russians are coming” election.
rockmom on August 20, 2008 at 9:43 AM
From the Washington D.C. ether:
“All right then, so we have 6 large mushroom and olive deep dish pizzas, green peppers on the side, a vegetarian calzone, a side of organic vegetables with dip, and a case of chilled Perrier, delivered to the Hillary 2008 ‘war room’ tonight at around 11? Okay, we’ll put it on your AMEX, thanks so much Mr. Begala, buh bye now!”
jeff_from_mpls on August 20, 2008 at 9:49 AM
Nice prediction, and spot on.
Today’s news that Senator McCain has pulled out 5 points ahead of Mr. Obama spells double trouble for The One.
Doesn’t common sense teach us, and history confirm, that the last, desperate hope — the Hail Mary pass, if you will — of the losing man in a Presidential contest is to flail wildly for weekly, or God forbid daily debates in the hope your opponent will a mistake? Obama doesn’t have that option open to him because God knows he’s the one guaranteed to sully himself in a debate!
jeff_from_mpls on August 20, 2008 at 10:02 AM
Chris Matthews slipped and said Obama is the dark horse.
marklmail on August 20, 2008 at 10:14 AM
>While “HopeN’Change” captivates some, it really is seen to be very dangerous when there are serious times ahead. Obama is a joke. McCain is a flawed candidate. And as Obama has used his strategery to get elected (Such as kicking his opponents off the ballot, voting ‘present’ 130 times) as any ‘good’ lawyer uses the tools at their disposal, I think enough people who actually spend the time to learn more about both candidates, see McCain as someone who has made mistakes, and means well.
But for both of them, at their core - are two completely different men. And when times are good, you can give Obama a try. What’s the worst that can happen? And if you want someone who knows what the hell he’s doing, even if you disagree with him (hopefully, slightly less than Obama) you know that he is qualified to handle the job requirements of that pay grade.
wise_man on August 20, 2008 at 10:17 AM
Al Sharpton convergence in 5…4…3…
jeff_from_mpls on August 20, 2008 at 10:23 AM
Yes, skewed is a word but you have to be careful with it; lots of people use it in place of “screwed,” as in “those results are skewed,” or “the Obama campaign is so skewed right now,” and while comprehensible, and technically in bounds, these are bad usages. Skewed in vernacular means things are amiss, out of order. But the heart and soul of the word is in mathematics where it has a couple of technical meanings that would interest no one.
jeff_from_mpls on August 20, 2008 at 10:36 AM
This photo is the perfect one for Hussein, just like John Kerry who served in Vietnam and the windsurfing photo. Priceless.
Akzed on August 20, 2008 at 10:40 AM
ZOGBY has McCain 5 above Obama nationally, even ahead with all 4 candidates including Nader and Barr.
This quote deserves note:
LOL! Hairline distinguishing between “nuance” and malleable habitual lies? Once upon a time, nuance was a lovely word; but in the hands of progressive Marxists, “nuance” has gone the way of “gay”, corrupted forever by deceit instead of appreciated for the integrity of its origin and purpose in conveying conception via sound. If ever there were a modern epitome of the ancient story regarding the curse on man’s vain attempt to reach God’s habitat by confusing mankind’s language comprehension, Orwellian Marxism is succeeding in revisiting that epic today.
As per hairline distinctions obvious enough for children to distinguish, let the adults demand no alignment between Obama and McCain.
Obama The Perverted Marxist needs to be defeated outright.
maverick muse on August 20, 2008 at 11:07 AM
Seen BarackBook?
Akzed on August 20, 2008 at 12:06 PM
Rockmom-
How exactly do you get out of a national presidential debate? “Uhhhhhhhhh something suddenly came up”? Hehe
Chuck Schick on August 20, 2008 at 12:36 PM
A lingering cold with laryngitis that pops up on the day of a debate?
Racist white granny takes turn for the worse?
Wethal on August 20, 2008 at 1:17 PM
I BEG to differ.
With his comments about America and what is so horribly wrong, has never been good and not much to say is yet good in America is telling.
But the biggest reasons are 20 years of “G-D America, Aids created by the US gov to kill blacks, Black Liberation Theology, white is bad ( typically) his Marxist/socialist studies plus, his number one adviser has never been proud of America in the bitter one’s adult life.
Now he sleeps with this woman and they must talk incessantly, and I don’t think those conversations are about the Greatness in America today or days gone by. Maybe they talk about what he can do for the black community, or the ‘poor’ people, or his cronies i.e. terrorists and criminal realtor’s and his passion for divisive hateful pastors. But NOT what is great about America.
.
If he had nothing to hide, he wouldn’t be hiding nearly everything about his past and therefor his ideals and goals.
.
Obama’s dream is a financially and socially equal, mostly marxist country. That IS what he has studied and professed for over 20 years.
He is simply incapable of telling the truth consistently, if not ever. He is all about change, that par is true. He doesn’t like America and he wishes to change it completely.
.
You are a product of your environment, look at his.
With patriots like snob-ama, who needs enemies?
shooter on August 20, 2008 at 1:40 PM
I predict that the Dems will chase Obama out at the convention and that Hillary will get the nomination next week. And then McCain will have to fight as he’s never fought before. I think he can beat Obama handily, but I’m not nearly so sanguine about his beating Hillary.
Mary in LA on August 20, 2008 at 6:27 PM
Mary in LA, good points. The good thing is that the country wouldn’t end up in the hands of an adolescent, either way.
Entelechy on August 20, 2008 at 10:25 PM
Obama is looking more like Millie Vanilli every day!
iam7545 on August 20, 2008 at 10:39 PM
She’d have to beat McCain without a single black vote.
Mojave Mark on August 21, 2008 at 1:20 AM
He has shown a lack of knowing this country. Obama, his wife, his mentor Wright, his friend Ayers, his church, know an imaginary America
Obama hangs our with like thinking people all working to kill the beast. Meanwhile there is no beast.
The cheap show of patriotism slip up about flag lapel pins, or hesitating to put hand over heart for the plege of allegiance to the flag are not academic.
The guy looked miserable in the Plege of Allegiance video.
Had aides asked Obama to gush over his wife and kids for the camera would he have a problem with a cheap show of love for family? I bet not, if his affections are sincere.
If the used car salesman cannot pretend to be enthusiastic most Americans get the message
IMHO that explains his enthusiasm for the big Europe tour and speech in Germany, putting America down a notch and praising the Citizens of the World. It was easier to be a Citizen of the World than a Citizen of GD America.
Obama is so insulated he couldn’t see how it would play back home.
The German tour gets bigger, not smaller as the election approaches. How do you convice someone you love them best when they saw you kissing someone else?
MMM-MMM-MMM Stupid fool(s)
entagor on August 21, 2008 at 10:14 AM
If Obama loses this will it be Ralph Nader’s fault again? A large part of the left still thinks Nader made Gore lose.
Dollayo on August 21, 2008 at 10:38 AM
Perhaps Obama should adopt this Springsteen classic as his new campaign song: I’m Going Down
Disturb the Universe on August 25, 2008 at 9:52 AM
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