Poll: Debate gives Obama boost(USA Today/Gallup)

[RamboLiberal]

Source: USA Today

WASHINGTON — Viewers had more confidence in Barack Obama's ability to deal with the nation's economic problems after his second debate with John McCain, according to a new USA TODAY/Gallup Poll.

More of those who watched said Obama did a better job than McCain during Tuesday's town hall debate in Nashville, the poll found, and they developed a more favorable opinion of the Democratic nominee.

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Overall, 56% of those surveyed who watched said Obama did a better job in the debate, compared with 23% for McCain.

Among viewers contacted Wednesday, a day after the debate, 43% said they have less confidence in McCain on the economy, compared with 17% who expressed more confidence in the Arizona senator.

Obama received more confidence on the economy from 33% of those surveyed; 24% said they have less confidence in the Illinois senator.

Obama gained ground — and McCain lost ground — on issues of national defense and foreign policy in the wake of the Nashville debate. According to the poll, 33% said they have more confidence in Obama on foreign policy, as opposed to 27% who said otherwise.



Read more: http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-10-09-debate-poll_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip

[FatDave]

1. Is it too much to ask that reporters have a working command of English?

"According to the poll, 33% said they have more confidence in Obama on foreign policy, as opposed to 27% who said otherwise."

If 33% said they have more confidence, those who "said otherwise" would have to be 67%. "Otherwise" does not mean "less confidence", it means anything other than "more confidence".

So what did the 27% say? Less confidence in Obama or more in McCain?

You're fucking reporters, could you at least report clearly?

[hvn_nbr_2]

3. That's what I thought, except that I thought "logic" instead of "English"

WTF does "otherwise" mean? It could mean less or equal confidence in Obama, more confidence in McCain, the moon is made of green cheese, or Palin's high heels are hot. I suspect the "reporter" was thinking about the last one.

[long beach liberal]

2. My feelings toward John McCain are changing lately...

...I have stopped disliking him as much, and instead I am beginning to pity him. He is not only losing the Presidency, he is losing his legacy (and there was a time when he was a respected figure in Washington). His campaign, run by the tag team of Larry, Moe and Curly, continues to hold me in absolute awe as they make one bone-headed move after another. The selection of the most non-vetted VP candidate, however, trumps all. Despite the rah-rah energy that they profess to feel toward this nut-job, the Republican fear of the train wreck to come in November is almost palpable. I can' wait to read any of the dozens of books that will undoubtedly be written about the behind the scenes panic that must be taking place daily at the McCain campaign offices.

I still, however, really despise Sarah Palin.

[w4rma]

5. Don't pity McCain. He's wealthy. The vast majority of his life has been very fun.

He won the Republican nomination for President. He'll still be a U.S.Senator with the best health benefits our government has to offer (even though he works very hard to deny those benefits to everyone else not in his economic class.)

[tanyev]

6. Plenty of time to pity him after Nov. 4th.

[biglefthander]

9. He'll be pitching Viagra with Bob Dole soon...

...I can see the commercial now: Some times when we are off on a junket with some of our wealthy lobbyist friends, we like to cozy up with some pros. Viagra really comes in handy since we are both mean sons of bitches and we are older than dirt.

[NeoConsSuck]

10. Please don't pity McCain

if he would have kept the campaign clean, you would have a point, but just as I'm driving home tonight, on the radio was McLame questioning Obama's relationship with that ex-weatherman guy.

The implication was Obama is a terrorist sympathizer.

McLame and Palin are scum, pure and simple.

[GinaMaria]

16. Could he be a maverick?

Could this be the last of the maverick tricks up his sleeve to throw the election to the Dems and give the finger to the Repukes? The thought crossed my mind. It would work better for a character in a movie than the real John McShame. Whether deliberate or not, he has sullied the PepubliCon party for a while.

[TheCowsCameHome]

19. He made his bed, no one else. I have no sympathy whatsoever for him.

He is a fraud and a disgrace.

[Cheney Killed Bambi]

4. Sweet!

[FVZA_Colonel]

7. Let's hope this will counterbalance claims of Ayers suddenly working as a slam against Obama.

[Indenturedebtor]

8. "Oh but McBush won on points!"

What are these stupid points that these people are always going on about? Does it apply to other things? Like "Hey I lost my job and my house but I won on points!" :eyes:

[Ms. Toad]

12. Not sure what you're talking about

The article mentioned points twice - neither suggested McCain won on points.

[Indenturedebtor]

13. Wasn't talking about the article so much as the pundits on the teevee

They used that "McBush won on points" meme from the first debate to now.

[Ms. Toad]

15. We must listen to different pundits.

The closest I heard was an acknowledgment that McCain was the only one who added something new to hwi plan (buying the mortgages).

[Indenturedebtor]

20. They weren't as bad with it after the last debate. More cautious I think

after all their talk of McBush winning on points in the first debate was blown away by the poll numbers. But I still heard quite a few say it on CNN and a couple on MSNBC after the second.

[DWilliamsamh]

11. Interesting that 23% have McCain as best able to handle the economy

and Bush has a 22% approval rating... methinks the two groups might just be connected......

[ElboRuum]

14. 23%, eh?

I'm guessing these are the Bush 25%ers. They seem to be losing membership.

[Wapsie B]

17. Those to me would seem to be the true core voters of the gop.

They're the kind of people who'd vote repug no matter what.

[Indenturedebtor]

21. Yes the kind of people who eat jello with the same bare hands

that they wipe their asses with. :eyes:

[krkaufman]

18. I almost want to subject myself to a morning of Morning Joe ...

... just to hear them continue calling the debate a tie.