By winning back unhappy GOP voters, McCain makes it a race

[onehandle]

Source: AP

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans are no longer underdogs in the race for the White House. To pull that off, John McCain has attracted disgruntled GOP voters, independents and even some moderate Democrats who shunned his party last fall.

Partly thanks to an increasingly likable image, the Republican presidential candidate has pulled even with the two Democrats still brawling for their party's nomination, according to an Associated Press-Yahoo news poll released Thursday. Just five months ago — before either party had winnowed its field — the survey showed people preferred sending an unnamed Democrat over a Republican to the White House by 13 percentage points.

Also helping the Arizona senator close the gap: Peoples' opinions of Hillary Rodham Clinton have soured slightly, while their views of Barack Obama have improved though less impressively than McCain's.

The survey suggests that those switching to McCain are largely attuned to his personal qualities and McCain may be benefiting as the two Democrats snipe at each other during their prolonged nomination fight.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/page/election-2008-political-pulse-swing-voters

[acmavm]

1. Proof that P.T. Barnum lowballed his estimate. There's more than

one born every minute and this article is proof.

[Olney Blue]

2. This makes me nervous.

[onehandle]

3. It should. nt

[JeanGrey]

18. Our debacle of a primary hasn't helped matters at ALL.

[robcon]

4. Wait until Obama (or Clinton) is the nominee.

When the 'guns' are aimed at McCain, a lot of those switchers will come back, IMO.

[Virginia Dare]

8. Any Democrat who votes for McCain has blood on their hands..

they can pat themselves on the ass for participating in the completion of the destruction of this country.

[boilinmad]

13. Actually, ANYONE....

.....who votes for McSame will be responsible for the destruction of this country. I will never be able to understand, or comprehend, that there was even 1 single voter in this nation that voted for the idiot Bush. Now, we have a replay, and the same idiots are going to vote the same way. It makes a person wonder just what would have to happen to wake these fools up. To me, it seems that it couldnt get any worse. Illegal war, soaring gas and food prices, non existent healthcare, etc, etc, etc., yet, the votes come in for another greedy republican. Go figure.

[Frances]

20. The MSM will attack the Dem nominee even if Jesus comes

back and wins the nomination.

McCain will be treated just like Bush was in 2000 and 2004, as a very likeable guy. McCain will be portrayed as a Maverick, someone who will stand up for you against his own Repub Party.

I think our only hope is that fewer people read newspapers and watch TV than they did 4 years ago.

[susankh4]

5. Many good points here....

"McCain has a history of doing well with independent voters," said GOP pollster David Winston. He said voters' preference for an unnamed Democratic candidate but McCain's strong performance against Obama and Clinton means "Democrats have an advantage their candidates are not taking advantage of."

Democratic pollster Alan Secrest said the contrasting numbers mean that while the voters' overall mood favors Democrats, they are still taking the measure of Clinton and Obama.

"The Democrats will have to earn their way this fall," he said.

******************

I always knew that Mr. McCain would be a formidable opponent. From the moment he got the nod I said "damn, now we'll have to fight for the election."

The biggest danger, in my mind, is how close McCain and Clinton are on issues of importance to the Latino community. Immigration reform being top of the list. Many of Hillary's voters in that block have already made it clear that they will defect to McCain.

There is also the issue of working class women here in OH, KY, IN, PA (and maybe elsewhere?) I don't really want to get into it. But, I'll just say... they are not happy with the way our primary season has gone. They feel that their candidate is being "pushed out" for lack of a better image. And they really are not afraid of Mr. McCain. He has a history of being moderate and bucking his own party. Those are qualities they like.

I will add that, for both of the communities I mention .... "actions speak louder than words." In other words, flashy TV ads and 24 hour punditry will not have as large an effect as we may wish it to. We can say, all we want, "McCain is just like Bush" and they aren't gonna buy it.

And as for the "too old" argument.... that could well backfire. In one of the largest and most stable blocks of voters we know: seniors. The jury is still out as to how they respond in this matter. But.... asking if McCain is going to boost the economy by purchasing "Attends" will not win them over. I can guarantee that.

Dems need to be on their toes in the fall. No guaranteed landslide is in the offing. Just MHO.

[KoKo]

6. UhhhhHuhhhh....AP reports....straight from GOP TP's.....

:rofl: I think they said that about Bob Dole when he was running, also.

[peace frog]

7. No thanks to Shillary

She has literally handed McCain the talking points with which to batter Obama, on a silver fucking platter. Go back to the GOP where you belong, Shillary.

[unpossibles]

9. I just read that story and noticed how many of the "independent" voters

supported Bush in 2004! Then, they moved away from the GOP, then suddenly back again. Color me shocked.

I'm sorry - I can sort of forgive voting for the Boosh in 2000, if only because he was a wild card of sorts and a lot of folks didn't do their homework or whatever, but to vote for him AGAIN after he had already proved how incompetent he is is not the action of a moderate or independent voter.

I smell the beginning of yet another coup. This story just sets up the future potential theft.

[Gonnuts]

10. Absolute tripe

Yeah, believe anything coming from AP and M$M and I have a Timeshare I'd like to sell you in beautiful downtown Baghdad.

Poll this - if McInsane wins it will because of 24/7 propaganda being bombarded on a gullible people and another round of election fraud which is still in full force if not worse than last elections.

This week Repukes blocked a bill to replace e-voting machines in time for election with paper-trail ones because "the cost was too high" - $685 million - about the cost of one week in Iraq

If voting could change things - they'd make it illegal.

[ellie]

11. Yes,

we should just give it to McCain right now!

:sarcasm:

[IsItJustMe]

12. McCain owed Hilary a big thank you.

[pinniped]

14. Was there ever a doubt these brain dead turkeys would fall back into line?

F no.

[Bake]

15. Can't say I'm surprised either.

They take marching orders very well.

Bake

[pinniped]

16. The repukes bitch and whine about that POS* jr., but would vote for that idiot....

again given the chance, and they will have that chance. McLame is nothing but a loser * clone.

[bunkerbuster1]

22. No.

This has been another edition of "Simple Answers to Simple Questions."

[KansDem]

17. I expected this...

We will be plagued by "news reports" like this one claiming the GOP is heading for the White House in November.

It's scripted.

I suspect the media will try to persuade us that the GOP juggernaut is too formidable and that Dems should "stay home" on election day.

But I also expect that once a Dem is chosen, McCain will be steamrollered.

[bdamomma]

19. get your passports in order if mc same sneaks in.

[AndyTiedye]

21. You Can Fool Some of the People All of the Time

[BlueStater]

23. Idiots

There is absolutey nothing even remotely "moderate" about McCain. Any Democrat who votes for him is a fucking moron.

[otohara]

24. College Age Republican's

must be so depressed!