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Title: Pastor Flap Hasn't Hurt Obama
Source:
Wall Street Journal Online
URL Source: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120 ... 866843.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
Published: Mar 26, 2008
Author: JACKIE CALMES
Post Date: 2008-03-26 19:32:46 by Brian S
Keywords: None
Views: 507
Comments: 27
WASHINGTON -- The racially charged debate over Barack Obama's relationship with his longtime pastor hasn't much changed his close contest against Hillary Clinton, or hurt him against Republican nominee-in-waiting John McCain, according to a new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll. Democratic pollster Peter Hart, who conducts the Journal/NBC polls with Republican pollster Bill McInturff, called the latest poll a "myth-buster" that showed the pastor controversy is "not the beginning of the end for the Obama campaign." But both Democrats, and especially New York's Sen. Clinton, are showing wounds from their prolonged and increasingly bitter nomination contest, which could weaken the ultimate nominee for the general-election showdown against Sen. McCain of Arizona. Even among women, who are the base of Sen. Clinton's support, she now is viewed negatively by more voters than positively for the first time in a Journal/NBC poll. The latest survey has the Democratic rivals in a dead heat, each with 45% support from registered Democratic voters. That is a slight improvement for Sen. Obama, though a statistically insignificant one, from the last Journal/NBC poll two weeks ago, which had Sen. Clinton leading among Democratic voters, 47% to 43%. While Sen. Clinton still leads among white Democrats, her edge shrank to eight points (49% to 41%) from 12 points in early March (51% to 39%). That seems to refute widespread speculation -- and fears among Sen. Obama's backers -- that he would lose white support for his bid to be the nation's first African-American president over the controversy surrounding his former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr. of Chicago. Had that erosion happened, party leaders' reassessment of Sen. Obama's electability could have tipped the race to Sen. Clinton's favor. Weathering the episode could strengthen his standing among the party leaders nationwide -- the superdelegates -- whose votes are likely to break the impasse. Beyond the nomination race, in hypothetical matchups for November's election Sen. Obama still edges Sen. McCain 44% to 42%. That is nearly the same result as in the early March poll, before videos of Mr. Wright's most fiery sermons spread over the Internet. But Sen. Clinton, who likewise had a narrow advantage over Sen. McCain in the earlier survey, trails in this one by two points, 44% to his 46%. The poll was conducted Monday and Tuesday, a week after Sen. Obama delivered a generally well-received address on race. The poll's margin for error is 3.7 percentage points for questions put to a cross-section of 700 registered voters, and slightly higher for those questions put only to subgroups of Democratic, Republican or black voters. As reassuring as the poll is for Sen. Obama, Mr. Hart and Mr. McInturff agreed that it did indicate that a substantial number of voters question whether the first-term senator would be a safe choice, or whether more needs to be known about him. Mr. McInturff said some voters are wondering, "Do we know enough about this guy?" While the senator's support among Democrats is little changed, he did slip among conservatives and Republican voters, groups that had shown some attraction to Sen. Obama's message of changing partisan politics in Washington. "I think the survey does indicate that this has taken a little of the patina off Sen. Obama," Mr. McInturff said. But the pollster also saw "some evidence here that Sen. Obama's speech did him well." The candidate's support for his handling of the Wright matter was stronger among those voters who said they saw his 37-minute speech. In the Philadelphia address, which Sen. Obama wrote and titled "A More Perfect Union," he criticized his former pastor for his condemnations of the U.S. for its injustices to blacks, but refused to renounce him. He also sought to explain to both blacks and whites the grievances that each holds against the other, while urging both to recognize their real enemies are shared ones -- chiefly economic and educational inequality, and the job losses from globalization. The Clinton campaign had steered clear of the Wright controversy, until Sen. Clinton this week told interviewers she would have found a new minister had hers made the remarks Mr. Wright did. Sen. Obama for two decades has attended the 8,000-member Chicago church where Mr. Wright, who retired recently, was pastor. The negativity of the Obama-Clinton contest seems to be hurting Sen. Clinton more, the poll shows. A 52% majority of all voters says she doesn't have the background or values they identify with. But 50% say Sen. Obama does share their values, and 57% agree that Sen. McCain does. Also, fewer voters hold positive views of Sen. Clinton than did so just two weeks ago in the Journal/NBC poll. Among all voters, 48% have negative feelings toward her and 37% positive, a decline from a net positive 45% to 43% rating in early March. While 51% of African-American voters have positive views, that is down 12 points from earlier this month, before the Wright controversy. More ominous for Sen. Clinton is the net-negative rating she drew for the first time from women, one of the groups where she has drawn most support. In this latest poll, voters with negative views narrowly outstrip those with positive ones, 44% to 42%. That compares with her positive rating from 51% of women in the earlier March poll. Both she and Sen. Obama showed five-point declines in positive ratings from white voters. But where she is viewed mostly negatively, by 51% to 34% of whites, Sen. Obama's gets a net positive rating, by 42% to 37%. Among all voters, he maintained a significant positive-to-negative score of 49% to 32%—similar to Sen. McCain's 45% to 25%. The toll on both Democrats from their rhetorical brawling is evident in these poll findings: About a fifth of Clinton voters say they would support Sen. McCain if she isn't the Democratic nominee, and likewise a fifth of Obama voters say they would do the same if he isn't the party standard-bearer.
![[Go to poll results.]](http://s.wsj.net/public/resources/images/NBC_pollbug06302004225604.gif)
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#1. To: Brian S (#0)
You Obamaphiles are cretins, just as bad as the McHillary! supporters...
Well I'm a man and I view her more favorably... Opps..wrong photo...BWAHAHAHA!
Law Enforcement Against Prohibition "Corporation: An entity created for the legal protection of its human parasites, whose sole purpose is profit and self-perpetuation." © IndieTx Foul! heheheh Play ball!!
I perfer the 'Obamanite' classification myself...but carry on with your 'knuckle-dragging' cartoons. Entertaining, indeed! /chuckle
Never swear "allegiance" to anything other than the 'right to change your mind'!
Don't fight the tape. McCain's been creeping... creeping... creeping up tho.
The truth is that responsible Southerners have deliberately weakened their own defense because of their unwillingness to raise the underlying problem. They talk of states’ rights when they should be talking anthropology, and they do so out of instinctive human kindness. There is a point at which kindness imposed upon ceases to be a virtue.
You would bring up knuckle dragging...
What? I reminded you to pluck your fist outta your ass and now you have 2 sets? See, I have helpful after all...
Never swear "allegiance" to anything other than the 'right to change your mind'!
No, you reminded me of your mother...
You should be blessed to have such great 'memories'...
Never swear "allegiance" to anything other than the 'right to change your mind'!
You're disgusting, and I mean that sincerely.
I know you do. And thank you. I'm thoroughly encouraged by what I've seen the last few weeks on ObamaCFR4um.com...
Not so great. She gave me crabs...
Say that to my face and I'd slit your fucking throat so fast, I'd still be pissing down your throat before your brain had a clue...
Never swear "allegiance" to anything other than the 'right to change your mind'!
Ah, you're cute when you puff up like that...there's a jew under your bed, better go kill him.
LOL... I just knew by your MO that you are a 'hooked-nosed' half-breed. Aaron of LP fame, is that YOU! /chuckle
Never swear "allegiance" to anything other than the 'right to change your mind'!
If I were a Jew, I'd readily admit it. Better hurry you bigoted pig, catch the jew while you can...
Oh indeed...I believe that! I haven't highlighted my hatred for israel on this forum but yet YOU single me out to look for the 'jew under my bed'... No...you are indeed a filthy, pig zionist and I would guess your screen name on LP=Aaron.
Never swear "allegiance" to anything other than the 'right to change your mind'!
He wouldn't say that to your face. He's a demented troll sitting on a stack of phone books. Don't worry, he'll be gone soon.
Hurry pig, you can still get him! Run, Forrest, RUN!
Yeah, you nailed it! Catch that donut yet, Dawg?
News Flash: The Roe v. Wade court consisted of 6 justices appointed by GOP presidents Eisenhower and Nixon. Five of them voted for the decision. Not a single justice nominated by a democrat president was needed to carry a majority.
Yeah, it is the end of his campaign for sure. That racist can go crawl back under the rock he came out from under now.
God is always good!
CFR GOP or CFR DimRAT; I make no distinctions.
Good to see someone who makes no distinction between John McCain, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. I guess there is always Ron Paul. I don't believe he is joining CFR any time soon. I'm not sure what this has to do with the abortion issue and the Roe v. Wade decision which had the support of 5 GOP-nominated Supreme Court justices, or why Obama is singled out about it when a GOP-dominated Court produced it.
McHillObama are part of the kabuki dance. I'm finally starting to enjoy it... I see you continue to think as though the GOP/RATs work off different scripts.
Of course they work off different scripts. McBush certainly does not have the same script as Obama or Clinton on the Iraq war. However, what they say to get elected does not mean much. GHW Bush promised "no new taxes." Bill Clinton promised a modest middle class tax cut. The promises are only effective until they are elected. They have differest scripts but share the same corporate financing. The PTB no longer funds one candidate or the other. They simply took effective ownership of both major parties. Thus, in one example major issue, we got to choose between GOP NAFTA and DEM NAFTA. In the 35 years since a GOP-dominated court served up Roe v. Wade, the Dems only held the White House for 4 years of Carter and 8 years of Clinton. It seems kind of hard to lay blame or responsibility on Dems in general or Obama in particular.
If he's Aaron, that would certainly explain the hatred for Obama.
To reason, indeed, he was not in the habit of attending. His mode of arguing, if it is to be so called, was one not uncommon among dull and stubborn persons, who are accustomed to be surrounded by their inferiors. He asserted a proposition; and, as often as wiser people ventured respectfully to show that it was erroneous, he asserted it again, in exactly the same words, and conceived that, by doing so, he at once disposed of all objections. - Macaulay, "History of England," Vol. 1, Chapter 6, on James II.
What North American Union? ~~~~~ Have you seen THIS yet? Pass it around...
#2. To: FOH (#1)
Even among women, who are the base of Sen. Clinton's support, she now is viewed negatively by more voters than positively for the first time in a Journal/NBC poll
"There is no 'legitimate' Corporation by virtue of it's very legal definition and purpose."
-- IndieTx
#3. To: IndieTX (#2)
What North American Union? ~~~~~ Have you seen THIS yet? Pass it around...
#4. To: FOH (#1)
Obamaphiles...
#5. To: Brian S (#0)
#6. To: Brian S (#4)
What North American Union? ~~~~~ Have you seen THIS yet? Pass it around...
#7. To: FOH (#6)
You would bring up knuckle dragging...
#8. To: Brian S (#7)
What North American Union? ~~~~~ Have you seen THIS yet? Pass it around...
#9. To: FOH (#8)
#10. To: FOH (#8)
No, you reminded me of your mother...
#11. To: Fred Mertz (#10)
What North American Union? ~~~~~ Have you seen THIS yet? Pass it around...
#12. To: Brian S (#9)
What North American Union? ~~~~~ Have you seen THIS yet? Pass it around...
#13. To: FOH (#12)
Not so great. She gave me crabs...
#14. To: Brian S (#13)
What North American Union? ~~~~~ Have you seen THIS yet? Pass it around...
#15. To: FOH (#14)
there's a jew under your bed, better go kill him.
#16. To: Brian S (#15)
What North American Union? ~~~~~ Have you seen THIS yet? Pass it around...
#17. To: FOH (#16)
If I were a Jew, I'd readily admit it.
#18. To: Brian S, FOH (#13)
Say that to my face and I'd slit your fucking throat so fast, I'd still be pissing down your throat before your brain had a clue...
#19. To: Brian S (#17)
What North American Union? ~~~~~ Have you seen THIS yet? Pass it around...
#20. To: HOUNDDAWG (#18)
What North American Union? ~~~~~ Have you seen THIS yet? Pass it around...
#21. To: FOH, Brian S (#1)
You Obamaphiles are cretins, just as bad as the McHillary! supporters...
#22. To: Brian S (#0)
(Edited)
Democratic pollster Peter Hart, who conducts the Journal/NBC polls with Republican pollster Bill McInturff, called the latest poll a "myth-buster" that showed the pastor controversy is "not the beginning of the end for the Obama campaign."
#23. To: nolu_chan (#21)
What North American Union? ~~~~~ Have you seen THIS yet? Pass it around...
#24. To: FOH (#23)
CFR GOP or CFR DimRAT; I make no distinctions.
#25. To: nolu_chan (#24)
(Edited)
What North American Union? ~~~~~ Have you seen THIS yet? Pass it around...
#26. To: FOH (#25)
I see you continue to think as though the GOP/RATs work off different scripts.
#27. To: Brian S (#17)
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