Posted on 04/17/2008 6:10:40 AM PDT by tlb
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.
By tracking the same group of roughly 2,000 people throughout the campaign, the AP-Yahoo poll can gauge how individual views are evolving. What's clear is that some Republican-leaning voters who backed Bush in 2004 but lost enthusiasm for him are returning to the GOP fold - along with a smaller but significant number of Democrats who have come to dislike their party's two contenders.
(Excerpt) Read more at apnews.myway.com ...
McCain is blessed by having such lousy opponents — thus he receives the gift of lowered expectations.
Hillary and Obama are the reason.
>> To pull that off, John McCain has attracted disgruntled GOP voters
Attract? Nah. But as the truth about the Rat candidates sinks in, Obama and Hillary! are REPELLING GOP voters into John’s arms (where else can they go).
I don't.
Now THAT's funny!
As bad as Hillbama may be, if the election were held today, I still wouldn't vote for McCain.
It's always been that way and I expect it always will be. Those who sit around waiting for the Great Pumpkin Messiah candidate are nearly always disappointed... or delusional.
To pull that off, John McCain has attracted disgruntled GOP voters, independents and even some moderate Democrats who shunned his party last fall.
Some of the disgruntled are returning while others have left and moved on to other parties seeking their fame or obscurity.
My name is 50sDad: I voted for Ross Perot, and helped elect eight years of a sniggering, arrogant, smug, Leftist Liberal smart@$$.
Ditto ... and based on the populist pandering this week with his "greed" comments, it makes even considering a vote for McCain even harder.
McCain has a golden opportunity to embrace conservative positions on taxation (death tax, income and capital gains), energy and the economy ... which will BE the issues come September. I don't see him jumping out to take the lead on these.
Then you might as well vote for Obama then.
As bad as you say McCain is would you rather have Obama or Hillary who are light years worse than McCain can ever be?
I can’t believe people hate McCain so much that they wouldn’t vote at all or vote for some thrid party canidate and therefore help put Obama in the White House.
Darn. I missed that poll.
This might help: President McCain Promoting or Obstructing Conservatism (a desision making tool)
I'm not in the mood for arguing today, but please consider what the troops in Iraq have been fighting for and our military reputation around the world before you sit out the election.
Nor I.
In a race between a communist and a defense-minded Rino, I’ll probably hold my nose and vote for the Rino.
I guess even tarantulas have their fans.
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