Obama's path to presidency is far from clear

Los Angeles Times ^ | july 25, 2008 | Peter Nicholas

[Clairity]

Fresh polls show that he has been unable to convert weeks of extensive media coverage into a widened lead. And some prominent Democrats whose support could boost his campaign are still not enthusiastic about his candidacy.

Several new surveys show that Obama is in a tight race or even losing ground to Republican John McCain, both nationally and in two important swing states, Colorado and Minnesota. One new poll offered a possible explanation for his troubles: A minority of voters see Obama as a familiar figure with whom they can identify.

Many voters still seem to be puzzling over who Obama is, even after a race that has lasted a year and a half. By 58% to 47%, voters identity more with the values and background of McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee, than with Obama, according to a newly released Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll.

[goldstategop]

The Dog Trainer doesn't really have a clue! As I'm Patterico will no doubt soon tell us, they don't know why, despite months of adoring coverage from them and the rest of the MSM, the American people reject Obama!

I smell MSM panic coming on!

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[freeangel]

I guess the lms will just have to try a little harder.

[DeaconRed]

"I smell MSM panic coming on!"

The HILDABEAST knows the same thing. Remember she only SUSPENDED her campaign.

[Clairity]

WSJ poll results

30% approve of the job Bush is doing, 64% disapprove.
15% approve of the job Congress is doing, 76% disapprove.

Issues rated by voters as highest priority: 23% economy, 20% energy and cost of gas, 12% Iraq war.

This one, however is a sad commentary about the voters:

Q. 8. I'm going to read you two statements about the role of government, and I'd like to know which one comes closer to your point of view.

Statement A: Government should do more to solve problems and help meet the needs of people, OR

Statement B: Government is doing too many things better left to businesses and individuals.

53% chose A, the government shoudl do more. People are becoming more and more like sheep -- want to government to take care of them, not realizing that they want government to control their lives, voting for slavery, not freedon.

The recent FoxNews poll shows 75% of the people support offshore drilling, 56% support drilling in ANWR, 64% are against rationing, 82% are against raising gas taxes.

[goldstategop]

You know they've given him the kind of coverage that Hitler, Stalin and Gorbachev could only dream of and they haven't been able to change the opinion of the American people about their favored candidate. I'm beginning to think the CW about this being a Democratic year is wrong. We're seeing the first signs of a Democratic collapse and Obama is going to be a drag down the rest of their ticket. And I think Republican losses are going to be smaller than people have predicted. The MSM is going to be stunned this November. I don't think the Left in this country understands the ground is shifting rapidly beneath them and by the time they do get it, it will be too late.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[goldstategop]

Americans always would like government to take care of them - as long as they don't have to pay for it. The Democrats know its easier to promise a lot of things that can buy votes but its harder to convince people they should pay more to have those things the Dems want to give them.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[johniegrad]

They are puzzling over who he is because he gained the nomination by laying low and not exposing himself. Then they heard about his far left moonbat positions, then his attempt to run to the middle, and now in Germany his kumbaya, we are the world, global citizenship. No wonder nobody knows him. There is no one inside to know.

[Clairity]

I am just reading through the details of the poll.

It is interesting that 58% feel McCain has a set of values they can identify with, only 47% can identify with Obama’s values (Q. 17, page 17 of the poll) , yet Obama is still leading McCain in this poll by 47% to 41%, but I think McCain could gain momentum. President Obama is NOT inevitable.

[goldstategop]

Bush is still twice as popular as Congress - to the disconsternation of the Left. They've tried everything to destroy his Presidency and they can't turn it to their political advantage. If Bush was unpopular as the polls say, there's no way John McCain should be even this year and yet he's gained ground in enough swing states to secure a lead. The CW says that's not supposed to be happening but it is and we're missing something here.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[goldstategop]

The Obama lead is surely an outlier as its contradicted by all the other evidence. People don't vote on sentiment: they vote on their values and with their pocketbooks. Obama is riding high due to sentiment but its as about as far as he'll go and the pendulum is now swinging back and the MSM can't figure out why he isn't ahead by double digits! For what its worth, I don't think he'll get a bounce out of the Democratic Convention.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[goldstategop]

The more Obama talks, the more he will reveal himself as being at odds with the mainstream of thought in this country.No amount of flip flops, clever camouflage and artful doubletalk can hide the fact that he's a leftist. The American people are not liking what they see.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[edpc]

Fresh polls show that he has been unable to convert weeks of extensive media coverage into a widened lead.

His polls were higher when little was known about him. The "extensive coverage" has only torn down the façade, revealing how inept and dangerous he would be as president.

[AmericaUnited]

Obama has already gotten the hardcore moonbat/rat vote and the battle is for the large number of undecided middle voters. The RAT convention will drive more of these people away from Obama when they see what an arrogant scold, pretentious jerk he is.

[goldstategop]

In other words, the MSM strategery has backfired by showing the American people too much of Obama. The smart thing to have done was to minimize his exposure. A liberal cannot survive prolonged contact with reality.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[Carley]

I’m not the least bit puzzled. I know exactly what I need to know about Obama.

He’s a lying America hating traitor.

[goldstategop]

That's why I don't think he's going to get a bounce. Its all about HIM. In Obama's universe, what's No. 1 is his ego. Its so massive it doesn't even have a space for Michelle. And that ego of his my friends, will ultimately be his downfall.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[goldstategop]

He can go be President Of The World! We need an American President, not someone who panders to people who can't stand the sight of us!

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[Darkwolf377]

It seems that people see McCain as a "maverick" thanks to years of the MSM portraying him so because it helped THEM attack Bush.

They've been telling us for years that McCain is nothing like Bush...and we believe them.

Don't forget, McCain was OUT last year--we were talking here like all that was left to do was withdraw from the race.

Obama isn't inevitable. Nothing in politics is inevitable. And why are we still trusting polls, after having been burned so many times?

Americans want someone different from Bush, and they're satisfied that they're going to get that no matter who wins in November, so they don't see Obama as the only choice for there to be change.

As for us, after all we've seen of Obama, is there a thinking conservative who can't see the importance of supporting McCain against this guy when so much--our soldiers' lives (Al Qaeda would have their own surge going with Obama's election giving them hope), our taxes, abortion, SCOTUS--is at stake?

[6SJ7]

The more Obama talks, the more he will reveal himself as being at odds with the mainstream of thought in this country.

That's the beauty of a Presidential campaign. Get the candidates to talk enough and attend enough events and no matter how well scripted, the real candidate begins to leak out; like Obama blowing off a visit to the troops in Germany but having enough time for a workout in the gym at the Ritz.