Posted on 10/07/2008 11:23:42 PM PDT by Chet 99
CBS Poll: Uncommitted Voters Say Obama Won
Oct. 8, 2008(CBS) Uncommitted voters named Barack Obama as the winner of the second presidential debate as well, according to a CBS News/Knowledge Networks poll.
Immediately after the debate, CBS News interviewed a nationally representative sample of 516 debate watchers assembled by Knowledge Networks who were "uncommitted voters" - voters who are either undecided about who to vote for or who say they could still change their minds. Forty percent of these uncommitted debate watchers said Obama won the debate, 26 percent said John McCain won, and another 34 percent thought it was a tie.
In a similar poll conducted after the first debate, uncommitted voters also thought Obama was the winner.
The economy is now the most pressing national issue, and the first hour of the debate focused on economic questions. Uncommitted debate watchers see Obama the clear winner on handling the economy -- not only were his ratings on this issue higher than McCain's after the debate, but Obama also gained more from the debate on this issue.
Before the debate, 55 percent thought Obama would make the right decisions about the economy -- that rose to 68 percent after the debate. Before the debate, 41 percent of uncommitted voters thought McCain would make the right decisions about the economy -- his rating on this measure increased to 48 percent after the debate.
The town hall format of this debate provided the candidates with an opportunity to connect with voters, and Obama was viewed as doing a much better job at that than McCain did. After the debate, nearly twice as many said Obama understood their needs as said McCain did. Both before and after the debate, majorities of uncommitted voters felt that Obama understands their needs and problems. And Obama rose far more than McCain did on this measure.
But when it came to the war in Iraq, which some voters asked about during the debate, McCain was the stronger candidate -- an advantage that has been consistent in CBS News Polls for many months. Before the debate, 55 percent of uncommitted voters said that McCain would make the right decisions about the war -- that rose to 61 percent after the debate. Less than half thought Obama would make the right decisions on Iraq.
Asked what they learned from the debate, many of those who thought Obama won volunteered that Obama was knowledgeable and specific on the issues - some mentioned his understanding of foreign policy, health care, and country's energy needs. Many felt that McCain was short on specifics, and was more negative and angry.
Voters who thought McCain won the debate said he was more candid and passionate. They felt that Obama didn’t give direct answers, and that McCain was more to the point.
About one in three watchers said they learned nothing from the debate.
McCain and Obama continue to have very different strengths. Uncommitted voters who watched the debate saw McCain as more prepared to be president. Seventy-seven percent said that about McCain before the debate and that rose to 82 percent after the debate. As for Obama, 42 percent said that before the debate and 58 percent said so afterwards.
However, Obama is seen as the better candidate on bringing about change. Fifty-one percent said that before the debate, and 63 percent said so afterwards. Thirty-eight percent said McCain would bring real change after the debate, compared to 23 percent beforehand.
The town hall format of the debate allowed voters to ask questions of the candidates directly, but many uncommitted voters watching the debate weren't entirely satisfied with the candidates' responsiveness.
More than four in 10 uncommitted voters thought each candidate sidestepped some of the issues voters raised at the debate. Forty-two percent thought Obama did not answer the questions he was asked, 43 percent said that about McCain. But 57 percent thought each candidate answered the questions put to him.
Forty-two percent of those uncommitted voters who watched the debate said that their image of Obama changed for the better as a result. Just 13 percent say their opinion of Obama got worse, and 45 percent reported no change in their opinions.
McCain's image also improved - 32 percent said their image of him improved as a result of the debate, but 16 percent said their views of him are now worse than before.
Ultimately, few uncommitted voters' minds were made up as a result of this debate, according to the poll. Immediately after the debate, 15 percent of them said they are now committed to Obama, and 12 percent are now committed to McCain. But most - 72 percent - remain uncommitted.
And a follow up ... do you think that the average voter cares bout his connection/ support for Odinga?
It’s amazing how CBS polled voters are so anxious to pay more taxes (support 0bama).
Not the average voter. The undecided voter.
Appearance is everything, the grand illusion is over!
That’s a darned good question.
I think it would be.
I called Hannity today and asked about it. He suggested he might do another special.
He’s also going to reair the Hannity’s America from Sunday as it got blockbuster ratings and I think will help make people see what a radical leftist Marxist racist thug Obama is.
“whose tax plan is better?”
“well I like the plan by the marxist with terrorist ties a bit but I think the health care plan of the war hero is a bit better. I am so confused.”
These are people who have no principles. They take pride in that fact and many articles are written about them. They are the center of attention every four years in America.
They remind me of little fish. They swim in a big school together and switch directions at the slightest real or imagined movement. They swim furiously in circles. They leave few lasting impressions on the world around them. Inevitably, the stronger fish eats them and continues towards the destination of it’s own choosing.
Wow, I really need to go to bed...... : )
Give those tips to the 18-24 year olds out there. Video generation, easily swayed by visual images. Not much in the way of doing research.
they swing one way or the other they just like the attention of being uncommitted...
Your the best pissant.....
BTW, did you see Obama's thug, Gibbs, (I think he's the ObaHamas campaign's communications thug, accuse Sean of being an anti-Semite tonight after the debate? Believe it or not, Alan Colmes came to Sean's defense. He hit a very raw nerve with that show and the Obamanistas are in a panic over the Ayers association.
Regarding Odinga, there would have to be a fair amount of background to establish the context. I can just see the eyes glazing over ...
I couldn't agree more. It reminds me of pregnant women who find out the sex of the unborn child but won't reveal the sex of the child to family and friends until after it is born for no other reason but attention.
I believe these people know who they are voting for. They just want people to inquire about it after election day and say "sooooo who did you vote for?" and then they can say "like, omg, it was such a hard decision, but I had an ephinany and......"
It seems as if the most pressing issue for Americans seems to change monthly, like they are moving the goal posts further down field. One month it is Iran. The next month it is Iraq. The next month it is gas prices. Now it is the economy.
The track record Obama has is that of a bad voting record of consistantly voting for higher taxes, voting against the surge, and as an Illinois state senator pushing to allow killing survivors of abortion. His limited experience is high lighted by his working as a "Chicago inner city organizer" which really amounted to promoting ACORN, a far left organization that often acts in illegal ways to get votes for liberals. Obama worked as a lawyer for ACORN to force banks to give out loans to people who banks knew should not get them and were unlikely to pay them back. He also worked to promote an educational program to teach kids to rebel against their parents and authority. This is to name to name just a few relevant facts about his past track record and associations. To go into the whole lot of them would take much greater time and space then this. If you don't pay attention to who a man is at is core you may very well end up with Hitler, even in America.
McCain has to talk “moommy talk” to connect with women and fearful men.
Bush in 2000 was good at expressing how he cares about women and the middle class.
He has to tell stories so that people know he feels their pain.
I’d like a presidential candidate to tell these idiots to pull themselves up from their bootstraps like all great Americans have had to do.
These people are annoying attention whores.
I don't care much what retards and liars think.
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