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.
I turn the channel when they come on.
I don’t need them to tell me what I should think.
I’m tired of them. They should fire all of them.
About Odinga...
Not necessarily. For a few reasons.
Firstly, I’ve seen an 8 minute video that encompassed the entire issue nicely. If framed correctly, an hour would do more than justice to this issue.
Secondly, Jerome Corsi makes it more contemporary since he just today was detained in Kenya over this issue in part since he was in Kenya to expose Obama’s ties to Odinga.
Apparently Corsi will be on Hannity and Colmes Wednesday(?) to talk about his experience.
I think it will be a real eye opener for those who don’t understand why a Kenyan official is extremely relevant in determining who we choose to serve as our next president.
There is still a lot of uneasiness about Obama even though the Liberals think he already won the election the people do not.
Post of the evening!!!!!!!
Christmas will come very early for this Soldier if I see Sarah and John win.
Do we believe anyone at this stage of this election is still uncommitted to a candidate?
Those who reamin undecided have no grasp of the important
issues facing this country nor do they care.
style over substance.
:D
Survey USA are such cheating barstards.
They did their usual poll of who won the debate in the state of Washington, they wanted the result they wanted i guess.
Obama 54%
McCain 29%
Who did they ask for a sample 40% Dem 21% Repub and 39% indie
McCain never stood a chance.
I am surprised that BS poll didn’t give Obama a 1000% approval rating, and give McCain a .0093% approval rating.
uncommitted are just like independents; democrats.
Notice that up until this point in the piece, every attribute had a percentage attached to it.
What is "less than half"? 48%? 22%? 9%? All of those are less than half.
Blatant, obvious, in-the-tank bias by CBS.
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.
They already know who they’re voting for. This group is just a front to provide the “upswing” at the final moments. Anyone truly ‘uncommitted’ at this point is a cretin who shouldn’t be voting anyway.
if Obama did nothing but suck his thumb and wet his pants, CBS would still produce a poll showing he won.
I am truly afraid that “Americans” are more than willing to let someone else pay their way and give up freedom in order to achieve the free ride. Touqueville warned that democracy has a finite life expectancy because people are more concerned with economic and social equality than liberty.
Universal suffrage guarantees that the “uninformed masses” will vote to steal money from others to put in their own pockets (socialism). My tagline has been there since the primaries; I do not like McCain, but I fear Obama’s America. A suggestion of another 300 billion dollar bailout by McCain sealed his fate.
Senator McCain has apparently lost one of the most important battles of his life. The citizens needed a leader to tell them socialism is poison; instead he offered socialism light with a lecture on cutting government spending.
I’m finding it hard to be optimistic today. Sarah in 2012
Did you also notice that at the end of the debate almost everyone rushed up to him for autographs and pictures? Is that what is known as a "Non-partisan" crowd?
Is “uncommitted” a politically correct euphemism for ‘barely sentient’?
Broad brush. There are plenty of conservative independents out there; just like there are plenty of RINO's in the Republican party.
Rush says it best...”they have spines of liguini.” Difficult to figure out since they’re always lying in a freshly wet bed wringing their hands.
“The East German judges have now weighed in. Has a Republican EVER won one of these post-debate snap polls”?
...no. W lost all 3 of his according to all the MSM’s in both elections. He was also behind Kerry by 4-6 points in mid October. That’s all I’ve got to “cling” on to besides my religion and gun.
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