Obama squeaks by McCain in polls

[Guest Verbal Kint]

CNN News Link : >> HERE <<

Story Highlights

• Latest CNN "Poll of Polls" shows Obama ahead by five points
  
• Political observers are wondering why Obama isn't doing better
  
• They say numbers may change dramatically if undecided voters go for the new guy
  
• Still an unknown: Role of race
  

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The race between Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama is extremely tight, according to the latest CNN "Poll of Polls." Just five points separate the two candidates -- Obama's 48 percent to McCain's 43 percent, with 9 percent undecided.

Most Americans are grim about the state of the economy, unimpressed with progress in Iraq, and unhappy with the Republican in the White House -- they want change, and poll after poll shows voters favor Democrats in November.

A CNN-Opinion Research Corp. poll of 1,041 adults conducted on July 27-29 found 62 percent favor a timetable for withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq, while 37 percent oppose setting deadlines. The results had a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.

Another CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll, out Wednesday, showed 48 percent of those surveyed said McCain and Obama's economic policy would be the most important issue when deciding whom to vote for this fall. But when it comes to who is the better choice to fix the economy, Obama is their pick by a 54-43 percent margin -- with a margin of error at plus or minus 3 percent.

While those numbers suggest the stage is set for the Democratic presidential candidate to win, Obama is holding on to only a narrow advantage. Watch more on why Obama's not doing better in the polls »

"I don't think it's his lineage, nor do I think it's his policies. I think it's the fact that he's young and relatively inexperienced," CNN senior political analyst Bill Schneider said. "You hear all the time people say, well, is he really ready to be president, someone his age, someone who hasn't been in Washington that long, someone who doesn't seem to have a lot of experience with national security or foreign affairs?"

The McCain campaign, meanwhile, is trying to capitalize on that, telling voters Obama cannot be trusted -- recently running an ad mocking Obama's celebrity status while comparing the Illinois senator to Paris Hilton and Britney Spears. Watch Hilton's response to McCain's ad »

The Obama campaign insists this is all to be expected, and it's a long time between now and November.

The Obama camp acknowledges there's still work to do. Campaign officials say introducing Obama is the key idea in making voters feel comfortable with him.

Recently, the campaign has been replacing the big crowds with smaller settings, taking questions and hitting back hard against McCain's attacks with TV ads of their own.

"Our politics has gotten so nasty. That's the word I was looking for -- but not just nasty, also cynical and manipulative," Obama has said.

Political observers say the numbers could change dramatically if undecided voters decide to trust the new guy. The McCain campaign is working to ensure that doesn't happen.

The unknown in all of this is the role of race. But it does play a role, as charges of playing the race card erupted on both sides last week.

The fact that Obama is the first African-American in his position could be a big reason why some voters feel that he's unfamiliar or that he might hold different values, political observers said.

But just what role it will play is still unknown.

[Guest Verbal Kint]

You 3rd party guys ask the question as to why we say casting your vote effectively is so critical...

The race between Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama is extremely tight, according to the latest CNN "Poll of Polls." Just five points separate the two candidates -- Obama's 48 percent to McCain's 43 percent, with 9 percent undecided.

That pretty much sums it up.

[Oh Shoot]

You 3rd party guys ask the question as to why we say casting your vote effectively is so critical....

Think McCain has decent odd to LIVE till November?

I'd say his pick for veep will be a MUCH BIGGER consideration for voters than usual.

- OS

[fizik]

yeah, for me it'll be decided by the vp picks. I'm a libertarian at heart, so this and the last few presidential elections have been a chice between the lesser of two evils, or vote libertarian and help them grow. unless the more evil one is winning, then i'd vote to keep that from happening. if mccain had a landslide i wouldn't worry and vote libertarian

[TonyT]

all this fawning media coverage and obama is barely ahead.

imagine if we actually had an impartial news media

[Guest page90lx]

Mcain needs a good vicepres, if he can pick one it may sway some of the on the fence voters.

Edited August 10, 2008 by page90lx

[BryanP]

Aw jeez. Y'know, whether it's Obama or McCain this fall I've only got one request: no squeakers. I don't want another 4 years of "The election was stolen. It was soooo close, the other side must've cheated!"

[Falcon1]

Aw jeez. Y'know, whether it's Obama or McCain this fall I've only got one request: no squeakers. I don't want another 4 years of "The election was stolen. It was soooo close, the other side must've cheated!"

I'm afraid this may indeed be what you get, one way or the other....