All Posts Tagged With: "economy top issue"

Fewer say McCain is too old, and more say Obama is too inexperienced

When “leaners” included, a Tuesday Rasmussen Report poll has Obama 47% and McCain 45% among likely voters. For the past three weeks, Obama’s support (with leaners) has been between 46% and 48% every day. During that three-week stretch, McCain’s support has been between 45% and 47% every day and the candidates have been within one or two points of each other every day.

There is movement beneath the surface. The number of voters who say McCain is too old for the job has declined while the number who say Obama is too inexperienced has moved up a bit. Voters are now evenly divided as to whether Obama has enough experience for the job. Thirty-eight percent (38%) of voters now rate the economy as the top issue of Election 2008, down from 40% yesterday and 45% a week ago. This comes as the Rasmussen Consumer Index shows consumer confidence growing to the highest levels of the past five months.

National security concerns are the top priority for 25%, up from 21% a week ago most likely the result of the Russo-Georgian War. Data released yesterday shows that 50% of Americans support a UN peacekeeping force to address the situation between Russia and Georgia, but only 22% want U.S. troops to be part of a multi-national force. In other shifts forty-six percent (46%) of voters now believe Obama is likely to win the White House in November. That’s down from 54% in June but little changed from a month ago. Twenty-eight percent (28%) expect McCain to win and 22% say it’s too close to call. Nine percent (9%) expect an Obama landslide victory while 4% say McCain will win big.

Twenty-four percent (24%) of voters say they spend more than an hour a day discussing or following the campaign. Thirty-nine percent (39%) spend fifteen minutes or less on the topic, including 20% who say they don’t discuss the campaign at all on a typical day. Twenty-three percent (23%) consider the election exciting while 21% say it’s boring.

Data released last week from North Carolina, Virginia, Colorado, Minnesota, Nevada, Iowa, Michigan, and Missouri confirmed the national trend and showed just how close this race is on the eve of the two nominating conventions.

When leaners are included the Electoral College totals are: Obama 273, McCain 227. Nevada (5); Ohio (20) and Virginia (13) are toss-ups. There are 163 Electors in the toss-up or leaning states. McCain is viewed favorably by 55% of the nation’s voters, Obama by 54%.