Obama Leads McCain, But Not by Blow-out Despite GOP Woes

May 13, 2008 8:44 AM | | Comments (0)

A Washington Post/ABC News poll shows Barack Obama leading John McCain in a general election match-up by 51 percent to 44 percent, an advantage beyond the 3 point margin of error but one that still shows a competitive race despite the fact that 8 in 10 Americans think the country is headed in the wrong direction as the Bush administration winds down, and the Democrats are considered the party better able to handle the nation’s problems by a 21 point margin. That gap between the public’s faith in Democrats versus Republicans is the biggest since 1982. Hillary Clinton leads McCain 49 percent to 46 percent. The poll was conducted May 8-11.

Obama is favored over Hillary Clinton by Democrats for their party’s nomination by 53 percent to 41 percent, a 2 point gain for Obama over last month’s poll, and that they believe Obama is more electable in November by 62 percent to 26 percent. The margin of error for the Democratic results is 4 percent. Fifty-six percent of Democrats said the length and contentious of the Democratic contest would make no difference for November while 27 percent said it would the party’s chances. Fifteen percent said it would help.

Asked who Democrats would like to see as Obama’s running mate, Clinton led the pack with 39 percent and John Edwards had 10 percent. All others were in low single digits. When Republicans were asked the same question, only one candidate – Mitt Romney – garnered double-digits, with 12 percent. Condoleezza Rice was next with 5 percent.

McCain had a significant advantage over Obama on the question of who had better experience to be President, 71 percent to 18 percent, and he also led Obama 65 percent to 24 percent when it came to who had the better knowledge of foreign affairs. Obama had at least 20 point leads over McCain on being the candidate who would do more to bring about change in Washington, on having a better personality and temperament to be President, on better understanding the problems of people, and having a clearer vision for the future. McCain’s edge on who would be the stronger leader was only 46 percent to 42 percent.

Thirty-nine percent of voters said they were uncomfortable with the idea of McCain taking office at the age of 72.

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