Poll Tracker

Sixty-eight percent of Americans are concerned that John McCain would pursue policies that are too similar to those of President Bush, according to a USA Today/Gallup poll conducted June 15-19. And, of that number, 49 percent say they are "very concerned." Gallup notes the tightrope McCain has to walk regarding Bush when it comes to extending his appeal beyond the Republican base without endangering it. Ninety percent of Democrats are very or somewhat concerned that McCain equals Bush as are 67 percent of independents, with high numbers of both putting themselves in the "very concerned" category. Fifty-five percent of Republicans are only somewhat or not concerned compared to 45 percent who are. As far as job approval, Bush still rates 60 percent among Republicans though only 28 percent among Americans at large.

(Interesting piece today in the Boston Globe: "Bush Base Yet to Rush to Donate to McCain.")

Gallup asked a kind of flip-side of the question for Barack Obama: how concerned are you that Obama would go too far in changing Bush policies. Forty-nine percent were somewhat or very concerned and 50 percent only somewhat or not-at-all concerned. Republicans obviously had the most concerns - 89 percent are worried about it of whom 56 percent are very concerned. Democrats are 68 percent on the not concerned scale compared to 31 percent who are, and independents 56 percent of independents are somewhat or not concerned compared to 42 percent who are.