Here are the latest results from the Los Angeles Times National Polls poll by Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg Poll published on USAElectionPolls.com:
There were 1375 voters polled on 8/15-18.
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Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg Poll
Date: 8/15-18 Added: 8/20/08 |
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| Barack Obama | 42% |
| John McCain | 41% |
| Ralph Nader | 4% |
| Bob Barr | 1% |
Quote:
Despite his challenges, Obama holds many advantages on the eve of two critical events: his selection of a running mate and his formal crowning as the Democratic nominee at the party's national convention next week in Denver. By Labor Day, Obama hopes to regain -- and build upon -- the momentum he had after he defeated Democratic rival Hillary Rodham Clinton in June.For now, voters favor Obama on the economy, the issue they rank as most important. Also, independents, a crucial swing bloc, are leaning toward Obama. And Obama's supporters remain more enthusiastic than McCain's, a sign that the Democratic candidate may be able to turn out more voters.
The Republican Party's dismal standing under President Bush also remains a drag on McCain's candidacy: 75% of voters say the country has veered onto the wrong track.
"McCain has more experience, but experience isn't everything," poll respondent John Ritts of Towanda, Pa., said in a follow-up interview. A retired teacher and former Republican whose dissatisfaction with Bush drove him to switch his party affiliation to independent, Ritts supports Obama.
In a head-to-head matchup, Obama holds a narrow edge over McCain, 45% to 43%, which falls within the margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points. (In June, Obama was ahead by 12 points in the Times/Bloomberg poll, but other surveys at the time showed him with a narrower lead.)
More striking, however, is the drop in Obama's favorable rating. It has slid from 59% to 48% since the June poll. At the same time, his negative rating has risen from 27% to 35%. The bulk of that shift stems from Republicans souring on Obama amid ferocious attacks on the Democrat by McCain and his allies.
McCain forces have portrayed Obama as a naive celebrity who is unprepared to be president in dangerous times. A Navy aviator who was a prisoner of war in Vietnam, McCain has also suggested that Obama would put personal ambition ahead of America's interests.
Source: Latest Polls, Electoral College Results
