Poll: Obama gaining among independents
By Sara Burnett, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)
Published October 14, 2008 at 7:59 p.m.
Photo by Associated Press
Sen. Barack Obama speaks at the Seagate Convention Centre in Toledo, Ohio, on Monday.
Photo by Associated Press
Republican presidential candidate John McCain gestures to the crowd as he is introduced Monday at a rally at Cape Fear Community College in Wilmington, N.C.
- ELECTION 2008: The latest election news and results from around Colorado
- THE STUMP: Rocky election reporters give the back story on campaigns, polls and other election news
- BALLOT BUILDER: Find out which candidates most closely agree with your views and track the issues
- DOCUMENT: Breakdown of Quinnipiac University's poll
Sen. Barack Obama has gained ground among crucial unaffiliated voters in Colorado, giving him an overall 9-point lead over Sen. John McCain with three weeks to go, according to a new poll conducted simultaneously in four battleground states.
Fifty-two percent of likely Colorado voters surveyed Oct. 8-10 favored Obama, while 43 percent supported McCain, according to the Quinnipiac University poll. The poll of 1,088 likely Colorado voters has a margin of error of 3.1 percentage points. It also found Obama leading in Wisconsin, Michigan and Minnesota.
McCain spokesman Tom Kise said the Republican from Arizona has been written off before, and that the campaign has Obama "right where we want him."
McCain was trailing in the Republican primaries when he sunk his resources into New Hampshire and came out with a big win - and eventually, his party's nomination. "(McCain) is a fighter, and he excels when he is coming from behind," Kise said.
Hawaii Gov. Linda Lingle, campaigning for McCain in Colorado on Tuesday, said tonight's debate between McCain and Obama will be important, but that ultimately voters will choose based on the candidates' records. "I think what's going to happen in this election in the last 21 days is people are going to start to think, 'Do I want to take a chance with Senator Obama?' " Lingle said.
The Obama campaign, meanwhile, said it isn't taking any state for granted and will continue to work hard through Nov. 4.
The most recent Quinnipiac poll was conducted in the days after the last presidential debate and in partnership with The Wall Street Journal and washington post.com. It found unaffiliated, or independent, voters favoring Obama 51 percent to 40 percent.
In August, when a Quinnipiac poll found the candidates in a statistical dead heat, unaffiliated voters were more evenly split, with 46 percent supporting McCain and 44 percent Obama.
"The key to winning elections in Colorado is independent voters and Senator Obama has blown open the race there with his 11-point lead among them," Peter Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute, said Tuesday.
The poll found Obama leading among women voters, 54 percent to 38 percent. Among men, Obama got 49 percent to McCain's 47 percent.
burnetts@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-5343
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October 14, 2008
8:26 p.m.
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CO_bro_overseas writes:
This seems to be a large lead for Colorado, considering how close the two candidates were last week in some polls. It will be interesting to see both parties' strategies over the coming three weeks. Hopefully they are all positive and constructive.
October 14, 2008
9:07 p.m.
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mrtaco writes:
HEY REPUBLICANS, YET ANOTHER SIGN... IT'S OVER!!!! HAHAHAHA!!!!
October 14, 2008
9:44 p.m.
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angryrepublican writes:
No McPain!!! There are third party candidates that conservative Republicans can and should vote for if we are truly committed to smaller government and no government intrusion into our lives! I will sleep good at night if Obama wins, I will cry for the next four years if that lying thief McPain (Keating Five) wins
October 15, 2008
12:15 a.m.
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joggle writes:
"A bad sign for Republicans is when Buckley endorsed Obama and resigned from the National Review."
This is really starting to annoy me. It seems like the Republican faithful are kicking out all the good Republicans and going more and more away from what John McCain stood for in 2000, instead heading more towards what Bush Jr stands for. This is very troubling to me.
October 15, 2008
5:42 a.m.
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PonchoVia writes:
Barack Obama is all class, and wouldn't resort to the types of negative attacks that McCain has had to resort to.
But, McCain's association with a lobbyist who lobbied on behalf of Saddam Hussein would be fair game if Barack wanted to talk about it:
"William Timmons, the Washington lobbyist who John McCain has named to head his presidential transition team, aided an influence effort on behalf of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein to ease international sanctions against his regime."
The entire article here:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10...
October 15, 2008
6:38 a.m.
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greenleaf writes:
As an independent voter who in the past has voted for Republican, Democratic and independent party candidates, I have decided that the only way to purge the excessive, over reaching and unfortunate policies of the Bush administration and the Republican congress is to vote a straight Democratic ticket this time.
I don't envy the job of those who will follow the Bush administration as they will have a major challenge undoing the economic mess he and his appointed overseers have put us into.
October 15, 2008
7:30 a.m.
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T1anda writes:
Hmmmm.. 2004 polls John Kerry 51% George Bush 40% who won kiddies??
That's not saying much for polls eh??
Of course ACORN will probably be a BIG and fraudulent help getting Obama elected. How many associations does Obama have to distant himself from???? How many people does Obama have to throw under the bus to get elected???? It looks like A LOT!!!!
Obama's response to a concerned voter who is trying to start his own business and worried about Obama's tax policies "I'm not trying to punish you for succeeding but,let's spread the wealth" (Obama October 14th) Who else said that??? Oh my!! I believe it was KARL MARX!!! Vote for Obama if you want a welfare state. If you want a FREE market vote for McCain!
October 15, 2008
7:45 a.m.
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snuffy40726 writes:
We already live in a "welfare" nation. The government is currently printing money and using it to save big banks who pushed mortgages and racked up fees to people who couldn't afford them. As is always the case this election is the lessor of two evils. I have never seen a candidate that represents everything I believe in and who has no skeletons in their closet. Still, it is time for a change for the better. This article says it all:
http://www.newsflavor.com/Opinions/Wh...
October 15, 2008
7:49 a.m.
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RJS07 writes:
Vote for the Marxist! Obama '08!
October 15, 2008
7:50 a.m.
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T1anda writes:
Titancain.. Ignorance knows no bounds!! You are living proof!!
I'm sure Obama and most Democrat's would be very proud of your last statement!!
October 15, 2008
7:50 a.m.
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jay writes:
nice try tianda...this is what obama actually said yet again about his tax proposals that take us away from twice failed trickle down economics.
“It’s not that I want to punish your success, I just want to make sure that everybody who is behind you, that they’ve got a chance for success too. My attitude is that if the economy’s good for folks from the bottom up, it’s gonna be good for everybody … I think when you spread the wealth around, it’s good for everybody"
October 15, 2008
7:50 a.m.
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PonchoVia writes:
Why is McCain griping about ACORN?
McCain was an ACORN supporter:
http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story...
McCain's behavior keeps getting more and more erratic....
October 15, 2008
8:04 a.m.
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leatherneck writes:
ezekiel777: So So true, ISRAEL will no longer be our Allie if NOBAMA wins. He is a Muslim, and a lier. He won't do anything about Iran getting nukes and bombing Israel off the planet.
http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/...
McCain / Palin 08
October 15, 2008
8:05 a.m.
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BookerTee1970 writes:
Zeke writes:
"...Jackson believes that, although "Zionists who have controlled American policy for decades" remain strong, they'll lose a great deal of their clout when Barack Obama enters the White House. (Jesse Jackson, New York Post, Wednesday, October 15, 2008)"
Jesse Jackson as a source for what Obama may do? You can't be serious, LOL. Jesse Jackson speaks for one person only, and thats Jesse Jackson.
October 15, 2008
8:08 a.m.
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T1anda writes:
Yep Jay, and that ideology is definitely welfare state talk!!
I agree with Snuffy when he/she says "this election is about the lesser of two evils." It would be GREAT and refreshing to have two viable candidates and to be able to vote FOR someone instead of voting AGAINST someone!! I am voting for the lesser of two evils John McCain!!
October 15, 2008
8:09 a.m.
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coloradovet writes:
1% of the country has more combined wealth than the bottom 95% COMBINED!! Middle class america has actually been subsidizing rich tax breaks. That's WELFARE FOR THE RICH!! Obama has a PLAN to fix that.
October 15, 2008
8:11 a.m.
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PonchoVia writes:
Why has McCain hired a Saddam Hussein lobbyist as his presidential transition team leader? That is very "mavericky", but I'm just not sure it's what Americans want in a "maverick".
The latest erratic bahavior from McCain:
"William Timmons, the Washington lobbyist who John McCain has named to head his presidential transition team, aided an influence effort on behalf of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein to ease international sanctions against his regime."
The entire article here:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10...
October 15, 2008
8:19 a.m.
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T1anda writes:
Huffingtonpost Ponchovia?? You have got to be kidding!!!Bwahahahaha!!!
October 15, 2008
8:38 a.m.
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jay writes:
"ISRAEL will no longer be our Allie if NOBAMA wins. He is a Muslim, and a lier. He won't do anything about Iran getting nukes and bombing Israel off the planet."
wow.
tianda, can i ask....why do you believe that moving our country away from trickle down economics is "welfare state talk"?
if you believe that obama is the more "evil" of the two...why?
finally a conservative that defend their vote based on policy stances!
i'm waiting with baited breath.
on which major issues do you favor mccain over obama?
October 15, 2008
8:56 a.m.
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T1anda writes:
Jay, Two words........... Capitalism (McCain!) Socialism (Obama!)
October 15, 2008
8:56 a.m.
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FCZ writes:
Obama went to Kenya to rally support toward Odinga.
When Odinga lost to Kibaki, Odinga turned his murderous gaze toward the Christians who voted for Kibaki.
Odinga's communist, muslim and other anti-government hordes then ransacked villages, burned down churches and murdered Kenyan Christians.
Why isn't this front page news ?
October 15, 2008
9:42 a.m.
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T1anda writes:
It's called planned, Obama-media supression FCZ. What?? Your not used to it by now?? We must all fall into line like good little followers and accept media suppression.
October 15, 2008
9:46 a.m.
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jay writes:
tianda, can i ask....why do you believe that moving our country away from trickle down economics is "welfare state talk"?
if you believe that obama is the more "evil" of the two...why?
finally a conservative that defend their vote based on policy stances!
on which major issues do you favor mccain over obama?
should i go ahead and exhale or are you going to try to support your extremist, tinfoil-laced rhetoric?
October 15, 2008
10:10 a.m.
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T1anda writes:
Jay see comments above!!
October 15, 2008
11:13 a.m.
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COnative1966 writes:
Obama's socialist agenda to "Spread the wealth around" is finally out in the open:
Obama says his goal is to "Spread the wealth around"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85pKr5...
Obama's "tax cuts" actually welfare
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB12238...
The truth about obama's tax plan
http://www.nypost.com/seven/10152008/...
Obama's tax plan and the redistribution of wealth
http://features.csmonitor.com/politic...
Barack Obama's socialist agenda outlined
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgc4zm...
Plumber believes Obama's wealth redistribution is socialist
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDVM7O...
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here's real problem with Obamanomics: Obama's tax plan will kill jobs for lower paid workers.
This plumber's tax rate will go from 38% to 61%. On his $300K income, he'll pay an extra starting salary to the IRS.
Rather than hiring an apprentice plumber and putting another truck on the street, he'll have to send that money to the government to be redistributed to those who don't work.
This is why socialism has failed everywhere it has been tried. Income redistribution doesn't work and will destroy our great country!
October 15, 2008
11:15 a.m.
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jay writes:
is this the "support" you're giving for your decision to vote for mccain, tianda?
"Capitalism (McCain!) Socialism (Obama!)"
October 15, 2008
11:22 a.m.
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arvada_mark writes:
This independant is more & more convinced NObama is better suited for running a counrty located in Eastern Europe or Southern Asia. Or better yet, a union. They are the ones who feel they need to "spread the wealth." That may be the dumbest thing he ever said...& all because he didn't have a script in front of him. Way to squash the socialist rumors, pal. Some plumber "gets in his face" (NObama's words, not mine), he gets flustered & blurts out the 1st thing that comes to mind.????? I'm pretty sure Front Range Community College offers a course that can teach him how to respond responsibly when somebody challenges his ideas, for just a few hundred bucks, too.
Also, since when are people with direct ties to terrorists eligible for government jobs? If you don't know about his friends (the Weather Idiots), I suggest reading up on what they stand for & who they were in cahoots with (Fidel & the Commies of Viet Nam in particular). You libs owe it to your counrty to know exactly who they are & how they feel about the USA...our USA.