Even before the RNC was over, and both the Palin and McCain speechs, polls showed McCain and Obama at a dead tie of 42 each. I am anxiously waiting for the next gallup poll to see if the Republicans have pulled ahead for the first time in this race. I am also anxiously awaiting the debates to begin. Palin will certainly hold her own, and McCain will eat Obama's lunch without his teleprompter. I can hear the stammering and studdering already. I um will ummm have uh to ummm think ummm about uh, uh that.
DEMOCRATS IN TROUBLE - New York Post

Ummmmm, yeah, my friends, I WAS A POW FOR 5 1/2 YEARS IN VIETNAM.
Ummmmm, yeah, my friends, I WAS A POW FOR 5 1/2 YEARS IN VIETNAM.
Ummmmm, yeah, my friends, I WAS A POW FOR 5 1/2 YEARS IN VIETNAM.
Ummmmm, yeah, my friends, I WAS A POW FOR 5 1/2 YEARS IN VIETNAM.
Ummmmm, yeah, my friends, I WAS A POW FOR 5 1/2 YEARS IN VIETNAM.
Ummmmm, yeah, my friends, I WAS A POW FOR 5 1/2 YEARS IN VIETNAM.
Ummmmm, yeah, my friends, I WAS A POW FOR 5 1/2 YEARS IN VIETNAM.
Ummmmm, yeah, my friends, I WAS A POW FOR 5 1/2 YEARS IN VIETNAM.

Hey, it's 5 o'clock somewhere, right? Chin-chin, drinkers!

Good luck with that

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All things serve The Beam

This is the important part of the story:And the fact that this poll typically leans in favor of Democrats.

Personally, unless it becomes a stampede away from Obama (which, with all the Kool-Aid that has been served, I doubt will happen) I would prefer to see Obama stay 1 or 2 points ahead. That way, come November 5th, the Dems will once again be in shock wondering what happened.

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Andy
Cynical Optimist

I think you're exactly right, I don't remember for sure but I think when Bush was running against Kerry most polls showed Kerry leading, but he lost the election. Either the polls are off, or something weird happens to dems when it's time to vote.

Er... here's a news flash: The Polls Don't Mean a Damn Thing! All a poll does is give a snapshot of opinions that is constantly changing. Don' treat it like a gospel. They're accurate only when a candidate is winning a landslide like when Clinton beat Dole. I don't even pay attention to polls, it's going to be a close race and I don't need polls to tell me that.

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"All I need to know is, when the Democrats were in control, I was always working. When the Republicans are in control, I'm not." - Jeff the Unemployed of Alameda, CA.

The closer we get to the election we get the less important national polls are in relation to polls of the various swing states since popular vote doesn't win elections (think 2000). I just read a good article at Slate.com that doesn't actually focus on this but does mention what polls are showing in those briefly about halfway through the article and what different scenarios each candidate needs. Here it is if you are interested.

The presidential race enters a 60-day sprint. - By John Dickerson - Slate Magazine

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"Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

Sort of like

Hope for change we can change and hope for.
Change we hope we can believe in.
Hope we can hope for while changing our change so we can hope for change.
Change Change Change..... Change you fools
Hope and Change and Hope and Change... We Hope
Change Change Change Change Change.... Hope Change!

Matt

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De duobus malis, minus est semper eligendum

You're right for the most part.

Except that McCain's is all the more regretfull because it whores out an otherwise dignified and honorable position. It's become schtick.

Any man that would do that doesn't have my vote.

But he has my pity.

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All things serve The Beam

You forgot "Anyone but Bush, McCain is Bush, anyone but Bush."

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Andy
Cynical Optimist

Gallup is owned by USAToday, which is owned by Gannett, which is owned by the Democrats.

Don't expect a fair sampling and don't expect an accurate result.

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"We can't screw it up any worse than they have." - Barack Obama

Wanna bet?



"You never want a serious crisis to go to waste...." - Rahm Emmanuel

So, Bebop...How do you know it will be a close race if you don't need polls to tell you that? What is your lithium method to help you determine it will be a close race?

Or the polls were tilted towards the Democrats to depress Republican voters.

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"We can't screw it up any worse than they have." - Barack Obama

Wanna bet?



"You never want a serious crisis to go to waste...." - Rahm Emmanuel

You forgot about 30 uhhhhhhhhhs.

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"We can't screw it up any worse than they have." - Barack Obama

Wanna bet?



"You never want a serious crisis to go to waste...." - Rahm Emmanuel

Hey Mudwhistle, I just noticed your reference to Joe Biden and his mouth keeping him from being president. Hell, the man ain't even going to be the VP after the debates. Palin is going to eat his lunch and expose him to be the fake he is.

From the result of the last two presidential elections, the realization that this country is very much divided, the fact that no incumbent is running, the appeal of both candidates to their base, and in general by paying attention, being logical, and being cognizant of current events.

Without polls, I can tell you this race will be very close right up to election day and it will be decided by certain counties in key swing states.

.

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"All I need to know is, when the Democrats were in control, I was always working. When the Republicans are in control, I'm not." - Jeff the Unemployed of Alameda, CA.