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First Read is an analysis of the day's political news, from the NBC News political unit. First Read is updated throughout the day, so check back often.

Chuck Todd, NBC Political Director

Mark Murray, NBC Deputy Political Director

Domenico Montanaro, NBC Political Researcher



NBC/WSJ poll: For VP, economy matters

Posted: Wednesday, July 23, 2008 5:05 PM by Domenico Montanaro
Filed Under: ,

From NBC/NJ's Mike Memoli


As both campaigns zero in on their running mate selections, the new NBC/Wall Street Journal poll finds that a sizeable number of voters would like to see both nominees shore up their ticket with someone with economic credentials.

But for Obama, the No. 1 quality sought in a running mate is someone with diplomatic or military credentials. Fifty percent of respondents said they’d like to see the Illinois senator pick someone who is an expert in the military or foreign affairs, compared to only 25 percent who thought McCain should do so.

VIDEO: A new NBC/Wall Street Journal poll shows Barack Obama has a 6-point lead over John McCain in the race for the White House. NBC's Political Director Chuck Todd weighs in on the poll results.

Sixty percent of the registered voters surveyed wanted to see McCain pick a running mate who’s an expert on the economy, with another 22 percent looking for someone who has experience in the business world. Forty-two percent of those surveyed want Obama to pick a fiscal expert.

Voters were allowed to choose more than one quality from a list. A smaller number of voters on each side thought it was important to pick someone who was conservative or liberal on social issues, with 13 and 11 percent, respectively.

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I don't know how else to email you about the "crawl" on Hardball right now. It states that Obama is in Amman today, meeting with King Abdullah. That's wrong because that happened yesterday!
No-brainer there!  I just hope that McCain picks Romney... that will help Obama tremendously!  None of the evangelicals will want a Morman as Veep.
Ah. This is not too relevant!

Next....
this wasn't as 'worth waiting for' as I'd hoped.  No more poll teasing.

(note I didn't say pole dancing)
Partisan ideology is a big loser this GE.

We politics compulsives think the general public is distracted, but obviously they know a little something! They've nailed what we percieve as the  two candidates biggest challenges.
Yeah, for me on Obama, I definitely prefer a foreign policy VP, but they must also be pro-choice.  That rules out Hagel for me and probably some others that I don't realize.  The problem is, most of the folks I liked have been ruled out for one reason or another.

As for McCain, I am not sure which is a bigger deal for me.  I'm trying to think of a diplomatic way to say this...  Ummm, I'm not satisfied with his approach on either the economy or foreign affairs, so it would be tough to find a VP that truly fills the void in my view.
a band from California wrote and recorded a song for the Obama campaign,,,,we posted it but have no idea if they've heard it. Can anyone help?

http://www.instituteofnoise.com/l6/revolution.asp
If you guys can't get the proper names on the posts, or don't care if the proper names are on the posts, then I totally understand why people don't trust MSNBC/NBC. It's as simple as that.
McCain should pick a cartographer.
This is dumb! Why do people still think McIdiot knows anything about foreign policy when he doesn't even know where the countries are located???
In more polling news, four presidential surveys released today find Obama leading in Florida, Virginia, Minnesota AND New Jersey. Full roundup: http://campaigndiaries.com/2008/07/23/wednesday-polls-2/
of course this is before his trip....but these polls will change for sure!!!!!
McCain should choose Pee Wee Herman as his running mate

He could show John McCain how to handle himself in public

Either that or Verne Troyer for McCain's VP

McCain/Herman '08
We can handle it

McCain/Troyer '08
Dr. Evil and mini-me
So...I hear all about potential Obama VP choices with military creds, but no one ever talks about who would be a good choice with economic strengths.  Fill me in as I must have been dozing if someone talked about them.
This poll helps to explains why Mitt Romney should be McCain VP. VP's can only really help a campaign mainly with one issue. Mitt Romney is perfect on economic credentials.
GO JOE!!!
GO JOE!!!
GO JOE!!!
GO JOE!!!
GO JOE!!!
GO JOE!!!
WE WANT JOE!!!
WE WANT JOE!!!
WE WANT JOE!!!
WE WANT JOE!!!
LISTEN TO THAT CROWD!!!!
Obama/Biden '08
We're happy voters and we approve this message..
Could we just have a VP who doesn't hate the constitution and what America stands for?
For Obama's VP:  Joe Biden or Bill Richardson, but definitely someone he wants at his right hand.
For McCain:  Someone under 60 who's internet savvy, for starters; someone who DOES know about the economy and is realistic about Iraq and Afghanistan.  But honestly, I think he should just continue screwing things up.  Maybe then even the low information voters might hear some truth that will stick.  
Nothing new here to see folks...keep on walking, lets go.  No stopping, just walk on through.  Nothing to see here.
Expert on the economy + experience in the business world= Romney to the core. McCain would be wise to choose him.
John McCain was a POW and a commander during peace time.  He doesn't need shoring up.  He needs to get out of the race as he is showing himself to have little expertise on any subject. On the other hand, Obama needs to pick a candidate that is smart, articulate and can win a battleground state.  Obama combining with such a candidate can blow "old man river" out of the water. Your polls appear designed to yield less positive results for Obama.  Further, it is also inconceivable that anyone would continue asserting that McCain has foreign policy expertise, given his countless encounters with demonstrating that he is clueless in that regard.
Real solutions not phony accusations..
Real judgment not half baked answers...
Real concern not poor disengagements...
Real leadership not sucking up for friends...
Real character not hugging the failed past...
Real ideas not mouthing the past...
Real values not clueless about them..
Real help not saying we're whiners....
Real Candidate not the McRepeat Candidate..

It's your choice....

Obama'08
MicroSoft-ierra:

Quit nominating all your friends.
As I keep saying, Obama/Biden, 08  Looks like most in the polls agree that Obama needs a VP with military/foreign policy experience.  A Winning combination!

I think it is a little tougher for McCain, the more we see and hear of him, it is hard to believe that he actually has the foreign policy/military experience necessary to be CIC.  Gaffes and mis-speaks are understandable, but he has went above and beyond what can be forgiven.  I say that as he is supposedly running as the foreign policy/military expert.  I admired him in 2000, but McCain 2008 is not anywhere near the same person.  I don't know if anyone else has noticed, but he seems to have aged tremendously and become much more vague just since the beginning of the primaries.  Scary.  That said, I'll go with McCain/Romney, he he he....
I DO NOT UNDERSTAND HOW ANYONE CAN NOT SEE HOW HILARY CLINTON WOULD ASSURE A WIN IN NOVEMBER.
DO YOU NOT REMEMBER THAT SHE GOT AS MANY VOTES AS OBAMA?
WHO ELSE CAN SAY THAT. CERTAINLY NOT BIDEN OR RICHARDSON. THEY BARELY GOT ANY VOTES.
HOW CAN THAT APPEASE THE BLUE COLLAR WORKERS THAT OBAMA LACKS. HOW CAN THAT APPEASE ALL THE WOMEN WHO WILL NOT VOTE FOR OBAMA UNLESS HILARY IS ON THE TICKET.
SHE CAN HELP WITH LATINOS. SHE HAS BEEN ENDORSED BY OVER FIFTEEN GENERALS AND THEY HAVE REPEATEDLY SAID SHE HAS TREMENDOUS KNOWLEDGE.
RASMUSSEN POLLS JUST TWO DAYS AGO FOUND THAT HILARY WOULD BEAT MCCAIN OVER OBAMA. IF YOU DOUBT THAT PULL IT UP ON THEIR SITE. SHE WOULD WORK HER HEART OUT FOR HIM AS SHE DID THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS OF HER CAMPAIGN WHEN SHE FINALLY DECIDED TO BE HERSELF.
IT'S A NO-BRAINER AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED. UNFORTUNATELY, OBAMA MAY NOT HAVE THE SELF CONFIDENCE TO PUT A STRONG WOMAN ON HIS TICKET. MANY HAVE SAID HE BASICALLY WANTS A YES PERSON WHO DOESN'T HAVE A LOT OF RECOGNITION.TOO BAD.......


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