First thoughts: Sunshine for Obama

Posted: Tuesday, September 23, 2008 9:26 AM by Mark Murray
Filed Under: First Thoughts

From Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, Domenico Montanaro, and Carrie Dann
*** Sunshine on Obama’s shoulders: If you want to know why Obama is doing his debate prep today in -- of all places -- Tampa, FL, look no further than the latest TODAY Show/NBC/Mason-Dixon poll, which has Obama up in the Sunshine State by two points, 47%-45%. Yet inside those numbers, Obama leads McCain in the Tampa Bay area (Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Hernando, and Polk counties) by a 49%-43% margin. Mason-Dixon pollster Brad Coker says the key to winning Florida statewide is usually through Tampa Bay, and Obama’s six-point lead in the area explains why he’s ahead in this poll. Moreover, outside of Nevada, there is probably not another state that has been hurt more by the housing and credit crunch, and that may be benefiting Obama right now. Also potentially troublesome for McCain in this must-win GOP state, he leads by just six among Hispanics (49%-43%), which in Florida is made up of a majority of Cubans. (If Obama does pick off younger Cubans, he may close the overall gap thanks to his large lead among non-Cuban Hispanics in the I-4 corridor.) Also, McCain's four-point lead among seniors (48%-44%) is not as big as he needs it to be to offset the electorate-changing demographics among blacks and young voters. So Obama's decision to prep for Friday's debate in Florida is turning into a smart play, huh? Any extra day in Florida might pay off…

Video: NBC political director Chuck Todd breaks down the latest poll numbers from the battleground state of Florida, which is attracting particular attention from the presidential candidates.

*** Here’s your Obama bounce: Florida isn’t the only state looking good for Obama after the political winds shifted last week. In Virginia, he’s up by three points among likely voters (49%-46%) and six points among registered ones (50%-44%), according to a new Washington Post/ABC survey. Also, a new round of Wall Street Journal/WashingtonPost.com/Quinnipiac polling shows Obama leading among likelies in Colorado (49%-45%), Michigan (48%-44%), Minnesota (47%-45%), and Wisconsin (49%-42%). The lone piece of good battleground news for McCain comes from New Hampshire, where the latest University of New Hampshire poll has the Arizona senator up by two points (47%-45%).

*** The growing South vs. the shrinking North: What's going on here? Why is Obama seeming to make gains in some of the big growth states (see FL, NC, and VA), but McCain is making progress -- or at least keeping it close -- in the shrinking population states (NH, WI, PA, and MI)? The growing states have electorates that tune in later and the swing voters in those states may also be more sensitive to the current economy issue. Take Florida, for instance: The state's economy was built not just on tourism but homebuilding. As for McCain's improvement in the North and Industrial Midwest? The Republican base was really underperforming in many of those shrinking population states. Also, Obama's ability to change the electorates in those states is much more limited than in places like Virginia, North Carolina, and Florida.

*** I’m Joe Biden, and I don’t approve that message: You knew this was coming, right? Biden told CBS that he didn’t approve of the Obama ad that questioned McCain’s computer literacy. "I thought that was terrible by the way… If I had anything to do with it, we would have never done it," he said. Republicans made quick political hay of Biden’s remark -- one emailing First Read, “For the rest of the election, Republicans can say ‘Even Joe Biden thinks Obama’s attacks are “terrible” and embarrassing.” Biden released a statement last night to clarify things. “I was asked about an ad I’d never seen, reacting merely to press reports… Having now reviewed the ad, it is even more clear to me that given the disgraceful tenor of Sen. McCain’s ads and their persistent falsehoods, his campaign is in no position to criticize, especially when they continue to distort Barack’s votes on an issue as personal as keeping kids safe from sexual predators.” Biden’s not being his best Biden.

*** Palin at the UN: Today and tomorrow at the United Nations, Palin gets her first true opportunity to bolster her foreign policy credentials when she meets with various world leaders, many of whom have ties to McCain or his campaign. Today, she meets with Afghanistan President Karzai, Colombia President Uribe, and Henry Kissinger. And tomorrow, McCain joins her in meetings with Georgia’s Saakashvili and Ukraine’s Yushchenko. In one way, Palin’s two days of pressing the flesh with world leaders is analogous to Obama’s trip to the Middle East and Europe. Then again, Obama -- by holding a press conference in Jordan and a bilateral newser with Sarkozy -- performed at a higher degree of difficulty than Palin, who won’t be talking to the press. By the way, as NBC’s John Yang reminds us, Palin won’t be the only elected US executive sitting down with world leaders today. President Bush meets with Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and later delivers his final address to the United Nations General Assembly. The speech, which times out at about 30 minutes, will include language about the global impact of his administration's actions to stabilize the US financial system. But the bulk of it will be a discussion of what the UN can do to better combat terrorism and spread freedom.

*** A pivotal day: Today may be a pivotal day for Hank Paulson's bailout plan as he testifies in front of the Senate Banking Committee. Quite a few lawmakers -- from the left and right -- are questioning the size and scope of the bailout and the transfer of financial power to one person. We were surprised by the type of lawmakers who we saw releases from yesterday questioning the bailout. They weren't from wingers on either side. This is such a tricky game for both parties on the Hill. Neither side wants to be seen as handing over a blank check to Wall Street, and neither wants to be seen as the party who hurt the financial markets longer than necessary.

*** Those pigs didn’t oink: Notice how the McCain campaign tried to change the subject yesterday? It cut its first Tony Rezko ad, which tied Obama to the “corrupt Chicago machine”; it angrily denounced the New York Times on a conference call with reporters; and it brought up Obama’s tenuous ties to ‘60s radical William Ayers on that same conference call. But unlike two weeks ago, when the McCain camp’s “lipstick on a pig” and “sex-ed for kindergartners” TV ad dominated the political discussion, those weapons of mass distraction got very little attention yesterday. The economy and the current Wall Street crisis have become THE story, and nothing right now is going to stop that. All the cable outlets will be covering the Paulson/Bernanke hearings as big news today -- making subject-changing efforts much more difficult.

*** Voting is underway: For most, Election Day is November 4, but voting is already underway in 11 states. Voters in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, South Carolina, Kentucky, Virginia, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Georgia, Missouri, and South Dakota already have the chance to cast ballots. In fact, in Kentucky -- which started voting on Thursday -- the first ballot in the state was cast for McCain (and the second went for Obama). The first absentee ballots went out Aug. 26th, more than two months before Election Day. By the end of this week, voters in 15 states will have the opportunity to cast their ballots. And by October 5, a month before Election Day, some form of early voting will happen in 23 states.

*** On the trail: McCain, in Ohio, makes a statement in Strongsville and tours a factory in Middleburg before heading to Freeland, MI for yet another factory tour. Obama will be doing debate prep in Tampa, FL. Biden, in DC, addresses the National Jewish Democratic Council. And Palin is at the United Nations, meeting with Afghanistan President Karzai, Colombia President Uribe, and Henry Kissinger.

Countdown to the first presidential debate: 3 days
Countdown to the vice presidential debate: 11 days
Countdown to the second presidential debate 14 days
Countdown to the third presidential debate: 22 days
Countdown to Election Day 2008: 42 days
Countdown to Inauguration Day 2009: 119 days

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Comments

Okay All,

Here’s what you have been seeking on this Mr. McCain….. And to think so willing to vote him instead of releasing their prejudices. If you won’t give up your prejudices, at least give up your conscience and let it be your guide….Do not let this country suffer because of internal strife……PLEASE!!!!!

The Fuel Issue:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/02/28/bush-on-4-gas-i-hadnt_n_88907.html?page=7
His View on America:
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2008/07/phil-gramms-whi.html
The Economy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqsH7dkFGTo
International Expertise:
http://www.npr.org/blogs/news/2008/03/mccain_mixes_up_shiites_sunni.html
Deregulation:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_positions_of_John_McCain
Lies:
http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2007/10/mccain_rolls_out_health_plan_a.html
http://donklephant.com/2008/09/09/mccains-gross-lie-about-obamas-sex-education-bill/

The Real Truth!!! (Sent Tuesday, September 23, 2008 9:32 AM)

The Obama campaign has got to stop letting McCain drive home the ‘he hasn’t offered any plan/no leadership’ line. When will Obama attack first on a daily basis? This is how McCain gets back in the game. And when will he come out and smash the tax increase big government line McCain uses? I recommend one word you have used before, and it is extremely effective. Enough! Enough of their hog wash, brainwashing, lies, racism, fear mongering and vote suppression. Enough!

Chuck, NY (Sent Tuesday, September 23, 2008 9:34 AM)

Cataclysmic! Apocalyptic! The end of America as we know it!

But we need to solve the entire problem by Friday so we can go home and campaign for re-election.

Little wonder that America has become a joke around the world.

Ron, Canton, GA (Sent Tuesday, September 23, 2008 9:37 AM)

This bailout is a bad idea.

First, capitalism is supposed to be “high risk, high reward”, but the government is going to make the ones benefitting from the bailout “high reward with no risks”.

Second, we cannot leave any bailout money to be decided by only Paulson, an unelected official who has done a TERRIBLE job as Treasury Secretary (even before this past week).

Third, it’s amazing how, during the past eight years, there is never enough money to enhance education, health care, infrastructure, park service, forest service, etc., yet this Administration magically has $700B+ to throw away as a bailout.

Fourth, one major part of the Bush legacy will be how his Administration has thrown money at problems without any checks or balances. Iraq? Throw money at it. Katrina fallout? Throw money at it. Mortgage crisis? Throw money at it. Did any of these succeed? NO. In fact, they actually made things worse.

Our country is in turmoil, and this bailout will only make things worse in the long run.
------------

If Congress wants to really have a decent plan, set it up so that ALL taxpayers reap the rewards. In other words, if the mortgage companies, loan companies, and banks start profitting, the profits should be equally divided amongst the taxpayers… who only were the ones bailing those corporations out. That sounds more fair than the plans currently being discussed.

Craig W, Everett, Wash. (Sent Tuesday, September 23, 2008 9:39 AM)

Absolutley NO Republican in the White House.

Joe (Sent Tuesday, September 23, 2008 9:40 AM)

First Read: "Notice how the McCain campaign tried to change the subject yesterday?"

Exactly when hasn't that been the case. Its been a campaign of distractions from the start, out of necessity. Because the bottom line is this - when people focus on issues, our current national situation and John McCain's record, Obama wins.

From Paris Hilton to whatever it is that McCain wants to talk about today, he desperately needs to pull off another 40-some days of slight of hand, or realize his self-described long held ambition of being president just to be president will never be realized.

John McCain: "I didn't decide to run for president to start a national crusade for the political reforms I believed in or to run a campaign as if it were some grand act of patriotism. In truth, I wanted to be president because it had become my ambition to be president...In truth, I'd had the ambition for a long time."

I'm sure we'll see many more attempts at distraction between now and election day.

Paul Miller, Woodbridge, VA (Sent Tuesday, September 23, 2008 9:41 AM)

"The growing states have electorates that tune in later and the swing voters in those states may also be more sensitive to the current economy issue. Take Florida, for instance: The state's economy was built not just on tourism but homebuilding."

I agree with the symptom, but the cause may be that the percentage of fresh, and therefore higher risk, home mortgages is likely higher in a growing state, than in a state with a more static population.

The people who have bought in the last several years are more likely to have mortgage debt exceeding the current "value" of their homes than people who have owned for more than 5 years - and NOT REFINANCED.

j ferguson, Green Cove Springs (Sent Tuesday, September 23, 2008 9:42 AM)

Oh, the Bailout will happen. After Pelosi, Redi and Obey get done with the plan they are coming up in secret, the bill won't be for $700 billion. No, no, no. Try double that amount!!

Nancy Pelosi for President (Sent Tuesday, September 23, 2008 9:43 AM)

The higher Obama climbs in the polls - the lower McCain's ethics will sink.

Libratine (Sent Tuesday, September 23, 2008 9:43 AM)

Mark Murray, question: how do you know ballots were cast for McCain and Obama in Kentucky? Isn't that confidential information until November 4? I would think that putting that out early would make the situation ripe for voter fraud. Thank you.

Laura, Virginia (Sent Tuesday, September 23, 2008 9:43 AM)

In a business negotiation whenever one party says there is no time it is always favorable for the other party to take more time.

Jim, Santa Cruz (Sent Tuesday, September 23, 2008 9:44 AM)

When President Lyndon B. Johnson wanted to see poverty, he came to visit my team, the 1964 Mets.

Casey Stengel (Sent Tuesday, September 23, 2008 9:45 AM)

Look for more lies and distortions from the McCain camp in the wake of these new poll numbers. That's the GOP mantra. When all else fails, lie, cheat, distort, and lie some more.

>>>Biden told CBS that he didn’t approve of the Obama ad that questioned McCain’s computer literacy.
==========
I have to say that I agree on this one, mainly because it was so LAME. A rare misstep on Obama's part. However, given the crap overflowing from the McCain camp, he can be forgiven on this one.

>>>It cut its first Tony Rezko ad, which tied Obama to the “corrupt Chicago machine”; it angrily denounced the New York Times on a conference call with reporters; and it brought up Obama’s tenuous ties to ‘60s radical William Ayers on that same conference call. But unlike two weeks ago, when the McCain camp’s “lipstick on a pig” and “sex-ed for kindergartners” TV ad dominated the political discussion, those weapons of mass distraction got very little attention yesterday.
==========
My faith in America has been restored. I figured it be a matter of time before the masses woke up and realized the real issues. No amount of pig-sh-- coming from the McCain/Palin camp is going to help them this time. Just check out the poll numbers.

>>>In one way, Palin’s two days of pressing the flesh with world leaders is analogous to Obama’s trip to the Middle East and Europe. Then again, Obama -- by holding a press conference in Jordan and a bilateral newser with Sarkozy -- performed at a higher degree of difficulty than Palin, who won’t be talking to the press.
==========
And this is somehow going to give her FP creds? OMG I can't wait until she and Biden go at it in the VP debates.

Obama/Biden '08!

jawillie, Philadelphia, PA. (Sent Tuesday, September 23, 2008 9:45 AM)

Laura,
Unless I'm mistaken, a Kentucky newspaper interviewed the first two people who showed up to vote. The first told the paper McCain; the second told the paper Obama. They were interviewed after the fact. Thanks for the question!

Mark Murray (Sent Tuesday, September 23, 2008 9:46 AM)

It's all the way to the White House! Go Obama!

Tonnie, New Mexico (Sent Tuesday, September 23, 2008 9:46 AM)

Sarah Palin, clueless about the Bush Doctrine and can see Russia from her house, is now meeting with heads of state. She spouts lies on a daily basis with no evidence to back up her allegations and she has become America's darling. I share the faith of Sen. Obama that the American people are too smart to be taken in by the McCain campaign and their smear tactics.

Do your own research, America, and vote on the issues. There's too much at stake to allow the Rethugs to get away with their lies and lack of leadership.

OBAMA/BIDEN )8

J. Ellis, Virginia (Sent Tuesday, September 23, 2008 9:47 AM)

Lets all calm down till after the debates. Then we will see how the polls look. To be honest it may not matter. When 401 ks look like 201ks. That's a problem for America.

Flow, Asheville, North Carolina (Sent Tuesday, September 23, 2008 9:49 AM)

Sarah Palin at the UN you say? "What's she gonna talk about with foreign leaders? Maybe she will exchange her receipies for moose burgers.'

g`pa (Sent Tuesday, September 23, 2008 9:49 AM)

Look at the demographics. The Republican Party is the party of the Deep South, of the Old Confederacy. So why would a republican vote for somebody they think should be picking cotton on Miss Sarah's plantation?

WR, HB, CA (Sent Tuesday, September 23, 2008 9:49 AM)

chuck in NY, calm down, the more johnny talked the more stupid he sounds!!! and as for these polls it seems that voters are not going to be swayed by the talk from john mccain, he is blaming everybody but him self for this mess. as for the ad that brings up the chicago connection, that ad is so far out of line its is making folks here laugh!!
barack obama was not apart of the daley machine, he was not pick by the machine when he ran for congress and lost to bobby rush, he was not backed by the machine when he ran for state senate, and he was not the pick from the machine when he ran for us senate.
barack obama earned what he has gotten on his own!!!
yes there was alot of luck, aka allen keys!! and word here is that bill daley is pissed off to no end!!!
john mccain call him a corrupt politician, but yet john voted for him to be commerce secertary!!!!
once again john mccains ads are nothen but lies and half truths, and as far as tony resko, hillary tired to do this same thing and it did not work, the resko stuff has been goan over time and time again and there is nothen there. john mccain called him his money man, that is untrue!!!
but the governer that is a different story!! and beleive me barack obama and the governer were always at each other throts about many things, just yeaterday barack called emel jones and got them to over ride the governers veto over ehtics reform that the governer vetoed!!!

barack obama is his own man and not from the daley machine, the mayor is not stupid and once he was elected to the us senate, richie now considers him one of his own!!!

jeff D Evanston IL. (Sent Tuesday, September 23, 2008 9:49 AM)

McCain's lies and connection to the economic meltdown is being highlighted in the polls. Is America waking up?

http://infogiant.wordpress.com/2008/09/19/who-do-mccain-palin-and-cnn-think-they-are-fooling/

http://infogiant.wordpress.com/2008/07/17/timeline-part-i-bush-cheney-war-and-oil/

infogiant, austin, tx (Sent Tuesday, September 23, 2008 9:51 AM)

Lets start with some Kudo's: Chuck N.Y. I always enjoy reading what you have to say. Keep it up.

Rachael Maddow: You are "out-polling" Larry King. Well done. It should make the management at MSNBC to take notice. While I absolutely hated Pat Buchannan, I enjoy watching you debate with him. If he had the brains of a goose, he would not appear on your show anymore.

Credit to conservative George Will: He his one who puts Country First instead of McOld first. Simple observation that Mccain may be unfit to be POTUS. Not only does he lack temperament, but in my opinion he has dementia...thus the many, many gaffes.

Credit to CNN for calling out McCain's lies. Other than Olbermann and Maddow, MSNBC is lacking in that department. Gregory asks got'ya questions, but doesn't call a lie...a lie.

My guess is that the Congress will be a bit slow (like maybe next week) to finalize a bailout plan. Why? The Dems want to keep the economy in the Headlines The rationale is to come up with a sound bill: but the understory is to keep the economy in the headlines. Ain't politics fun.

In terms of debate expectations, it is easy to underestimate McOld. But he will make some gaffes because of his dementia.

Ron Indiana (Sent Tuesday, September 23, 2008 9:51 AM)

I see the second tier candidate sarah piglips is meeting with second tier world leaders...yeah yeah I know, Georgia and Columbia are big world players in the Republicans mind...

Mccain is clearly grasping at straws with his campaign rhetoric...I know guys names jerry, dennis and david from Texas all believe the tripe...most of the easily conned and poorly educated always do.

Rick, NC (Sent Tuesday, September 23, 2008 9:52 AM)

From A Previous Thread

Save our nation from another 9 11 (Sent Monday, September 22, 2008 7:25 PM) - R U serious!!!. Do you really want a president who offers to shake the hand of a terrorist organization, and provide gov't aid to such terrorists(Obama) Instead of using the millitary to defnd our country(Mccain). No wonder why Obama is so popular in natioms like Iran, Suadan, Libya, Somallia.

You bet your bippy Save Our Nation:

Someone who knows how to shake the hand of a terrorist organization while infiltrating them and keeping them off guard with false illusions of weakness and friendship, and in your hip pocket so you can find them, keep an eye on them and destroy them when the time is right, is someone who knows how to fight terrorism.

Or you can use McCain’s approach. Send thousands of troops into a country where the head of the snake is not even located as our troops (God bless them) run around like the keystone cops trying to determine who they are fighting while their enemy blend in with the general population and use the country (and our troops) as a training ground for future terrorists and terrorism.

You have no clue “Save Our” how to fight terrorism and neither does McCain. Finding and eliminating terrorist’s organizations (their leaders and members) requires a properly developed international law enforcement strategy. It is not a major military force issue where the military is asked to nation- build and to provide police protection for other countries while trying to eliminate the world of terrorists. Call me unpatriotic if you wish but this is one person who knows that you will not be able to defeat terrorism by sending large masses of troops all over the world trying to track them down. At some point you are going to make other countries and much of the world very pissed and you will lose any cooperation you need to fight terrorism properly (international cooperation).

Obama knows the above and that is why we should support him. He’ll talk to and make friends with our enemies but if they get out of line he’ll then eliminate them through stealth and international cooperation. The only way to defeat terrorism is to adopt their tactics. You don’t go around sabre rattling, threatening and telling the world every damn move you intend to make. Ask Israel. When they cross their border with mass military incursions they solve very little and in fact get their tails kicked at times while pissing off the world. When they send out Mossad to infiltrate terrorists organizations and cut the heads off the leaders and members they are more successful at eliminating and stemming the tide of terrorism.

I would rather have a President who is popular with the Iranian, Sudanese, Lybian and Somalian people who can seek their help in fighting terrorists rather than a President who increases hatred for the U.S. by these same people with his constant sabre rattling and threats against their nations. All McCain does is increase these people’s nationalistic feelings because they think they have to defend themselves against an aggressive American President. Ask Putin of Russia what he thinks of McCain and whether or not he wishes to cooperate with a McCain administration You’ll get the picture. McCain likens himself to Teddy Roosevelt. He is nothing like Teddy Roosevelt who spoke softly but carried a big stick. McCain speaks with a big stick but can’t back up his threats with a military that has been worn thin with his nation-building and world policing mentality.

C A, Tuscaloosa, AL (Sent Tuesday, September 23, 2008 9:52 AM)

It is really time to remind the public about the Keating 5.

jim (Sent Tuesday, September 23, 2008 9:52 AM)

I still say McCain's advisers should be fired. For him to go another factory or plant where he sees nothing but Obama buttons and shirts is absurd. He just confirms their suspicions about being an old duffer that can't read very fast. With his history of supporting degregulation he is crazy to go anywhere without Sarah Palin. If ever he should seek solace in Republican strongholds it is now.

Elmer, Seattle (Sent Tuesday, September 23, 2008 9:52 AM)

Why is Sarah Palin not required to pass the "Commander in Chief" test?

I've heard of the bar being low, but this is ridiculous.

How can we interview her for the job of Vice President(and possibly President) if she won't answer questions - even in Alaska - you know the state that she is paid to govern.

Why no discussion of John McCain's role in the Keating 5, which led to the collapse of the Savings and Loan industry?

All this POW talk, but John McCain's most recent experience is with destroying financial systems through cronyism. Sound familiar?

Nashville_fan (Sent Tuesday, September 23, 2008 9:52 AM)

From a Previous Thread

Rick,Ky (Sent Monday, September 22, 2008 6:52 PM)

Rick,KY:

I agree with everything you have said. No, the meltdown is not comical.

C A, Tuscaloosa, AL (Sent Tuesday, September 23, 2008 9:53 AM)

Some signs in Alaska at the anti-Palin demonstration:

Hockey mom-keep the puck out of D.C.

Alaska Disaster

God's will is not a foreign policy

Pat, Boston, MA (Sent Tuesday, September 23, 2008 9:54 AM)

Leaders abroad are watching this election closely. More evidence that the McCain camp thinks people are stupid.
Those leaders know who Palin is, they know her credentials or lack thereof and they are not fooled either.

How are these people Maverick's and have the Bush cronies running their campaign?

Why is Palin not answering media questions? Maybe because she is dumb as a box of rocks!

Michelle Zee (Sent Tuesday, September 23, 2008 9:54 AM)

Major caveat on the new Mason-Dixon poll: It was conducted through 18 Sept which was the height of McCain's difficult period after the Wall Street troubles. Meanwhile polling is generally showing a swing back to McCain since then. For instance, the Rasmussen Florida poll was conducted 3 days AFTER the Mason-Dixon poll and finds McCain leading by 5 points (51%-46%). Nationally, today Rasmussen shows that Obama has lost his lead - both tied at 48%, compared to a consistent Obama lead for a couple days. Meanwhile, the bipartisan Battleground poll shows McCain is now up by 2 points nationally (48%-46%) after having lost his lead last week.

I believe John McCain will win this election.

Steve, South Carolina (Sent Tuesday, September 23, 2008 9:54 AM)

TURNOUT is THE KEY!!

After resgistering them, Obama has to get them out to the polls...

Not to worry though...McCain is providing plenty of incentive to the neglected electorate to GET OUT AND VOTE THE IDIOTS OUT OF OFFICE!!!

GA GUY (Sent Tuesday, September 23, 2008 9:54 AM)

It is very interesting that Liberal NBC is the only poll showing McCain ahead in Florida. Their Poll is a joke. Look at every other poll on real clear politics and McCain is leading by far. NBC has lost all credibility after Olberman and Matthews.

McCain will win and America will be safe for another 4 years.

Jeremiah, Des Moines, Iowa (Sent Tuesday, September 23, 2008 9:54 AM)

So Bias NBC is coming up with the ONLY Florida poll where Obama is up? Ridiculous. Republicans will win Florida, make no mistake about that. Obama should focus on Ohio and Colorado. VA and FL will end up voting for McCain while PA may well turn red this year.

NBC and MSNBC are so bias it's laughable. Any poll with "NBC" on it will be dismissed for that reason.

Troy Willaims, St Louis MO (Sent Tuesday, September 23, 2008 9:54 AM)

Sunshine on boulders makes me happy.

John Denver (Sent Tuesday, September 23, 2008 9:55 AM)

It's amazing that the only way McCain can see his numbers increase in the polls is when he is slinging crap. When it comes down to the important issues, he doesn't stand a chance.

It's so obvious (Sent Tuesday, September 23, 2008 9:55 AM)

I like how, whenever something of real importance happens, Obama's the one who's rising to the challenge. McCain's the one sitting there with his thumb up his butt.

All McCain knows is smear tactics. When something meaningful happens, we see him for what he is: TOTALLY USELESS.

Erik, Mechanicsburg, PA (Sent Tuesday, September 23, 2008 9:55 AM)

What are the ties between McCain campaign and the world leaders that agreed to sit down with Palin??? Who is on which lobbying team or in the past and to be in the future?

Why are these being called "meetings" or being stated by the media as to show her foreign policy experience? If I had enough money I to could get these meetings. Will the media call Palin on it when she states in the debates that when I met with ______ foreign leader we discussed....

When will Palin release her taxes (or will she be like McCain and not release)? When will Palin and her husband a normal citizen cooperate with the investigation or is she going to be like Cheney?

Sue, St Peters, MO (Sent Tuesday, September 23, 2008 9:57 AM)

It's a shame that it takes a financial crisis to get the MSM to focus on substantive issues, something the Obama camp has wanted throughout this entire election process. There is no way the MSM should have given air space to McCain's outright lies and distractions.

I'll be watching the MSM's reaction to Palin's first-time meetings with world leaders. I'm insulted her meetings at the UN are being compared to Obama's international tour, which was much more substantive. I'll be interested to see if McCain's base (the MSM) tag Palin as presumptuous and arrogant, the way they tagged Obama after his international tour, or if whatever Palin does is seen as the answer to every global problem known to man.

RME.

Cindy Lou, TX (Sent Tuesday, September 23, 2008 9:57 AM)

Sara Palin, the Alaskan Governor who is "THE most knowledgable person in the United States on the subject of ENERGY" and is also a "Foreign Policy Expert" because she can see Russia from her house is going to the United Nations today to actually meet some foreign heads of state. (So now she has VAST knowledge in dealing and TOUGH negotiations with foreign heads of state, right?) Is anyone else GAGGING from the audacity of all these lies?

Oh, and PS: Maureen Dowd was right, Sara, you didn't say "Thanks but no thanks to that bridge to Nowhere." You said, "Thanks." So can we just quit with that outrageous lie, it's embarrassing.

McCain campaign is staffed with liars, thieves and criminals who SHOULD be in JAIL. McCain is a senile loon who can't keep his facts straight, denies what he just said (and they have a video of it), is clueless on the economy and wants to start a war on every continent (might as well start with Spain, they're pretty ticked off at us after you told them they were no longer an ally, McCain). And Palin, YEEEESH! What can I say, vapid, disingenuous, unexperienced, undereducated, pathological liar with rapatious ambition who does NOT have the common sense to know she has NO business on a national ticket??????

Who is buying this absolute garabage? It is truly frightening that nearly half the country can be even momentarily taken in by what has got to be the WORST presidential duo ever run for office. (Yes, and that includes our current pair, although they are in a league of their own.)

dp in PHX (Sent Tuesday, September 23, 2008 9:58 AM)

LoL, how many gaffes has McCain made?
LoL, how many lies has McCain told?
Fact check.org you'll be amazed!
Republican McCain is no joke; neither is Biden.
So what Biden. didn't like the ad.

Obama's bounce will keep on going because..,

Palin shakes hands at the UN ad gets experience. Great keep up her good work.

Not only does Congress want to be seen as handing over a blank check to Wall Street, neither do we tax payers.
We American people are not ignoramUS.
THE SOUP LINE WILL NOT BE SEGMENTED!!! Wake up Catholics, independents, people voting against Obama’s color, and, older voters

Enough glossing over!
No way!
No how!
No McCain/Palin!
Nobody but Obama/Biden

NO BLANK CHECK

Beverly in Chicago (Sent Tuesday, September 23, 2008 9:58 AM)

If the McCain campaign had checked in with the Chicago Tribune prior to launching the "Chicago Machine" ad, they wouldn't look so foolish. When one of the most conservative newspapers in the nation states that there is no factual basis in the "machine" assertion, there truly is nothing there. Had there been any misdeeds, rest assured the Trib would have brought them to light years ago. They have been researching Obama for over a decade, and sincerely believe him to be a man ruled by conscience.

Suburban Mom paying attention, IL (Sent Tuesday, September 23, 2008 9:59 AM)

This example is exactly why the Dems love Joe and why Barack chose him!!!!!!!

He tells it STRAIGHT like as he see's it! (I put thumbs down the ad too.) Way to go JOE!!!!

NO WAY to McInsane/Inane

Obama/Biden all the way.....................

Libratine (Sent Tuesday, September 23, 2008 10:00 AM)

Does anybody else notice how NBC/MSNBC polls always contradict every other poll out there? I'm not suggesting there is some kind of media bias....just simply that MSNBC must have the worst statisticians working for them....ummm no....I guess it is just their bias.

Randy (Sent Tuesday, September 23, 2008 10:00 AM)

I thought that polling results were not given out until the final voting had taken place? Don't much care for the release of this kind of info in Sept.

Ann in Va (Sent Tuesday, September 23, 2008 10:02 AM)

Anyone who can see or hear, would have to cast their ballot for Obama/Biden. It is now so ever clear that it was Bush/Cheney/McCain/Palin and the Republicans that ran Wall Street and middle class Americans into the financial toilet. If anyone casts a vote for McCain/Palin, that tells me that they are very happy with the economic downfall of this nation and they want 4 more years of the last 8 years. If anyone casts a vote for McCain/Palin, that also tells me that they are casting a vote for the Peoples Republic of China. With another 4 years of the last 8 years, China stands willing and ready to own us. It would be rather unpatriotic to cast a vote for McCain/Palin.

Cheryl W. (Sent Tuesday, September 23, 2008 10:03 AM)

now they tell us that the solution lies with the very team that created the problems. make no mistake, there are people making money on this deal. bush and his cronies have enroned electric power,gas prices, and now their most ambitious plan wall street. WORSE FINANCIAL CRISIS SINCE SAVINGS AND LOAN DEBACLE... OH YEAH, MCCAIN WAS DEEMED TO HAVE BEEN AN INTEGRAL COMPONENT OF THAT SCAM... GUILTY OF POOR JUDGEMENT!
BEST BUDS WITH CHARELIE KEATING

KEATING 5 KEATING 5 KEATING 5 KEATING 5

do not fall victim to the panic, that is what team bush is counting on. it would be unprecedented to give this kind of power to one man. imagine a world in which this guy is given unlimited control and no one can even scrutinize his decisions.this cannot happen in America!
BTW, there are still thousands missing in Galveston area but no media seems to care.this storm could possibly kill more than any other in our history but where is the media outcry? entire communities have been wiped out. so much for a "liberal media"

leon houston (Sent Tuesday, September 23, 2008 10:03 AM)

Ron Indiana (Sent Tuesday, September 23, 2008 9:51 AM)

I agree with you about Gregory. In his interviewing Liar Romney, he called him out, but he didn't press the issue of the continuous lies.

Michelle Zee (Sent Tuesday, September 23, 2008 10:03 AM)

While it is good news to hear Obama is ahead in those polls, I take it with a grain of salt because the race is still close, and in light of the almost certainty of "voting irregularities" [code for black vote disenfranchisement, and other illegal activities from repukes to squelch the dem. vote], I will have to see an Obama win to actually believe it. Call me a pessimist, but we already know the voting machines in Florida are broken, again, and its more likely than not, we'll see things in other states such as one working machine for a predominately black voting district with over 100,000 voters, but 100 working machines for a white district with only 1000 voters.

Pat Huntington NY (Sent Tuesday, September 23, 2008 10:04 AM)

Go Obama! You're ahead, and Mclame is desparately trying to distract the rubes with his silly dredging up of old issues. And, America, let's not be too hasty to approve a Republican bailout plan until we read the fine print; if it's Repiglican, SOMEBODY RICH is going to profit from this! Let's not let them!

Class Warrior, D.C. (Sent Tuesday, September 23, 2008 10:05 AM)

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